Saturday, June 6, 2009

Strawberries

Being a yard less urbanite is fine in the winter (who wants to shovel snow). But I always feel cheated by the concrete come spring.  I grew up with a garden that attracted bees, fireflies, and humming birds. Fortunately, I inherited a plot in a community garden in May. Eager to partake in spring planting rituals, I bought seedlings for the rich, Who-filled soil. Tomatoes, bell peppers, basil, thyme, sage, dill, parsley, and hot peppers, at the insistence of my Indian mom, all found a place in the small plot.  

I felt content with my garden until I noticed a small patch of lime green plants in a neighboring plot. The deeply grooved leaves, which sat close to the ground, looked familiar. Strawberry plants! Why wasn't I trying to beckon summer's first fruit? A week later, white petaled flowers with  yellow centers graced the stems. I knew the blossoms would turn into glossy red berries - more fragrant and flavorful than the super-sized varieties shipped from California. Fearful of my weakness for their juicy flesh, I scheduled a trip to the farmer's market. 

June strawberries satisfy all the senses, whether dressed up (with cream or chocolate) or eaten right off the stem. In addition, they provide a healthy dose of dietary fiber, thanks to the tiny seeds polk-a-doting the outer flesh, and vitamin C. The one drawback: this exquisite fruit lingers around for about month. So don't waste time coveting your neighbor's patch. Visit your local farmer's market this week or schedule a trip to the closest U-Pick farm!


Advance purchase required!
Book your Chicago Food Tour today!
buy tickets at zerve
or call Zerve at (800) 979-3370

2 comments:

  1. Hi Susan, Hope you are doing well. We want to make homemade popsicles for the boys so your latest entry was really timely, do you have any suggestions for non BPA popsicle holders?

    Also, any tips on making upma, specifically to get it fairly dry? thx and ttys. Ivy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ivy, here are the BPA-free molds I have:

    http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-80-8003Y-Yellow-Groovy-Molds/dp/B000G32H3Y

    They may be a little big for kids.

    I vaguely remember making popsicles with Dixie cups and wooden sticks as a Girl Scout. So consider that option.

    For upma, cut back on the water if you're craving the drier version.

    ReplyDelete

Share your thoughts!