Peak season: Wild strawberries

Wild strawberries: Talk about ugly! Wild strawberries are tiny -- scrawny even. Their colors can be so faded they look as if someone left them out in the sun for an afternoon. And don’t even think about bouncing them around in your bag -- you’ll end up with jam. In short, wild strawberries (or fraises des bois) are about as far as you can get from the modern ideal of a strawberry. And that’s what makes them so wonderful. Pop one into your mouth and it practically melts, releasing a sweetness so candied it almost tastes as if it must be artificially flavored. Transport them gently and eat them immediately; they are fragile treasures.

$5 per pint, Rutiz Family Farms

russ.parsons@latimes.com