Choose the ripest of fresh berries for this recipe. Frozen ones are okay if ripe fresh ones are unavailable. You can get excellent strawberries year-round now, just make sure they are ripe all the way through. This treat does add some fiber to the diet.

• Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Discard the seeds and reserve the juice.

• Put the lemon halves in a large saucepan with the strawberries, vanilla bean, and sugar. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring to prevent scorching.

• Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, remove vanilla bean and lemon halves, and stir in lemon juice.

• Ladle or pour the preserves into hot sterilized jars, filling to ¼″ from the top. Wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids and screw-on bands. Let cool at room temperature.