Growing as it does near or upon the ground this fruit contains a full
supply of soda, potash, lime, iron and silica, in this resembling the
vegetable rather than the fruit.
The strawberry comes in for a few weeks and then goes out of season
again just as one is, after a few painful experiences, becoming
accustomed to it. The little seeds, being new to the stomach, are
apt to disagree with people and to upset their gastric arrangements.
Yet the strawberry, if it could only be made available all the year
round, would be one of our most valuable fruit foods. It is said to be
good for gout and rheumatism, but many people seem to get these very
diseases, including piles, from eating them because the irritating
seeds, and the fruit acids, together with the added sugar and cream
eaten with them, act as complicating elements.
Strawberry Juice.
Can be extracted easily from the fruit by pulping, straining the juice,
and using it as required. The time will come when some enterprising
fruit grower, instead of allowing his fruit to go to waste because of
a glut, will take to bottling the juice, and he will certainly find a
ready market, for strawberry juice is fully equal in nutritive value
to apple juice and grape juice, both of which now find a remunerative
field commercially.
Strawberry Drink.
Take a wineglassful each of strawberry and cucumber juice, mix, and
drink cold.
Strawberry Tea.
Take 1 lb. of ripe strawberries, and after first removing the stalks,
cleaning the fruit and mashing them, add to a pint of boiling water and
serve hot without added sugar.