Suzanne Calling

A family tradition we've done off and on since moving to Florida is chocolate fondue for Valentine's day. On the way home from work, I got a half flat of strawberries and two pineapples for ten bucks and realized that I had way more strawberries than I would need for tomorrow. So what to do? Make chocolate covered strawberries. You know, the same thing that Godiva charges $3 EACH for (yeah, they're good, it's freaking Godiva on those bad boys), but a lot cheaper. Even if you live in a part of the country that gets those strawberries trucked in for $8 a quart, your cost per strawberry will be somewhere around .25 each if you do it yourself. And it is EASY, people. Really easy. Less than 20 minutes and you can go from : to this: What you need: 1 cup half and half or flavored creamer 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional) 1 cup chips of your choice (don't cheap out on these. I used Nestle, but prefer using Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips. White are fi...

Last year, we were perusing the aisles of Total Wine and More and as we had a little bit of play money that day, scoped out the beers. If you don't have one of these near you, Total Wine is a larger retailer of various alcoholic beverages, but you can find some boutique labels and microbrews along with the Chateau St. Michelles, Beringers, Michelob and other larger producers. For instance, they've carried Pindar's Sweet Scarlett and Pythagoras in the past, Long Island wines we enjoy. We actually went there because Chateau St. Michelle's Eroica is about 2 bucks cheaper than everyone else, but that trip, we looked around for microbrews and found an Abita brew that we were unfamiliar with: Strawberry Harvest Lag er. Call us wimpy, but sometimes, a little fruit in a beer-if it's brewed that way-can be mighty tasty. A hunch told us we'd like it, so we bought two six packs. And promptly got hooked on the light, refreshing flavor. Of course, it's seasonal...

I don't know how we did it. On the drive over to the Apple store and back, we passed field after field of luscious, ripe strawberries. We didn't stop at any of the wonderful farm stands. Was it because Ed wasn't hungry for a Parkesdale Strawberry shortcake after having a big lunch? Was it the fact that the kids were with us, since we typically have the first strawberry treat while they are in school? I'm not sure, but somehow, we came home with empty arms and strawberry free bellies. However, I do have sneaking suspicion that later this week, I'll be getting a flat of goodness from the Winter Strawberry Capital of the world and making some syrup, shortcake and cookies. I can't wait.

Unfortunately, there are no pictures of the strawberry shortcake that followed. The update to our freeze here in Florida is that the strawberries will probably be fine. Approximately a third of the citrus crop got hammered. Answers on that front will probably come by the end of the week. Meanwhile, pass me some shortcake.

A pictoral on the life of a strawberry from when it enters my house until it enters my belly! Sweet Sliced and diced Maceration (maceration, let the sugar do the work, maceration, make my tastebuds go beserk**) Fruity nirvana *If you get what movie song I adapted that from, I apologize for sticking it in your head all day :D (maybe not!)