Berry fantastico

I’ve been longing for strawberry season to get here, and my wish is about to be granted. I’m spoiled forever on homegrown berries—especially those still warm from the sun when I eat them. So it’s fairly easy for me to pass by those pale, watery strawberries that have been flown in from parts yonder during the winter.

Instead, I bide my time until the local berries hit the markets and appear in my garden. Then I gorge on them. And clearly I need to taste-test as many strawberry desserts as possible around town.

I’ve also been wanting to go to Sugar and Spice Specialty Desserts (1201 F Street) since they opened in January, and I now have no excuse for not stopping by. They’re using bushels of fresh berries now in a multitude of desserts: strawberry-rhubarb crisp, strawberry-rhubarb cupcakes, strawberry-rhubarb “pop tarts” (I see a bit of a theme here), their fresh fruit tart, lemon-strawberry shortcakes and the jalousie, a filled puff-pastry dessert.

Strawberry overload, here I come!