Strawberries

The Pyracantha is heavy with bloom this year. The bees are quite happy and this winter the birds will be more than happy. Sometimes we are visited by the Cedar Wax Wings in January. They delight in the fermented berries and have, perhaps, a little too much fun.

Last month while I was shopping for Easter dinner I saw some strawberries on sale. They were from a well known grower with a very good reputation for "special" berries. Now, I have gotten used to good strawberries and I must admit my standards are high. I looked over the offered berries very carefully. They were fully red, really red, with no white shoulders showing anywhere. (Yes, you may have seen me .... I'm the one holding up that plastic container, peering into the bottom.) I bought them.

I am really old enough to know better. The moment I cut into them I knew I should have taken the usual route and just kept on walking. As I cut there was a sound much like cutting into an apple and the exposed flesh was white. I want the flesh to be red. I want the berry to be firm, but not crisp. The flavor was reminiscent of strawberry, but reminiscent is not enough.

The last few years I have come to rely on a strawberry grower who has about five acres of plants and grows the most glorious strawberries. As I travel around I have noted similar plots where families work the field and sell the fully ripe berries that they have just picked. I have, once or twice, waited a few minutes while the next flat is hurried to the sale point. I do encourage you to try out a couple of these mini-growers when you have the opportunity.

Why don't I grow my own strawberries? I do grow a few fraise de bois, the tiny, very perfumey, Alpine berries and they are my pride because I actually started them from seed. Not an easy task. But I would never have enough room for all the strawberries I would want. I buy them by the half-flat and have been very successful in keeping them in the fridge.

Storing the berries
In a large glass container with lid, place a paper towel which has been folded to fit the bottom. Take the berries as you get them from the seller. Do Not Wash. Pour them into the container. Place another folded towel on top and secure the lid. Store this in the refrigerator until needed. I can't tell you how long these berries will last but I know that the fresh berries from my grower lasted 14 days. They might have lasted longer, but that was when I ate the last of them.

How long they last will depend on how fresh they were, how they were stored before you got them, what the weather was where they grew. Strawberries purchased just after a rainy period will have less taste and a shorter shelf life.

This method is very good for other berries, also.

Recipe

You are probably familiar with the dessert, Pavlova. It is very close to being the Australian National dessert... if there were such a thing. If you have missed this, let me explain. Pavlova consists of a layer or meringue covered with whipped cream and fresh fruit. It makes a dramatic presentation and though I love it, I have always found it a little difficult to serve. Cutting meringue into serving pieces without scattering the crumbs all over the table is not the easiest.

Not too long ago, on Chowhound, I read a description of a newer version of Pavlova as done in an eating place in Paris. It was the same elegant dessert just crumbled up. Whipped cream, strawberries and crisp, broken, meringue all folded together. This is a perfect dessert for the garden ladies or your Bunco group.

Pavlova Crashed

12 generous servings.

6 egg whites

1 3/4 cups superfine sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups heavy cream

5 cups strawberries

1 tablespoons sugar

Another 2 -3 tablespoons sugar

Meringue

On a large cookie sheet or jelly roll pan place parchment paper. Lightly butter the paper. Set aside.

Beat egg whites to soft peak. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat until all the sugar is absorbed and the whites hold a firm peak. You can tell if all the sugar has been absorbed by rubbing a bit of the egg white between your thumb and finger. If you can feel grains of sugar, you haven't finished. Add vanilla and beat five seconds longer.

Spread the meringue on the parchment paper, leaving it 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Place in a 250 oven for 2 1/2 hours. Then turn off the oven and leave another half to one hour. The meringue will be hard on the outside and gooey on the inside. This is just what you are looking for.

Strawberries

Wash and hull the strawberries, drain. Cut berries into half or quarters, depending on their size. You need to consider how the guests will fit them on the spoon. After you have done half the strawberries sprinkle with 1 tablespoon superfine sugar. Repeat. This can be done the day before. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Place the last cup of strawberries in the food processor with 2 to 3 tablespoons (to taste) sugar and process to a thick puree.

Close to serving time whip the cream.

Assembly

Over a large bowl, break the meringue into pieces. Be sure to collect all the crumbs. Fold in the whipped cream, then the strawberries. Spoon this into a large serving bowl or into individual stemmed glass servers. Spoon pureed strawberries over the whipped cream melange and serve.

To serve either pile high on a platter, place in a large bowl, preferably glass or spoon into individual serving bowls.

Tip: The meringue can be done the day before. It must be stored in a dry place. Leave it in the oven, if that is the only dry spot. If you do put a post'em on the door to remind you or anyone else that it is there.
Humidity will kill it. Don't do this dessert on a rainy day.


For the same reason, do not fold the meringue in too early. If it waits to long, or you make the meringue pieces too small they will melt and you loose any crispness and the result it sweetened whipped cream.

~~~~~~~~~~

P S I have been asked to be part of the Yummy newsletter. This publication is the go-to information center for what is happening in the restaurant industry in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you want a restaurant review, know about a chef, or to read about who is opening or who is closing or where that chef moved to...Yummy is the answer. Do you miss Scoop from the SF Chronicle? GraceAnn is there and now you can find me there, too, in the "cook" section this week and the current plans are for an appearance every three weeks. See you there! http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=0&oq=the+Yummy+l&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBR_enUS282US282&q=the+yummy+letter

There was a question on mulch in the comment column of our last blog. "Can you use the newspaper mulch in a container?"

You could but it might be awkward to place it. Tearing the newspaper into strips and working around the plants that way would help. You could use a layer of shredded paper instead of newspaper under the mulch. (Your financials?) If your plant was decorative and "on show" you might consider using decorative rocks instead of newspaper and mulch. Rocks won't break down and improve the soil but you probably don't need that with a container. They will cover the ground so the water does not evaporate.