A little reason to celebrate
National Strawberries and Cream Day
Food ยท May 21
A day for strawberries and cream, the simple summer pairing of ripe berries with fresh cream, poured or whipped, and how to make it at home.
National Strawberries and Cream Day falls on Friday, May 21, 2027. That is 206 days away.
Strawberries and cream is about as plain as a dessert gets. Ripe strawberries go in a bowl, cream goes on top, and that is the whole recipe. The trick is that both halves have to be good, because there is nothing else to hide behind.
The berries matter most. A strawberry picked ripe is red all the way through, soft enough to give a little, and smells sweet before you even bite it. Pale, hard berries stay pale and hard, since strawberries do not keep ripening once they are picked. Local berries in season tend to taste the most like strawberries.
The cream can go a few ways. Some people pour it straight from the carton, cold and thin, so it pools around the fruit. Others whip it into soft peaks, sometimes with a spoonful of sugar or a drop of vanilla. A sprinkle of sugar over sliced berries, left to sit for a few minutes, pulls out their juice and makes a quick pink syrup that mixes with the cream.
Rinse the berries just before eating rather than ahead of time, since water left on them makes them soften and spoil faster. Hull them after washing so they do not soak up water through the top.
Keep the cream in the fridge until the last minute. Cold cream whips faster, and it tastes better against berries that have warmed a little at room temperature.
Ways to celebrate
- Try ripe local strawberries with a splash of cold cream.
- Whip cream by hand with a whisk and a little sugar.
- Sugar sliced berries and let them sit to make their own syrup.
- Share a bowl of strawberries and cream with a neighbor or friend.
- Look for strawberries at a farmers market and compare varieties.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, May 21 |
| 2027 | Friday, May 21 |
| 2028 | Sunday, May 21 |
| 2029 | Monday, May 21 |
| 2030 | Tuesday, May 21 |
Also on May 21
- National Pizza Party Day
- Endangered Species Day
- National Bike to Work Day
- American Red Cross Founder's Day
- National Waitstaff Day
Categories: Food days