The season for strawberries in Central New York is short, but sweet – over in four weeks or less, usually. So grab life by the basket-full and eat as many as you can.
Here are 5 ideas:
1. Pick your own strawberries. Your back might be a little sore, in the end, but do the work yourself and could end up with the cream of the crop.
Click here for a detailed list of U-pick farms in Central New York, sorted by county. A word of warning: Call ahead to verify produce availability, days and hours of operation, etc.
2. Get out a fancy dish and make a strawberry-yogurt parfait (above) for breakfast. Wash, hull and slice as many strawberries as you care to eat. Layer berries in parfait dish. Top with a half-cup of your favorite yogurt. Top with more strawberries, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of granola if you like.
3. Shortcake is heavenly, but for something more healthy, how about a salad of mixed greens topped with almonds, goat cheese and strawberries?
The salad (above) is from Cafe Kubal, on James Street, in Syracuse (Eastwood). Make your own at home using local field greens, goat cheese and CNY strawberries. Mix up some vinaigrette dressing with strawberry vinegar or strawberry-balsamic vinegar from Tassleberry Farm, Westmoreland. We’ve purchased these vinegars at Lombardi’s on Butternut Street in Syracuse, or you can order them online.
4. Strawberries and rhubarb: So different, but such excellent partners! Make some strawberry-rhubarb jam, or for something less time-consuming, try my recipe for Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble Top Muffins (above; from the archives; June 2010).
5. Horde CNY strawberries and freeze them now for enjoyment later. Wash, dry and remove the green tops from firm, plump strawberries (avoid soft-mushy ones). If possible, let berries air dry in a colander. Carefully transfer berries to a 13-by-9-inch pan and freeze them in a single layer, several hours to overnight. When frozen, transfer berries to freezer bags.
Use in cobblers, muffins and salads – or surprise dinner guests with a dessert of strawberry shortcake in the middle of the winter.
Dear A Place for Thoughts,
If my office had an oven, I would bake you a batch of Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble Top Muffins right now!
Thanks for visiting.
--Margaret
Posted by: Margaret @ Eat First | 06/14/2011 at 11:18 AM
Could I have one of those muffins now please? :)
Posted by: aplaceforthoughts | 06/14/2011 at 07:16 AM