There are a lot of adjectives that can be used to describe strawberries — juicy, sweet, delicious, sour, squishy and moldy.

Those last three are the ones you hope you don’t have to utter when it comes to the fruit that many consider the mascot of spring. Strawberries shouldn’t be sour, squishy or moldy.

And while the fruit signals the coming of warm weather for many, it’s still too early in this area to pick your own. That should come around the end of May, says Cory Schweizer of Schweizer Orchards (that’s when the orchard is set to open).

“It all depends on the weather,” he says.

But strawberries are in the stores, and with a few tips from the pros, you can avoid picking a pint that will be less than pleasing.

When looking for good strawberries, color does matter.

“Deep, dark red,” is what Mr. Schweizer says to look for when choosing strawberries. The berries also should be somewhat firm, and the boxes they are in shouldn’t be leaking juice. Make sure to choose berries with fresh green caps — and no mold, caution both Mr. Schweizer and Janet Hackert, nutrition specialist with the Harrison County University of Missouri Extension Office in Bethany, Mo. Make sure to look at the bottom of the package for any signs of mold.

“I would remove the ones with the mold,” Ms. Hackert says, “and the ones next to them and the ones next to those.”

While the mold may be on only a few of the berries, mold spores can travel to other berries. It’s best to toss them.

When purchasing store-bought strawberries, remember that they are bred to be firm and are picked before they are fully ripe, according to missourifamilies.org. Keep in mind that strawberries won’t ripen further when you take them home, according the Web site.

When you get those berries home, resist the urge to soak them in water, Ms. Hackert says. Berries that sit in the water not only lose their color and flavor, but also spread the dirt, sand and any microbes present around to the whole batch. The best way to clean the berries is to rinse them off. And only clean what you’ll use, the pros say.

“A ripe strawberry will last two to three days in the refrigerator,” Ms. Hackert says.

Store unwashed strawberries loosely covered in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Or you can store them in the freezer, both Mr. Schweizer and Ms. Hackert say.

“They’ll soften some,” Ms. Hackert says, but will retain their taste and color.

There are a variety of ways to enjoy strawberries — from straight-up to spooning them atop cereal and pancakes to dipping them in chocolate or slicing and covering them with a sugared glaze and serving them in pie. Of course, you can’t forget that all-time favorite, strawberry shortcake. Strawberries nestled atop of piece of pound cake and covered by a mountain of whipped cream. Oh, dig in.

But wait... there are other ways to bring out the best of the berry.

“Years ago, we did a strawberry soup,” says Marcia Hayes, owner of the Ground Round Restaurant.

Strawberries also can give a salad a shot of color and taste.

“We’ll have salad in about a month,” Ms. Hayes says, “that will feature strawberries.”

That Summer Strawberry Salad will feature fresh strawberries, baby spinach, glazed walnuts and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. The salad will be available June 1 through Aug. 31, Ms. Hayes says.

Check out your favorite restaurant’s menu to see how fresh strawberries are being served. If not in a salad, the berries often are dressing up a dessert.

Ms. Hackert says the berries also can be used in smoothies or slushies. Strawberries, she adds, also can be made into jam or jelly or dried in a dehydrator or oven to make a tasty snack (for tips, visit the University of Missouri Web site at http://extension.missouri.edu).

Whether you pick your own or just pick them up on your way home, strawberries can make spring a little sweeter.

Lifestyles reporter Cathy Woolridge can be reached at cathyw@npgco.com

Strawberry spinach salad

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 large bag pre-washed spinach leaves

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic or cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Mix berries and spinach in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients well for a dressing. Pour dressing over salad.

— missourifamilies.org

Strawberry pizza

1 stick (4 ounces) butter

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup flour

8 ounces cream cheese

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cartons frozen strawberries, in juice

4 tablespoons cornstarch

Crust: Melt butter; mix with confectioners’ sugar. Add flour; mix well. Pat out on pizza pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Filling: Beat cream cheese and condensed milk together. Add lemon juice and vanilla; pour over cooled crust.

Topping: Combine frozen strawberries and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until thickened. Cool and spread over cream cheese filling.

Refrigerate at least four hours.

— southernfood.about.com

Chilled strawberry soup

1 cup apple juice

1 cup water, divided

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups fresh strawberries

2 cartons (8 ounces each) strawberry yogurt

2 drops red food coloring, optional

Additional strawberry halves, optional

In a small saucepan, combine the apple juice, 3/4 cup water, sugar, cinnamon and cloves; bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat; cool. Place strawberries and remaining water in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Add apple juice mixture, yogurt and food coloring if desired. Chill. Garnish with additional strawberries if desired.

— tasteofhome.com