A friend sent us five kilos of sweet and juicy strawberries (thanks, Vincent!)- and so far we’ve had Strawberry Cake, Strawberry Pie (a recipe I’ll share with you soon, it was swooningly delicious), even Strawberry Pancakes. But my all-time favorite way to enjoy these strawberries has been simply: by macerating them.

If you find yourself with fresh strawberries, please please try this. The maceration brings out the strawberry’s natural flavor in an awesome way. A perfect recipe to celebrate Earth Day with:

Macerated Strawberries

2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 bottle of your favorite red wine
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground black pepper (the powdery kind. Seriously.)
1/2 cup sugar

Combine all of the above in a large bowl. Cover and sit in refrigerator for a few hours. Serve with dollops of creme fraiche. Mmmm.