I just LOVE strawberry season--how can you not love the luscious, sweet, juicy bright red fruit that is bursting with flavor and possibilities. I especially love berries that are freshly picked or that you pick yourself, even better. So in homage to this red beauty, and being the foodie that I am, I thought I would offer some fun facts, interesting tips and tricks, and some recipe suggestions too.
Did you know there are lots of different types of strawberries?
There are hundreds of different varieties of strawberries available, but because I am a Californina girl and because California is the nation's leading producer of strawberries, harvesting almost two billion pounds of strawberries annually and making up almost ninety percent of the country's total fresh and frozen strawberry production, I will briefly highlight the differences between the most common CA varieties:
Albion has a darker fruit color, both internally and externally, and a consistently sweeter flavor than most strawberries. These are my absolute favorite berry because it has an intense, sugary, real strawberry flavor. You can usually find them at farmer's markets this time of year--and I recommend doing a comparison taste test of Albions and other types of berries so that you can judge for yourself.
Camarosa is a large, bright, firm and flavorful fruit with a good sheen. This is one of the most common varieties of strawberries and represents almost half of California's current acreage.
Aroma is a large, firm fruit with great flavor, a good red color, and a bright sheen.
Camino Real is a firm, dark red fruit with a good shelf life and very good flavor.
Diamante is a large, flavorful, firm fruit with a bright red sheen and a long shelf life.
Ventana is a bright red fruit, slightly lighter in color than Camarosa, with good flavor, shape and fruit size, and similar firmness and shelf-life to the Camarosa.
How can I tell if a strawberry is fresh?
Fresh strawberries should always be bright red in color and have a natural sheen to them with fresh looking green caps. Those not-so-fresh berries look dull or dry, and sometimes bruised or have brown on the green stems. Avoid strawberries with green or white tips. When buying strawberries at the supermarket, pay particular attention to any dampness or staining on the carton, especially at the bottom of the container. This may be evidence of significantly overripe, even decaying fruit.
What is the best way to store strawberries and maximize their lifespan?
You should always store strawberries in the refrigerator, as a single layer on a paper towel in a moisture proof container--but you can have two layers of berries if you separate them with paper towels to absorb excess moisture (I have had much success with this storage method and have been able to keep strawberries fresh in the fridge for up to a week.) And lastly, do not, I repeat Do Not EVER wash strawberries until you are ready to eat them, or they will become mushy and moldy--moisture is the enemy of fresh strawberries.
Quick and inspired serving suggestions
Always allow strawberries to come to room temperature before serving becasue it brings out their best flavor.
Try drizzling a yummy balsamic vinegar or a berry flavored balsamic vinegar over fresh strawberries, it intensifies their flavor and is a treat for the palate.
And one last suggestion that is always a 'WOW' is chocolate covered strawberries, which can be time consuming and labor intensive--but not with my recent top secret discovery, Dolci Frutta, a microwaveable chocolate that you can find at most supermarkets or Costco. It's a high quality, very good tasting chocolate that you simply microwave for about minute or so in the container it comes in, stir, dip the berries one at a time, place the berries on wax paper and then refrigerate and viola! an inspired dessert.
An inspired and very Californian strawberry recipe
Cooking Light, May 2009
Strawberry-Avocado Salsa
Serve this sweet and savory salsa with roast chicken, sautéed fish, or grilled pork tenderloin. You can also enjoy it as a snack with baked tortilla chips.
1 cup finely chopped strawberries
1/4 cup finely chopped and peeled avocado
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss gently. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings
Hope you enjoyed this sweet little strawberry journey. Stay tuned for more foodie adventures in the future!
Romy
Berrylicious Babe
Monday, April 27, 2009
Karaoke-The New Therapy???
OK, OK, I know what you must be thinking, Karaoke therapeutic, isn't that an oxymoron? Isn't karaoke the thing you do at cheesy bars while drunk? Well, I have to tell you that is what I thought too, until my dear friend David suggested we have a karaoke date night. Now, I admittedly love the stage and being the center of attention, so I was up for a karaoke night even though singing is not my strong suit. However, it is defintely not my hubby's thing and he said that he would go along for the ride but "No Way am I getting up there and singing!"
The good news is, we are always up for trying new and different things but had no idea what was in store for us at Max Karaoke Studio. We arrived at this Asian mini mall off Sawtelle Boulevard in West Los Angeles at this karaoke place that you rent by the minute (not to worry, it only ends up costing about $10/hour per person), but what was surprisingly odd about this place is that it is not what you typically think of and get turned off about when you think of Karaoke--usually a smoke-filled bar where someone sings cheesey songs in front of a group of drunks who boo them off the stage--in contrast, while certainly not glamorous, Max offers these private mini sound proof rooms that almost look like petite recording studios and seat a small group up to 20 people. They have about ten of these mini studios (which you have to call and reserve at 1pm the same day) that you and your friends get all to yourselves to karaoke the night away--and supposedly these karaoke joints are all the rage in Japan!
So the way it works, is that you basically get a bare bones private karaoke room with leather booths, a table and all the karaoke accoutrements you will need to for the night. Thankfully, you can bring in booze, to get you in the mood, as you pour through the vast selection of song options to find your inner Madonna. So here we are, the four of us, (we were supposed to have a group of ten people, but somehow everyone flaked at the last minute. . .hmmm I wonder why??) all alone with some vodka, curry (you can also bring in food--we ordered from the curry place upstairs) and a karaoke machine, now what? So David, being the seasoned pro because he has done it several times in Japan and raved about it (and mind you David is a serious lawyer type in his day job) jumps right up and starts singing Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond, and thus, this wacky, odd, wonderful night begins.
The song choices are endless, so I mostly go with showtunes which are a personal favorite, but it takes me a while to find my singing groove (let alone getting my pitch/key right--I now have tremendous respect for singers--Adam Lambert you are truly a GOD) for an audience of three. Finally, with some mishaps, I started to have it going on and I did a very fun and relatively stellar rendition of The Cell Block Tango from Chicago and I LOVED it! And then David followed with an impressive rendition of Mr. Cellophane from Chicago--who knew he had such passion and Broadway caliber talent hidden behind his more composed exterior :-) And of course there's David's babe and my best gal pal, Ingy, with her movie star good looks and a singing voice that rivals today's pop artists. Her modern rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow was so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes.
Throughout the night, I felt inspired, free, and even giddy! Suddenly, I realized that all my stress and tension had left my mind and I was just in the moment, in groove, enjoying an unexpectedly awesome evening with our good friends and letting out my inner Diva! I truly felt a wonderful sense of release and freedom from singing my heart out for almost 4 hours, and what a blast it was walking down memory lane with many songs from my youth. And even my reluctant hubby was persuaded to sing New York, New York, and although it wasn't his thing, he really enjoyed himself too.
It was such a fun night, I would highly recommend checking it out as a fun and different option for a night out with friends, couples or the girls. And you'll be smiling (and singing all the way home), not mention it is a heck of alot cheaper than the going hourly rate for therapy these days!
Romy
Karaoke Queen
The good news is, we are always up for trying new and different things but had no idea what was in store for us at Max Karaoke Studio. We arrived at this Asian mini mall off Sawtelle Boulevard in West Los Angeles at this karaoke place that you rent by the minute (not to worry, it only ends up costing about $10/hour per person), but what was surprisingly odd about this place is that it is not what you typically think of and get turned off about when you think of Karaoke--usually a smoke-filled bar where someone sings cheesey songs in front of a group of drunks who boo them off the stage--in contrast, while certainly not glamorous, Max offers these private mini sound proof rooms that almost look like petite recording studios and seat a small group up to 20 people. They have about ten of these mini studios (which you have to call and reserve at 1pm the same day) that you and your friends get all to yourselves to karaoke the night away--and supposedly these karaoke joints are all the rage in Japan!
So the way it works, is that you basically get a bare bones private karaoke room with leather booths, a table and all the karaoke accoutrements you will need to for the night. Thankfully, you can bring in booze, to get you in the mood, as you pour through the vast selection of song options to find your inner Madonna. So here we are, the four of us, (we were supposed to have a group of ten people, but somehow everyone flaked at the last minute. . .hmmm I wonder why??) all alone with some vodka, curry (you can also bring in food--we ordered from the curry place upstairs) and a karaoke machine, now what? So David, being the seasoned pro because he has done it several times in Japan and raved about it (and mind you David is a serious lawyer type in his day job) jumps right up and starts singing Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond, and thus, this wacky, odd, wonderful night begins.
The song choices are endless, so I mostly go with showtunes which are a personal favorite, but it takes me a while to find my singing groove (let alone getting my pitch/key right--I now have tremendous respect for singers--Adam Lambert you are truly a GOD) for an audience of three. Finally, with some mishaps, I started to have it going on and I did a very fun and relatively stellar rendition of The Cell Block Tango from Chicago and I LOVED it! And then David followed with an impressive rendition of Mr. Cellophane from Chicago--who knew he had such passion and Broadway caliber talent hidden behind his more composed exterior :-) And of course there's David's babe and my best gal pal, Ingy, with her movie star good looks and a singing voice that rivals today's pop artists. Her modern rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow was so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes.
Throughout the night, I felt inspired, free, and even giddy! Suddenly, I realized that all my stress and tension had left my mind and I was just in the moment, in groove, enjoying an unexpectedly awesome evening with our good friends and letting out my inner Diva! I truly felt a wonderful sense of release and freedom from singing my heart out for almost 4 hours, and what a blast it was walking down memory lane with many songs from my youth. And even my reluctant hubby was persuaded to sing New York, New York, and although it wasn't his thing, he really enjoyed himself too.
It was such a fun night, I would highly recommend checking it out as a fun and different option for a night out with friends, couples or the girls. And you'll be smiling (and singing all the way home), not mention it is a heck of alot cheaper than the going hourly rate for therapy these days!
Romy
Karaoke Queen
Friday, April 24, 2009
Great Minds Think Alike !
Look what I just read in Oprah's newsletter -- Great minds think alike!
Clear Out the Mental Clutter in Your Life Now! In his latest book, Enough Already! Clearing Mental Clutter to Become the Best You, organizational expert Peter Walsh reveals the link between having an unorganized home and the untidy elements in our personal lives. This is exactly what I was talking about in my previous post--clean home = clear mind. You can read the article at: http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200903_omag_walsh_clutter
Romy, Goddess in the Know
Clear Out the Mental Clutter in Your Life Now! In his latest book, Enough Already! Clearing Mental Clutter to Become the Best You, organizational expert Peter Walsh reveals the link between having an unorganized home and the untidy elements in our personal lives. This is exactly what I was talking about in my previous post--clean home = clear mind. You can read the article at: http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200903_omag_walsh_clutter
Romy, Goddess in the Know
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Spring Cleaning--Out with the Old in with the New
It's that time of year again, the time when I get insanely crazed about cleaning out the closets, drawers etc. and getting rid of the clutter that I have accumulated during the year--The build up of this stuff makes me crazy! And then along comes Spring, beckoning me to purge, clean, declutter and free myself of the burdens of the last year, and as much as I resist it, I equally love the freedom I feel when the purge is done, the crap is gone. I feel free, lighter, open, ready for the new possibilities that come my way. It's like a new door is open and anything can enter, and I welcome it.
If you have never tired this, I highly recommend it. But don't get overwhelmed by trying to do it all at once; do it in small manageable steps, one drawer at a time. Get rid of those things you haven't touched in a year and that are just taking up space. Then after you complete the entire process over a few weeks, donate your excess it to charity, sell it on Ebay or have a garage sale (I personally love these sales--I find the people that come to them fascinating and of course getting a little extra cash always helps). After you have completed this process, notice how it feels to be organized and unburdened, pay attention to the openess and the clarity.
I am in the process of doing this right now and as I slowly peel away the layers of the onion, I truly notice a difference, like I am clearing out a space for change, growth, new possibilities. Yet, becasue it is a slow process, I get frustrated that it takes so long but realize that this is part of the process. I wish I could blink and 'poof ' the clutter would disappear, but that's just not the case. I need to take the time to digest it all, once phase at a time and slowly evolve into a new place. And I am looking forward to getting there--won't you join me??
Romy
Springing into Clean
If you have never tired this, I highly recommend it. But don't get overwhelmed by trying to do it all at once; do it in small manageable steps, one drawer at a time. Get rid of those things you haven't touched in a year and that are just taking up space. Then after you complete the entire process over a few weeks, donate your excess it to charity, sell it on Ebay or have a garage sale (I personally love these sales--I find the people that come to them fascinating and of course getting a little extra cash always helps). After you have completed this process, notice how it feels to be organized and unburdened, pay attention to the openess and the clarity.
I am in the process of doing this right now and as I slowly peel away the layers of the onion, I truly notice a difference, like I am clearing out a space for change, growth, new possibilities. Yet, becasue it is a slow process, I get frustrated that it takes so long but realize that this is part of the process. I wish I could blink and 'poof ' the clutter would disappear, but that's just not the case. I need to take the time to digest it all, once phase at a time and slowly evolve into a new place. And I am looking forward to getting there--won't you join me??
Romy
Springing into Clean
Monday, April 20, 2009
Face Looking Sluggish? Got Facial?
Anyone who knows me, knows I am obessesed with all things beauty, especially getting regular facials. Since I was about 16 years old, I have been diligently getting regular facials and I think it has made a huge difference in my skin. The reason I am committed to regular facials is because I feel like it is a necessary treatment that cleans out the congestion and sludge that clogs my skin, which makes it look old, tired and weathered. And at forty-ish, I want to look youthful, fresh and perky as often as I can!
Now I know what you must be thinking, in this economy the last thing I want to do is spend my hard earned cash on is a facial, right? You're probably thinking, I can take a nice steamy shower, put on a drugstore mask (BTW Queene Helene Mint Julep Masque costs around three bucks at your local drugstore and it rocks--I was in my green faced glory last night and loved it!), rub on a good moisturizer and you are done. I beg to differ, because my face and pores get really congested living in LA and I need the skilled extractions of a pro to make a difference--homegrown facials just don't cut it for me.
Enter Marlene Weber's $40 introductary facials ($45-50 thereafter) http://www.skincarebymarlene.vpweb.com/ Marlene is an LA based seasoned pro, who uses beautiful skin changing natural/organic products, does masterful extractions (for me this is the primary benefit of regular facials), amazing peels and is an esthetician at one of the chichi spas around town where the going rate is almost triple. When I leave her home-based office after an hour or so, I am smiling, fresh faced and glowing. For forty bucks, how can you afford not too? And tell her Romy sent you.
And if you are not in the LA area, I am confidant that there are many places to get affordable, high quality facials around the country, just do your homework.
TTFN,
Romy, The One Who Raves
Now I know what you must be thinking, in this economy the last thing I want to do is spend my hard earned cash on is a facial, right? You're probably thinking, I can take a nice steamy shower, put on a drugstore mask (BTW Queene Helene Mint Julep Masque costs around three bucks at your local drugstore and it rocks--I was in my green faced glory last night and loved it!), rub on a good moisturizer and you are done. I beg to differ, because my face and pores get really congested living in LA and I need the skilled extractions of a pro to make a difference--homegrown facials just don't cut it for me.
Enter Marlene Weber's $40 introductary facials ($45-50 thereafter) http://www.skincarebymarlene.vpweb.com/ Marlene is an LA based seasoned pro, who uses beautiful skin changing natural/organic products, does masterful extractions (for me this is the primary benefit of regular facials), amazing peels and is an esthetician at one of the chichi spas around town where the going rate is almost triple. When I leave her home-based office after an hour or so, I am smiling, fresh faced and glowing. For forty bucks, how can you afford not too? And tell her Romy sent you.
And if you are not in the LA area, I am confidant that there are many places to get affordable, high quality facials around the country, just do your homework.
TTFN,
Romy, The One Who Raves
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