I’m happy to share my berry secrets – not sure they are really secrets but here is what I do. When you buy fresh berries from a store or berry stand plan on using them that day or the next. I am talking about fresh, local berries. Those strawberries you buy at Costco that come from Chile while last a lot longer but fresh local grown berries don’t last as long. We have had lots of sun here in Oregon lately so our berries are really ripe. They need to be used right away. I store mine in the refrigerator until I am ready to use them and I do not wash them until I am ready to use them. I even freeze my berries without washing them. When I put them in the refrigerator I try and store them in a shallow container so they are not piled too deep on top of one another. If you see any moldy or overly ripe pieces remove those right away because “one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch”. Hope this helps – let me know if you have any other questions!

The tip I used was a Wilton 6E I think – it is pretty old and the number is almost worn off – it’s a big one!

I use a Nikkon D40X but the real trick is good lighting – try for all natural light. No flash, no artificial light. I have a great window in my kitchen with Northern lighting that works well.