An annual ritual has begun here. It's a ritual so old and deeply ingrained that I can't remember a time when I didn't do it. It began in my childhood and has continued right on through to today.
For this recipe, you'll need 4 cups of halved fresh strawberries. I purchased two baskets to make sure I had enough and we had leftovers for several strawberry shortcakes.
Mix the berries with the sugar in a non-reactive pan (stainless or enamel). Cover the pan and let the berries stand for 8 hours. Stir the mixture occasionally just to distribute the sugar through the berries.
After the 8 hours of standing time, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the lemon juice, return to boiling and allow to boil rapidly for 5 minutes.