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Sunday, June 19, 2016

Strawberries

When my older daughter was almost two-years-old, I was preparing a flat of strawberries to freeze. She pulled a little stool up to the sink by me to see what I was doing. We talked about the strawberries. Then, I held out a strawberry out for her to eat. She pulled back and said, "No." She refused all the cajoling and enticements of "sweet like candy." Finally, I dried my hands and gently "forced" her to taste. Well, it took her all of three seconds to quit resisting! She stood on the stool and ate strawberries until I finally worried she would be ill. Then, I had to refuse to allow her to eat anymore strawberries right then. She pleaded. When she suffered no ill effects, thankfully, I allowed her to have more for dinner that night.

When strawberries were in season, sometimes I would give my children strawberry shortcake for breakfast before school. There were detractors of that breakfast, but the kids loved it. The shortcake was just sweetened biscuits made with loads of butter. The strawberries were sliced the night before and slightly sweetened and then mashed. My son hated the whipped cream, so I never bought it or even whipped cream for the shortcakes. They had a glass of milk. That breakfast was as nutritious as some kids ate.

I explained to their teachers it was not a bought shortcake. My kids were so happy on those mornings, especially since I told them the night before what they were having.

HERE are some fun facts and history of the strawberry.

Your turn
Do you make home-made shortcake for strawberry shortcake? Who loves strawberries? Raise your hands since I know your mouth is full or you are drooling. What do you do with strawberries? Do you grow them?

17 comments:

  1. I've been trying to raise them here. I brought some with me from Washington. The plants survived, something is eating the leaves.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michelle,
      Well, you cannot have that! Of course, you don't want to put commercial poison on them.

      Delete
  2. Strawberries are summer! We love them fresh, in salads, in baking however we can get them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've never like the consistencey (mushy) of traditional short cake or the golden sponges sold for short cake. Instead, I use homemade (from box) Angel food cake. I do make sweet biscuits as a traditional short cake from time to time, I just have berries on those nights.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CTMOM,
      I DON'T LIKE THOSE EITHER. however, I HAVE not made angel food cake from a box. The sweet biscuits are the only thing I have made for the last 45 years to serve with strawberries.

      Delete
  4. When strawberries are in season, I have them sliced & sweetened (with a touch of lemon juice) over pound cake, topped with a giant mound of whipped creme. I have this morning, noon and night till I get sick of them, which just happens to coincide when strawberries go out of season. LOVE THEM!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love all of the berries. We grow strawberries. In hanging pots which keeps the slugs away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EC,
      That is a very good idea. Do the birds eat the strawberries?

      Delete
    2. Not so far. They scoff the mulberries though. And the raspberries. Before they are ripe enough for me. Drat them.

      Delete
  6. I grew strawberries this year and those thieving chipmunks who eat every single one of them appreciate my kindness.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anne,
      And that is why I hate those little striped rats.

      Delete
  7. I correlate strawberries with June, and bowls of powdered sugar in which to dip the berries.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Urspo,
      I have never dipped strawberries in powdered sugar, but I am going to give it a try.

      Delete
  8. I love strawberries. It's a shame but there isn't a lot of places to pick them around here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sonya,
      There are places, but I cannot bend to pick them. Of course, I never picked them when I was capable...lol. Now, I would.

      Delete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.