Perfect fat and fragrant strawberries are just about as springtime as it gets, the perfect way to end an elegant springtime meal.

Choose perfect, fully ripe, fresh berries.  A good way to tell how fresh the berries are is to look at the stems.   If they look wilted, the berries probably aren’t as fresh as you might like them to be.

Wash the berries, discarding any damaged or spoiled ones, and drain well.  Reserve several of the largest and most perfect ones for garnish.  Slice the rest and put into a glass bowl.  Sprinkle VERY LIGHTLY with sugar or sweetener.  Refrigerate for an hour or two before serving. 

To serve, scoop sliced berries into individual glass serving dishes and put a dollop of Crème Fraîche on top of each serving and top with a perfect berry.  You might also wish to add a sprig of fresh mint.