Prep. time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes

Sherry vinegar is one of the gems of Spain's sherry bodegas. Some years ago, it was made in secret or sold to other wine storehouses, since vinegar was considered to be wine's poor relation. However now it is produced with care and there are even vinegars more than 100 years old, thanks to the solera system used in producing sherry. The vinegar brings out the strawberries' deep flavor and color. In this recipe it is used in an aromatic syrup in which the strawberries are boiled quickly. It can be made even richer by cooking the syrup an extra 10 minutes before adding the berries.

1. Wash and hull the strawberries; leave them whole or slice them, depending on their size.
2. Dissolve the sugar in the water; add the cloves, vanilla, cinnamon and lemon peel; cook for 5 minutes at high heat to form a flavorful syrup, then add the vinegar.
3. When the mixture returns to a boil, add the strawberries, boil quickly and let cool in the syrup. Remove the lemon zest and serve in a deep dish with the syrup.