Few things complement strawberry ice cream, angel food cake and pancakes as well as fresh strawberry sauce. During the summer months, when you have an abundance of plump strawberries from your garden or a farmer's market, use the fruit to make your own sauce. The sweet berries blend with a few other simple ingredients to create a tasty, sweet-tart topping for your favorite desserts. Be sure to use only ripe strawberries when making the sauce for the best taste.

Rinse 1 pint of fresh strawberries under cool running water to remove any dirt or pesticide reside. Pat the strawberries dry with a paper towel.

Cut the tops off of the strawberries using a paring knife. Slice the berries into small pieces and transfer them into a medium saucepan.

Add 1/3 cup of white, granulated sugar to the pan. Cook the strawberry and sugar mixture over medium-high heat for five minutes, or until the sugar dissolves and a thick sauce forms. Stir the sauce constantly.

Puree the cooled sauce in a blender or food processor if you prefer a smoother texture, or serve it as is.