If you have a choice when buying your strawberries, choose berries that are darker red. In general, this signifies they are riper, which means they will yield more juice and will be sweeter and more intense in flavor.
Clean and hull the berries and slice into pieces about the thickness of a nickel. Place in a bowl and add the rosewater or liqueur, vanilla, and sugar. Stir to coat them, cover the bowl, and let the berries macerate at room temperature until they exude their juices, about 1 hour.
MAKES ABOUT 2 ½ CUPS