Ingredients :

• The strawberries — This is the star ingredient, so don’t skimp on quality. Avoid out-of-season strawberries that are large and white inside — they have no flavor. What you need: small outdoor-grown strawberries, red to the core, with a scent that hits you the moment you open the box. Gariguette or Mara des Bois work very well. Taste before buying if you can.
• The oranges — The classic recipe uses Maltese oranges — Mediterranean oranges, slightly pink inside, very fragrant. If you can’t find them, a sweet table orange works just fine. Blood oranges also work and give a spectacular color to the juice. What matters: they should be juicy and not too acidic.
• The sugar — The recipe is intentionally low in sugar to let the fruit speak. Start with 30g and taste. If your strawberries are very ripe, you can go down to 20g easily. If they are a bit tart, increase it.
• Elderflower syrup (or orange blossom water) — We are replacing Cointreau with something that brings floral complexity without alcohol. Elderflower syrup — Monin or even IKEA’s — provides a subtle aroma that pairs perfectly with orange. Orange blossom water also works, but use sparingly: 2 teaspoons maximum, otherwise it overpowers everything.