Strawberry Bounty

I looked over the table at Chase Farm filled with pints of gorgeous berries and just took in the aroma. The delicate perfume just made me pause. Without even realizing it, I bent over the fruits and said, "Hello!" I think I was overcome with sensory pleasure.

The woman next to me smiled and leaned in to me.."Sometimes I want to say 'hello' too. They're just so beautiful. Feeling both silly and sweet, I realized that I had connected with another culinary kindred spirit.

With our recent mix of sun and rain, fresh pick strawberries are at their peak this week, so with baskets in tow off to the strawberry fields I went to begin my picking week. After three trips so far, I have nearly 40 pounds of this much loved Spring bounty presently in my new freezer and I'm loving it! U-pick farms are overflowing locally with berries, so be sure to get out their and pick some for yourself! Or surely any farmers market nearby will be offering-- in addition to gazillions of garlic scapes this week, trays of fresh picked strawberries.

Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them or check out our recipe page for more ideas:



1) The CLASSIC: Cut up a pint of freshly washed fruit and toss with 1/8 cup of granulated sugar and the juice of one lemon. Stir to combine, cover with wrap and chill for two hours. Serve over vanilla bean ice cream.

2) The ITALIAN Kiss: Hull a pint of strawberries and toss with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar. Bake for 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven until the fruits are soft, but not mushy. Serve as a compote with fresh whipped cream, over ice cream or as a fabulous glaze for grilled meats.

3) The SALAD Maker: Slice berries over your next green salad and serve with a mustardy vinaigrette made from 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 TBLS dijon mustard and 3/4 cup maple syrup. The berries mix beautifully with a peppery blend of greens like arugula, mizuna and spring mix.

4) No strawberry season would be official without making strawberry rhubarb pie around our house.

5) Nor the absence of at least one strawberry trifle, tiramisu or parfaits.

6) And surely at least two quarts of Strawberry Ice Cream is usually in order. :)

7) More Vintage Garden Jellies of course need to be made.. this week it was Strawberry Balsamic Fig with a hint of fresh basil being stirred in my pots.

8) And finally the CHOCOLATE Dipped Strawberry: Melt white or dark chocolate in 30 second intervals in your microwave until smooth. Dip in the fresh picked fruit and set it on waxed paper to firm and harden. Eat as-is or set atop your favorite cake to make an elegant decoration.

It's a gorgeous Sunday out there--grab your baskets and go pick some strawberries!

Rhubarb, Strawberry & Beach roses

Three things I love about the month of June are the rhubarb patch, the strawberry fields and the beach roses coming into blossom. The weeks have disappeared since I took over a large abandoned garden plot, but the fruits abound, so I keep at it.
Last weekend as the fog lifted and before the afternoon's impending storms moved in so we went strawberry pickin! We pretty much had the fields all to ourselves.. so the picking went fast. It would be such a shame with the amount of rainfall we've been having to just let them go by without at least a few harvests. The elder (92 yrs) caretaker of this plot has since retired but the beds remain just brimming with three different varieties of luscious berries.

Here's the strawberry patch

We picked six quarts.. some for dessert, and some for the freezer. I love opening the freezer in the middle of winter to make shortcakes with early summer berries I've tucked away.







The rhubarb patch is sizeable and a great source of hiding places for my newfound field mouse family that has recently moved in to torment me! ;) It seems they aren't selective in their nibblings.. and now that the nasturtium blossoms are arriving, apprently it's is a delicacy they thoroughly enjoy!


I've just finished reading Barbara Kingsolver's bestseller, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and wanted to try her version of Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. It turned out well and quickly vanished from our plates. The next time I make it I would cut back on the rhubarb and add more berries. Crisps are pretty easy to make recipes and you can add any fruits of the season you have on hand.

Barbara Kingsolver's Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp recipe:




3 cups strawberries, halved
3 cups rhubarb, chopped
1/2 cup honey (I used wildflower honey)
Mix together thoroughly and place in an 8x8 ungreased pan.
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar (or a bit more, to taste)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1.2 tsp allspice
1/3 cup butter
Mix until crumbly and sprinkle over fruit mixture, and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or so or until golden brown.Enjoy!




And no Spring would be complete in our house without at least one of my Strawberry Rhubarb pies being made. This time I added sliced apples as well to my pie. Just yummy!



The new gardens as well as the three farmer's markets I do weekly are keeping me very busy this year and I wouldn't want it any other way. But as busy as it is, I'll always take time to smell the roses.. the beach roses that fragrance our coastline with their exhilarating aroma. The only thing all this rain will accomplish this year will be to produce a plethora of rosehips for my winter cordial this year.