Strawberry season has arrived in Lake County and, in defiance of too many freezing cold nights that threatened our citrus, vegetables and berries, they have not just survived; they are thriving. The berries at Oak Haven U-Pick are better than ever, succulent and juicy and sweet. The strawberry milk shakes and sundaes are absolutely sinful. And, the open pit fire is blazing in anticipation of roasting hot dogs and marshmallows when the children come in from their hay ride.
Farming berries is a science. First, the soil is worked. Then, an implement called a bedder is pulled by tractor through the field to gather soil to the center to create a firmly packed mound that rises eight inches above ground. Next, a separate implement called a plastic layer stretches a roll of plastic over the bed and covers the edges with dirt to hold it in place. Then, a hole puncher that looks like a wheel with spikes is pulled across to create perfect openings for the plants to grow through. After this, the bare root plants are set into the ground by hand. Each acre has the capability of producing eighteen thousand plants. This year, there are a total of 107,000 plants yielding several varieties of strawberries.
An easy test of a good berry is its aroma. If it smells like a strawberry, it will taste like a strawberry. As I walked the paths between the plants, the aroma drifted up like an aphrodisiac. Each brilliantly red berry was picture perfect. Most were enormous – the kind one looks for when dipping into chocolate or decorating desserts. Some are heart-shaped – perfect for Valentine’s Day. Karen Stoddard, co-owner of Oak Haven Farms with her husband, Harry, proudly handed out samples. “Taste one”, she urged. It took approximately thirty seconds to be coaxed. It burst with intense flavor. The aroma lingered in the air and on my fingers, which I unconsciously licked.
These luscious strawberries are, of course, best eaten freshly picked. How one enjoys them is a matter of preference. Regular cream and milk, heavy cream and ice cream, unflavored yogurt and sour cream accompany whole or sliced berries beautifully. Coat them with white or dark chocolate. (Eagle® or Hershey® Candy Coating at Publix or Wilton® Premium Chocolate coating in the party supply department at WalMart) Treat yourself to a refreshing smoothie by puréeing strawberries with milk or ice in a blender. (Add a banana for a healthy breakfast or snack) Bolster the berries with white rum and a squeeze of lemon in the blender for a wow of a cocktail picker-upper. From now until the end of April, Central Florida will harvest homegrown strawberries. Don’t miss out.
U-Pick? U-Bet!! Every chance I get!
Oak Haven Farms
32430 Avington Road
Sorrento, FL 32776
Phone: (352) 735-1996
Email: oakhavenfarms@embarqmail.com
Red Shed Strawberry Farm
18107 E. Apshawa Rd
Clermont, FL 34715
(407) 414-7497
Dec-May: Tues,Thurs,Sat: 10-3 pm
STRAWBERRY PEACH YOGURT SOUP
Yield: Approximately 6 cups
4 cups cleaned strawberries, sliced
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup unflavored yogurt
½ cup heavy cream
2 large peaches, peeled and finely diced (Canned peaches or mandarin oranges may be substituted out of season)
1. Place strawberries into a blender and purée. Remove to a bowl. Add sugar, lemon juice, yogurt and cream. Refrigerate until very cold. Stir in the peaches directly before serving.
STRAWBERRY SALAD
Yield: 4 Servings
½ cup chopped strawberries
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange blossom honey
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
Pinch salt
Mixed baby salad greens of choice
2 or more tablespoons toasted chopped pecans
Whole strawberries to garnish
8 thin slices Camembert or Brie or chunks of goat cheese
1. Remove stems and chop strawberries coarse
2. Combine lemon juice, honey and salt. Stir in strawberries to create strawberry dressing. Do this several hours in advance of serving. Refrigerate.
3. Divide cold salad greens on 4 plates. Spoon strawberry dressing over.
4. Sprinkle with pecans. Place 1 whole berry on to garnish.
5. Set 2 slices cheese on opposite edges of each plate.
STRAWBERRIES OVER CUSTARD
Yield: 2 cups – 4-6 servings
5 extra large egg yolks
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fresh strawberries
1. Separate eggs, making sure no white membrane remains around the yolks. Reserve the whites for meringue cookies and set yolks aside.
2. Combine sugar, salt and cornstarch and sift into a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the milk and stir to combine. Stir in remaining milk.
3. Strain the mixture into a saucepan.
4. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until mixture is hot. Stir 2 tablespoons of the hot mixture into the yolks before adding the yolks to the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and smoothing with a wire whisk until thick. If mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, reduce the heat immediately.
5. Stir in vanilla and remove from the stove.
6. Spoon into red wine or champagne glasses and slice fresh strawberries over the top.
The secret of any custard is patience. The custard must not cook too quickly or it will burn and become lumpy.
STRAWBERRY BREAD PUDDING
Yield: 6-8 servings
1 pint ripe strawberries
⅓ cup fresh orange or tangerine juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 loaf unsliced bread, approximately 1 pound or less
1 quart whole milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
4 jumbo graded eggs
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
9 ½ X14 X 2 ½ inch baking dish
Cinnamon-sugar to sprinkle over the top (7 parts sugar to 3 parts cinnamon)
1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
2. Slice strawberries and toss with the juices
3. Slice bread thick and cut into cubes. Heat milk to the boiling point. Pour over the bread and let soak until soft.
4. Pour melted butter into the bottom of the baking pan.
5. Beat eggs with the sugar and vanilla. Stir into bread mixture. Pour into the buttered dish. Cover the top with the strawberry mixture. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon-sugar.
6. Bake 1 hour, or until a knife comes out clean.
7. Serve with Lemon Cream on the side.
LEMON CREAM
Yield: 2 cups
1 pint heavy cream for whipping
¼ cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoon or more, grated lemon peel
¼ cup sour cream
1. Beat the heavy cream until it begins to thicken. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and grated peel and continue beating until thick.
2. Fold in the sour cream.
3. Refrigerate until very cold.
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