For me, springtime means fragrant, juicy, ruby red strawberries. I just can't get enough of them. I make lots of Seriously Simple strawberry desserts that highlight their unique flavor. Sometimes I pour warm white chocolate over them; or I'll make zabaglione custard and drizzle it on sliced strawberries. This Ice cream, with crushed and chopped strawberries, is one of my favorite seasonal desserts.

What to look for when selecting strawberries? You should be able to smell their heady, sweet aroma. If you don't smell anything, pass on them because they won't have much flavor. They should be fully red with no green or white around the stem. Try to select organic, because pesticides can linger on the berry. Strawberries are best served at room temperature to experience their full flavor.

This ice cream has a double taste of strawberries, both crushed and chopped. The frozen canister ice-cream makers that require little churning and only 20 minutes of freezing time may have taken the old fashioned "charm" out of ice-cream making, but they have certainly made it easier. If your ice cream maker holds less than 2 quarts, divide this recipe in half. Serve it in glass ice cream bowls with sliced strawberries and a crispy cookie.

Crushed Strawberry Ice Cream

Makes 2 quarts

1/4 cup sugar

21/2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced in half

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup milk

4 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup finely chopped strawberries

1. Finely chop 1 cup of the sliced strawberries and set aside. Sprinkle the sugar over the remaining strawberries in a medium mixing bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes and then process the strawberries in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until completely smooth. Pour it through a fine sieve, if you prefer no seeds.

2. Combine the cream and milk in a medium saucepan and scald on medium-high heat. Remove from the heat.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Slowly add the sugar and vanilla, and beat until thick and pale lemon-colored.

4. When the cream and milk are scalded, gradually whisk 1 cup into the egg mixture. Whisking, gradually pour the egg mixture back into the cream and milk in the saucepan.

5. Cook slowly over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook or the mixture will curdle. Remove from the heat, strain into a medium mixing bowl and cool.

6. Add the pureed strawberries to the custard and mix well.

7. Pour the custard mixture into a chilled ice cream machine and churn, following the instructions, until the ice cream begins to thicken. While the machine is running, add the finely chopped strawberries. At this point the ice cream will be firm but not hard. Either put it in the freezer to harden or serve it immediately.

Advance Preparation: This may be prepared eight hours in advance through Step 6 and kept in the refrigerator. Note: This recipe may be halved to make 1 quart.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)