[anne_holly]

I am so pleased that the fresh local strawberry season is upon us again. Personally, I like them best just eaten fresh, without adornment, but with a strawberry-maniac 3yo in the house, we have strawberries out the yin-yang all summer long here in a variety of ways.

I make strawberry apple sauce, strawberry pancake sauce, strawberry-rhubarb pie, and one strawberry shortcake per year (I like it only once a season, for some reason).

One of my favourite recipes is Strawberry Banana Bran Bread, one recipe for which can be found here:

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=334722

And, of course, strawberry smoothies!

We're going to be some happy campers here this week when I hit the farmer's market.

 

[anne_holly]

Also, this year I think I might attempt some fresh homemade strawberry ice cream. Wish me luck on that!

I got an ice cream churn from the crafts fair - I hope the sore arm will be worth it.

 

[anne_holly]

It's funny but I actually had some wild strawberries growing against the back of my house until the other day. Dunno how they got there but I accidentally mowed them down when I was cutting the grass.

I so miss wild berries. My folks have a mixed farm, a lot of which is covered with organic wild raspberry and blackberry thickets, strawberry patches, and a blueberry field. My dad has to play "beat the bears" to get to them every year before the big furry lugs mow them all down.

My folks overnight me a nice big supply of wild blueberries every year for the freezer - it makes us through the winter.

 

[anne_holly]

Oh man now I want strawberries.
I don't suppose I can send one of the cats to the store for them...

Go ahead. Attach a fiver to his collar and send him out.

But don't be surprised if he wanders in tomorrow morning, sans berries, looking all scruffy and reeking of tuna.