Strawberry season is here - and the combination that looks the simplest at the market is also the best. No expertise required, no expensive ingredients. Strawberries with cream or strawberries with yogurt. Two classics 2026 inherited unchanged - but a few tricks lift them to a higher level.

For strawberries with cream: use whipping cream with at least 35 per cent fat. Anything less and it won't whip. Whip it ice-cold, and if you have time - chill the bowl too. Sweeten with icing sugar, not granulated - it dissolves more smoothly. For a touch of flavour - a drop of vanilla or a mild liqueur. If you want a lighter version - mix whipped cream with yogurt or fromage frais. And if you want roasted warm strawberries - Carlos Arguiñano's recipe: halve them, place in a tray, sugar on top, 10 minutes at 180 degrees.

For strawberries with yogurt: pick a natural, unsweetened one. That's the only way you control the sweetness. For a richer texture - Greek yogurt or skyr. For crunch - seeds, hazelnuts, granola. Dates blended with the yogurt make a difference. Flavour - vanilla, cinnamon, or a little lemon zest. With other fruits - bananas, blueberries, mango - it becomes a proper healthy breakfast.

Eight quick recipes that work: yogurt with strawberries and cereal (10 min), strawberry-yogurt smoothie (15 min), yogurt ice cream with strawberries and banana (10 min plus 5 hours of freezing), yogurt with strawberries and black pepper (sounds strange, works - 20 min), cups with strawberries, cream and biscuits (15 min), strawberry sundae with whipped cream (20 min), pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream (30 min) and a waffle sandwich with whipped cream and strawberries (45 min).

For the Balkans - the grandmother classic was „strawberries in a bowl with sugar and whipped cream". No need to turn it into molecular gastronomy. Fresh market strawberries beat any imported product. And the season is short - June at the latest at our latitude. Use them while they're here.