February 27, 2023 | Posted in:Recipes, Special Events, Sweet Treats
Florida Strawberry Season in Orlando
Most people think of orange groves and sweet corn when thinking of Orlando area farms. Did you know that Florida is the 2nd largest producer of strawberries in the United States? Orlandoans revel in a Florida strawberry season that starts in December and stretches through March and April, depending on the weather.
February and March are considered peak strawberry season in Orlando. The extended fall 2022 hurricane season spoiled the fields for some local farmers, and hard freezes in January 2023 proved damaging to new strawberry crops. Fear not; many Central Florida farms have rebounded and are experiencing bumper strawberry crops in February 2023! Whether you want to enjoy fresh strawberries featured in a delicious dessert or head to a local Orlando U-Pick farm, we’ve detailed the Top 3 ways to celebrate Florida Strawberry season in Orlando!
1. Nomad Bakehouse Strawberry Pistachio Galette
It’s the height of Florida strawberry season and we got a jump on #NationalStrawberryDay! We celebrated the Fresh from Florida peak of season flavor with gorgeous Strawberry Pistachio Galettes from Nomad Bakehouse (@nomadbakehousefl on Instagram).
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Nomad Bakehouse owner & baker, Grace Garay, uses hand-picked strawberries from Mick Farms in St. Cloud as the star ingredient in this spring pastry. For us, it was love at first bite! The Strawberry Pistachio Galette features flakey pie dough filled with toasted pistachio frangipane (butter, local egg, pistachio flour) local hand-picked Mick Farms strawberries, topped with oat, almond & cardamom crumble baked ’til golden and finished with whipped creme fraiche & pistachio dust. It’s a must for strawberry lovers; the pistachio frangipane provides a luscious backdrop to the flavorful ripe local strawberries.
Grace is offering this delicious treat again this week! Want your own Strawberry Pistachio Galette? Follow Nomad Bakehouse @nomadbakehousefl on Instagram.
Get your Nomad Bakehouse items in 3 easy steps year-round:
- Watch for the Tuesday 5:00 pm pre-sale drop.
- Place your online order.
- Pick up your order between 12:00 pm-4:00 pm Saturday.
PROTIP: Never miss a Nomad Bakehouse drop! Sign up for text notifications via the online store, and follow the links in the Nomad Bakehouse Instagram bio to sign up.
ICYMI, Nomad Bakehouse specializes in naturally leavened pastries and bread using regional, organic, stone ground flours and locally sourced ingredients. Do you love to bake or know someone who is an aspiring baker? Grace is now offering 2-day Sourdough bread baking workshops to teach comprehensive skills and fundamentals of creating Sourdough bread from scratch utilizing the natural yeast and bacteria surrounding us. Class includes iced coffee or tea, plus lunch. (Lucky you!) Read the current available class dates and itinerary, or click the link in the Nomad Instagram bio for more information.
2. U-Pick Local Strawberries in the Orlando Area
Craving fresh local strawberries? Support our local Florida farmers and take advantage of the many U-Pick & farm stand options around the Orlando area. Before heading out to the farm: visit websites and social media to plan your trip and keep current on inclement weather policies, sold-out status, pricing, ticked special events, food trucks, and more. A few of our favorite Strawberry U-Pick farms are:
Mick Farms 4261 Canoe Creek Rd., Saint Cloud, Florida 34772, and follow at@Mickfarms on Instagram for seasonal updates.
Big Daddy’s Farm 285 Howard Ave., Oviedo, FL 32765, and follow at @Bigdaddysorganics on Instagram for seasonal updates.
Southern Hill Farms at 16651 Schofield Rd, Clermont, FL 34714, and follow at@southernhillfarms on Instagram for seasonal updates.
Amber Brooke Farms in Eustis 36111 N CR 44A, Eustis, FL 32736, and follow at @AmberBrookeFarms_eustis on Instagram for seasonal updates.
Popular Pappy’s U Pick is closed for the 2023 season due to November 2022 storm damage to their fields. Fans of Bekemeyer Family Farm in Winter Garden should follow their Facebook page for opening information and updates for the 2023 season.
Now that you’ve picked your farm fresh strawberries try making my Fresh Strawberry Pie, Strawberry Syrup for my Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Latte, or top my Midnight Chocolate Cupcakes with freshly sliced ripe strawberries!
3. Go to the Florida Strawberry Festival
Can’t get enough of local Florida strawberries? Neither can we! Check out the Florida Strawberry Festival running March 2-12, 2023, in Plant City, FL. Hillsborough county is the home of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association and many amazing Florida strawberry growers who keep our local grocery stores stocked with truckloads of ripe strawberries. #BerryFest23 promises more fun festival treats and great free entertainment and ticketed concerts throughout the festival.
New 2023 Florida Strawberry Festival Food
- Very Berry Sugar Waffle A strawberry-flavored sugar waffle dusted with powdered sugar, a heaping mound of fresh strawberry filling, piled high with whipped cream, and topped with fresh strawberries. Find the Verry Berry Sugar Waffle located at Fain’s Concession on the Southside of the festival grounds.
- Mac Stack A hunk of sweet cornbread piled high with a savory helping of slow-roasted pulled pork, a dollop of mac-n-cheese with BBQ beans, tangy coleslaw, and drizzled with barbeque sauce. Find the Mac Stack located at Piggy Palace on the Southside of the festival grounds.
- Fried Oyster-Mushroom Po BoyVegan-Friendly A crispy fried oyster-mushroom on a toasted bun topped with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and a generous smear of remoulade sauce. This vegan-friendly option comes with a side of seasoned rice and smoked beans. Find this vegan food item located at Seasoned Greens near the West end of GT Grandstands.
- Langos Ear A langos is a Hungarian deep-fried flatbread. The Best Around has combined their traditional elephant ear batter with this European recipe to make a savory garlic-buttered flatbread, topped with a homemade cream cheese and sour cream blend and sprinkled with real bacon crumbles. Find the Langos Eat located on the North side of the Entenmann’s Strawberry Tent.
PLUS new to the 2023 Florida Strawberry Festival concessions are Sandy Ann’s Old Fashion Fried Pies, Very Berry Battered Corn Dog, Mrs. E’s Strawberry Freeze, and Pumpkin Ice Cream topped with Plant City Strawberries. Find lots of new festival vendors, family-friendly activities, and entertainment all festival long.
2023 Florida Strawberry Festival Features Accessibility Day
NEW Special Smiles Day on Friday, March 3rd! The 2023 Strawberry Festival welcomes all individuals with special needs from 9 a.m. to noon. This unique event is reserved for celebrating and serving their most treasured guests in a safe, FUN, and sensory-considerate environment. All Special Smiles VIPs, and one guest, will be admitted FREE. Entry at Gate 5. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Plant City.
What is the Florida Strawberry Festival?
The Florida Strawberry Festival is an 11-day community event celebrating the strawberry harvest of Eastern Hillsborough County. Each year, over 500,000 visitors enjoy the Festival’s headline entertainment, youth livestock shows, exhibits of commerce, and its famous strawberry shortcake. The 2023 Florida Strawberry Festival will take place March 2 – March 12, 2023, in Plant City, FL. For more information, visit www.flstrawberryfestival.com, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and Twitter, Use hashtag #BerryFest23 if you post pictures on social media.
Thanks for stopping by! Are you looking for more food events around Central Florida, Orlando area food suggestions & great recipes? Follow along @TasteCookSip on Instagram, Instagram Stories, Facebook, Twitter, and Tiktok.
Lisa Wilk
Hello, I'm Lisa Wilk! I'm a freelance food, wine and travel writer, photographer and presenter based out of Orlando, FL. While covering local restaurants and food events in the #1 tourist destination in the US, I find endless cooking inspiration when dining out. You'll often find me in the kitchen putting my own spin on those elevated chef creations to enjoy at home and when entertaining. I have a love and enthusiasm for wine, wine education and wine pairing. Find me about town teaching and demystifying wine as part of the popular @TheTastyTrio in the popular Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Perfectly Paired program series I've co-developed. Taste, Cook and Sip along with me on Twitter and Instagram at @TasteCookSip and @WineChix! Cheers!
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