Strawberry fields forever (or at least until July)

As I stood gazing down the rows of strawberry plants on Mt. Olympus farm, I got a kick out of seeing families hunched over, their backs burning in the sun, to pick their own strawberries. Not only were we driving out of our way and picking fruit like farm laborers, but we were paying more per pound too.

It may feel like a racket, but small farms provide this service because people love the experience. What's not to love? A family roadtrip to the countryside, fresh air, sunshine, and stealing a few bites along the way (sorry Mt. Olympus). It's also a great way to support local farms.

And what happens in these situations is inevitable. You get a boatload of fruit - more than you would normally buy at the grocery store. This forces all of us to start getting creative with our bounty and making seasonal treats!

Strawberry recipe inspiration

I went picking with my friend Kristy, who loves to make strawberry jam with her lot. It's delightful, and I always get my annual jar. But the whole heating and canning process sounds a little too scientific, so I focus my efforts on one of my favorite combinations: strawberries and chocolate!

Chocoloate strawberry muffins

Many people, once they've gone berry picking, inevitably make muffins. You can't beat a muffin made with fresh-picked blueberries. Perhaps there's a reason they haven't created chocolate blueberry muffins - or I could be sleeping on a million-dollar idea. Strawberries are a different story. I combined strawberries and chocolate for a decadent, fudgy muffin that isn't overly sweet, but feels sinful all the same. To give credit where it's due, I used the recipe here.

Note: You can add more strawberries to make them stand out a little more. That's what I am doing next time, in addition to adding more strawberries on top for visuals. You may need to bake a couple of minutes longer to acommodate the moisture, but a toothpick test will get you there. 

Chocolate-dipped strawberries

To continue my chocolate/strawberry love affair, I make chocolate-dipped strawberries. My husband says they are the best he's ever had. I will admit when I passed around some to neighbors, one was inspired to take a Mt. Olympus trip with her family on Mother's Day. 

Here's how to make them:

• Take a large pot and fill with a couple of inches of water.
• Atop the open pot, lay down a glass Pyrex bowl, or stainless steel bowl.
• Make sure that it seals the pot, and won't allow for steam to rise and get into the chocolate. This will change the texture of the chocolate - it's called seizing and it kills any hope for smooth chocolate. It becomes chalky and unsalvageable.
• Be sure to keep the heat on low - you don't want to boil the water which will no doubt create condensation that is more likely to escape the pot. 
• Pour chocolate chips into the bowl. How much do you use? It depends on how many strawberries you are using. Just eye it. Below I will offer advice on what to do with leftover chocolate. Also? Feel free to use milk, dark, or semisweet chocolate. You can use white chocolate, but ...is it really chocolate?
• Be patient as the chips warm up. Use a spatula to stir and blend.
• Add a dash of coconut oil to the mix, to make the mixture smoother and more liquid - better for dipping. How much? Depending on how many chips you added. I would put 1-2 teasoons per half bag of chocolate chips, in general. 
• While the chips are warming up, wash the strawberries and pat them dry with towels. You don't want that water/excessive moisture getting into the melted chips. Also, keep the stems on. You will hold onto the strawberry stems while you dip.
• While the chips are melting and being stirred, prepare a tray (that fits in your fridge) by lining it with wax paper. Keep it near the chocolate.
• Once the chips have melted, hold strawberries by the stems and dip them one by one, laying them on the wax paper, and not touching.
• Before the choloate sets, dust lightly with flaked salt. It really makes the flavors POP!
• Refrigerate and enjoy!

What do I do if if I have extra melted chocolate?

Don't let that sweet batter go to waste. Myriad ingredients can be added, stirred, and refrigerated for later enjoyment. 

• Toss almonds, peanuts, or other nuts in there. Coat well then transfer to wax paper.
• Add shredded coconut - I actually did a almond-coconut mix the last time. It was gone in a day.
• Dip in sliced bananas, marshmallows, orange slices, pretzels, apples, etc.
• Dip in peanut butter-slathered Ritz cracker sandwiches (or saltines!)
• Mix in your favorite cereal, and harden into bars or roll into snack balls. Add nuts to make the mix healthier, or marshmallows to make a special dessert.
  

The possibilities are endless - use your imagination. But by all means, never waste that delicious melted chocolate!

 

How to stop my strawberries from ripening too fast

I bought a lot of strawberries, and they were ripening at a maddening pace. I looked it up to see that strawberries do give off etheyne, a gas that ripens surrounding fruit quickly.  When storing a large amount of strawberries to use for recipes, you can extend its fridge life by:

• Laying strawberries flat on a tray, not touching, and in one single layer
• Add a towel to the bottom of the tray before laying the fruit on top, which absorbs excess moisture.
• Never wash a strawberry until you are ready to consume it, or cook with it. The moisture absorbs deeply, and can result in a mushy strawberry.
• You can also cover the tray, or place uncovered in a high-humidity crisper in your fridge.

May is the most perfect month of the year in Virginia, so if you feel inclined to go strawberry picking, I'd do it even before June hits. The berries will taste better and you will be supporting a local small business - just like Ladles and Linens!