Chef's Choice:Indulge in a local summer treat

In Shakespeare's tragedy "Richard III," the Duke of Gloucester addresses the Bishop of Ely with these words:

I saw good strawberries in your garden there:

I do beseech you send for some of them.

Although Shakespeare's duke may have craved strawberries enough to have them shipped across the country, strawberries haven't always been thought of as a treat. In fact, the Romans only occasionally mentioned the strawberry in their writings, casually referring to the medicinal purposes of the fruit. Later, 12th-century community leaders warned people away from strawberries, which...