Strawberries (With Lil Rickie's Recipe for Strawberry Crepes)

This Article written by a hubpages.com Expert Writer.

It is the season to celebrate strawberries, that early Summer treat star. Do you know how to pick, purchase, and store strawberries correctly? There are Strawberry Festivals held throughout the Country each year that maybe you would want to include in your Summer vacation plans. Let's examine these little pieces of fruit up close and personal.

When buying and storing strawberries look for dry, ripe berries that have fresh green caps. If the bottom of the box is stained some of the berries are probably overripe. Sort berries when you get home but do not wash them. Store in the refrigerator in a shallow uncovered container. Wash the berries just before serving them. Drain well, then hull them.

There is nothing wrong with the taste of fresh strawberries, however, to make them taste even better dip them in any of these for a unique flavor treat: Confectioner's sugar, whipped cream, sour cream, yogurt, or chocolate sauce and chopped nuts.

Strawberry shortcake folklore has it that Native Americans mixed crushed strawberries with cornmeal to make bread. After the Colonists tasted this delicious treat they developed their own strawberry shortcake recipes.

Strawberries can be harvested from your own garden, or pick-your-own farms, by picking ripe berries (or at least 3/4ths red). They develop full flavor and color in a couple days kept at 70 degrees. Pick the berries in the cool of the early morning hours. Always pick berries with the stem attached unless you plan to use them very soon after picking them. Grab the stem between your thumb and forefinger and pinch the berry off.

Only fill your container no deeper than five inches so the lower berries do not bruise. Cool them as soon as possible. Store strawberries at a temperature below 40 degrees and a humidity of 85 to 90 percent.

A LITTLE TRIVIA KNOWLEDGE NOW

How many calories are in one serving of strawberries? (22, and they are packed with Vitamin C and fiber).

In how many US States and Canadian Provinces will strawberries grow? (All 50 States and all 10 Canadian Provinces).

How many strawberries equal one serving? (7 or 8 medium berries).

If the strawberries this State produces in a year were laid end to end they would circle the world fifteen times. Know what State it is? (California).

Strawberries are the only fruits that have their seeds on the outside of them. How many seeds does the average strawberry have? (200 seeds).

Which US city, in the Number 2 Strawberry State, is known as the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World? (Plant City, Florida).

INFORMATION ON STRAWBERRY FESTIVALS

Strawberry Festivals are held annually around the Country between March and August, so you could still quite possibly plan them into your Summer vacations. Enjoy attending one of them near you.

Beamsville Strawberry Festival, Lincoln, Ontario, Canada, June. Located in the Niagra Fruit Belt and features the Best Strawberry Attire Contest.

Belleville, Michigan National Strawberry Festival, June. Highlights include the crowning of a Strawberry Queen, Strawberry Prince, and Strawberry Princess.

South Berwich, Maine Strawberry Festival, June. Typically averages 20,000 attendees yearly.

Cedarburg, Wisconsin Strawberry Festival, June. Famous for its strawberry pancake breakfast on Saturday morning and a strawberry blush wine produced by a local winery.

Watsonville, Monterey Bay Strawberry Festival, California, August. One of the more unusual items on a fruitful menu is their strawberry tamales, also features a pie-eating contest.

Lil Rickie's Recipe for Strawberry Crepes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups Confectioner's sugar, 8 ounces softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup heavy whipped cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3/4 cup water, 1 teaspoon strawberry extract, 1/2 cup milk, 2 Grade A Extra Large eggs, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 4 cups sliced, fresh, strawberries, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, water, lemon juice in cast iron saucepan and boil over medium heat. Cook and stir smooth 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract. Cool. Add strawberries.

Combine milk, eggs, butter, 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract, flour, 1/2 cup sugar, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste, in a large mixing bowl. Beat smooth. Cover. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat a lightly greased, 8-inch, non-stick, cast iron skillet. Stir batter. Pour 2 tablespoons into center of skillet, tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry. Turn and cook 15 seconds longer. Remove to wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between.

In small mixing bowl beat cream cheese, Confectioner's sugar, and vanilla smooth. Fold in whipped cream.

Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons of filling down center of each crepe. Roll up. Top with strawberry topping.

Makes: 22 crepes