The First Strawberries from Our Garden
The first strawberries from our garden are always the ones we look forward to most.
Our little berry patch is tucked into one of our three raised beds alongside a few herbs, and it has quickly become one of our favorite corners of the garden. The berries are small, but each one feels special. A tiny reward for waiting through the seasons.
The best part is watching our daughters discover them. Little hands carefully searching beneath the leaves, a small bowl slowly filling, and a few berries inevitably disappearing before they can make it to the kitchen.
This harvest felt worth celebrating, so we paired our garden strawberries with one of my favorite simple desserts: panna cotta.
There is something about panna cotta that feels perfectly suited to summer. It is delicate but unfussy, simple enough to let beautiful ingredients shine. For these strawberries, I made it two ways: one a little more elegant, the other a little more relaxed and ready for gathering.
Honey Vanilla Panna Cotta
What you need
Makes 6–8 servings
4 cups heavy cream
2 cups half-and-half
⅓ cup honey
2 packets gelatin
1 vanilla bean pod
How to make it
Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the cream mixture.
In a saucepan, gently warm the cream, half-and-half, vanilla seeds, and vanilla pod over low heat. The goal is not to simmer, but simply to warm the mixture and allow the vanilla to infuse.
Whisk in the gelatin until fully dissolved. Remove the saucepan from the heat, then stir in the honey until fully incorporated.
Remove the vanilla pod.
Pour the mixture into jars or ramekins and chill until set, at least 6 hours or overnight.
Two ways to serve
I served the panna cotta two ways, each with its own feeling.
The first was unmolded onto a plate, soft and trembling, and topped with fresh strawberries, a drizzle of basil olive oil, and a small sprinkle of salt. A little savory, a little sweet.
The second stayed in its jar, layered with strawberries and finished with strawberry balsamic. More informal and easy to carry, it felt like something you could bring along to a picnic or share at a summer gathering.
Both versions feel right in their own way.
That is the beauty of seasonal cooking: the same ingredients can tell different stories depending on the moment.
Our little strawberry patch has become one of the most rewarding parts of our garden. Next year, we may dedicate even more space to berries and herbs — embracing the things that bring us the most joy and the most time spent together outside.
A small harvest, savored.