Although most people are complaining about the late spring and summer here in Vermont, it has enabled one locavore a chance to stay on top of the current offers and get picking! Heading out the farms and choosing the ripest, brightest and most perfect pieces of produce would convert anyone into a fruit and veggie lover! The problem I tend to run into is that I can’t get enough to satisfy all of my creative outlets. I want to can, freeze, cook, use raw in delicious recipe concoctions, and brew with my new picks. But that would inevitably require flats and flats of berries and endless processing, which I do not have the patients for unfortunately.
Trying to decide where the farms are? Try this link:
http://www.pickyourown.org/VT.htm
A quick nutrious bite...
Chalk full of beneficial dietary fiber, which basically refers to components that help move the unwanted, indigestible food leftovers through our gut in a more comfortable way – just don’t forget to hydrate! Strawberries are also loaded with vitamin C, folate, manganese, potassium and magnesium. Not to mention they are loaded with phytonutrients – plant based nutrients that promote health. With only 50 calories per cup, how can you go wrong?
Ever made strawberry syrup?
If your answer is YES, than you probably understand how insanely good it is. If you answered NO, well zero excuses, you’ve got to try it! Since making this just a few days ago, I have been adding it to everything! Sweet to savory, everything can have a little dab of strawberry syrup in it! My new favorite is a mock up of a Berliner Weisse. This is a sour wheat beer served in a goblet glass with a shot of flavored syrup to cut the sour tones. I’ve been serving up our homebrew German Pilsner with a slow pour of this strawberry syrup down the edge and a berry floating on top. You can say it screams summer! What’s on the menu for tonight…thinkin’ it might be BBQ chicken with strawberry hot sauce, but hey ya never know…
Syrup recipe:
- 3lbs ripe strawberries
- Sugar
- Juice 2 lemons
Puree the berries in a food processor. Pour into a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Gathering up the corners, gently press to extract as much juice as possible. *straining through the sieve first followed by the cheesecloth makes this an easier process.*
Measure out the juice. For each 2 ½ cups juice, place I cup sugar into a saucepan. Heat gently until sugar has dissolved. Add lemon juice and allow to cool.
Trying to decide where the farms are? Try this link:
http://www.pickyourown.org/VT.htm
A quick nutrious bite...
Chalk full of beneficial dietary fiber, which basically refers to components that help move the unwanted, indigestible food leftovers through our gut in a more comfortable way – just don’t forget to hydrate! Strawberries are also loaded with vitamin C, folate, manganese, potassium and magnesium. Not to mention they are loaded with phytonutrients – plant based nutrients that promote health. With only 50 calories per cup, how can you go wrong?
Ever made strawberry syrup?
If your answer is YES, than you probably understand how insanely good it is. If you answered NO, well zero excuses, you’ve got to try it! Since making this just a few days ago, I have been adding it to everything! Sweet to savory, everything can have a little dab of strawberry syrup in it! My new favorite is a mock up of a Berliner Weisse. This is a sour wheat beer served in a goblet glass with a shot of flavored syrup to cut the sour tones. I’ve been serving up our homebrew German Pilsner with a slow pour of this strawberry syrup down the edge and a berry floating on top. You can say it screams summer! What’s on the menu for tonight…thinkin’ it might be BBQ chicken with strawberry hot sauce, but hey ya never know…
Syrup recipe:
- 3lbs ripe strawberries
- Sugar
- Juice 2 lemons
Puree the berries in a food processor. Pour into a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Gathering up the corners, gently press to extract as much juice as possible. *straining through the sieve first followed by the cheesecloth makes this an easier process.*
Measure out the juice. For each 2 ½ cups juice, place I cup sugar into a saucepan. Heat gently until sugar has dissolved. Add lemon juice and allow to cool.
Process in canning jars or pour in a clean bottle and place directly into the refrigerator. Walla!
