Where I live in California, we’re blessed with richer cropland and a longer growing season than almost anywhere else in the country. But even here, the season for plump, delicious berries flies by all too fast. That’s why I consider it my duty to gobble down as many of these juicy gems as humanly possible while I have the chance.

Every weekend, April to August, you’ll find at least a few pints of fresh, fragrant berries lined up on my counter awaiting a bolt of culinary inspiration, or my family’s roaming fingers—whichever gets there first.

For me, anything berry-related always begins with a Saturday morning drive to the farmer’s market or roadside stand. In my experience, it’s well worth an extra trip and a few extra dollars to buy your berries locally. Freshness means everything for these delicate fruits, and you can really taste the difference between those that were picked this morning and those that have already weathered several days on a refrigerated truck. Plus, the satisfaction of knowing I’m supporting my nearby farming neighbors makes each bite that much sweeter.

Once I get the berries home, I use them as soon as possible. If you must refrigerate them overnight, leave them in their open, well-ventilated containers. For berries that were grown organically with no exposure to pesticides, a quick wipe with a damp rag to remove any visible dirt is usually all the cleaning required. Otherwise, rinse berries under water just before using them, and pat dry gently. Once washed, berries become even more fragile and may whither within a matter of hours.

Of course perfect berries demand perfect recipes to match, right? Hardly! I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to regularly abandon the kitchen and indulge in Nature’s perfect finger food, deliciously unadorned. But when the occasion—or the mood—calls for something just a little more elaborate, dig into the recipes below. Each one is carefully crafted to showcase berries in all their colorful, flavorful, joy-inducing splendor. You’ll find baked treats and trifles to savor the same day they’re made, or scrumptious sorbets that hold well in the freezer—so you can stretch the berry enjoyment on into the work week.

What to do when berry season’s over? Here’s a little hint: A couple of these recipes can be cheated with frozen berries, with excellent results. Maybe berry bliss isn’t just for summer after all.