The sweetest thing

Some 12,000 kilos of succulent strawberries, even five centimetres long, were up for grabs at Mġarr yesterday and half of them were already sold by midday.

The abundance was also the result of one of the "best winters ever" for the cultivation of the fruit.

At last year's Festa Frawli, the third consecutive feast of strawberries in the village renowned for its cultivation, 8,000 kilos were picked and distributed.

But the demand seems to be insatiable and more local strawberry growers, about 40 in total, joined forces this year, displaying their proud produce not only in its natural state but in a variety of tempting versions.

Following the scent of strawberries that filled the air, families and foreigners queued up for all things strawberry, including ravjoli! And measuring eight by four feet, there was enough cake to go round and feed the crowds, whose appetite was whetted from afar by their whiff. Prepared over three days, but consumed in a few hours, the gâteau required about 120 kilos of strawberries; it took five Maypole pastry chefs a whole day to garnish it, lining it in the chocolate-coated fruit.

And those who did not get to the cake could sample strawberry pancakes, waffles, ice cream, milkshakes and even a liqueur, 700 bottles of which were fast sold out.

Meanwhile, anyone able to watch their diet could instead opt for crocheted key chains and 300 bags, sporting strawberry motifs, created over the last three months by a group of local women.

Mġarr strawberries made a name for themselves and consumers actually requested them specifically, said strawberry grower Vincent Camilleri, whose brainchild the original feast was.

As the years go by, the team of collaborating farmers grows stronger as does the amount of strawberries in the stalls.

"The more there is a unified voice, the more marketing strength," Mr Camilleri said.

It was the specific terrain that makes them so special, he explained, adding that the type of soil improved their taste and their large size was not at its expense.

Festa Frawli, organised by the Kummissjoni Lejla Mġarrija and coordinated by the local council and the farmers, is held at the peak of the strawberry season, which starts at the end of November, with other varieties continuing until June.

This season's produce was blessed by the weather; the warmer the temperature the stronger the sweetness, said Mr Camilleri, admitting the lack of heavy rain was bad for other crop.

He said 1.6 million strawberry plants, each producing about a kilo of the fruit, were imported this season, about 25 per cent more than in previous years.

"Farmers are seeing the gain from cultivating strawberries but they have to know how to grow them," he pointed out. That would include experience, soil analysis and preparation as well as the careful treatment with fertilisers, which he insisted they needed.

And it is not over yet: when prices drop, farmers start to harvest the crop to make the preserved products, including jams, syrups and the very alcoholic liqueur.