Cherries! Cherries! Cherries!!!!

I don't know about you, but cherries are hands down my most favorite fruit of all time--I get giddy just thinking about them! Ever since I was I kid, I fondly remember LOVING these sweet, intensely pigmented, juicy beauties, probably because they were tell tale sign that summer had arrived. And what's not to love about these self-contained ruby-hued morsels of nature's candy? As an adult (and a serious foodie who embraces the freshest and best of each season), I am equally enthusiastic about the arrival of my beloved cherries, the epicurean possibilities are endless.

Several years ago, I was thrilled to discover that I could pick cherries locally in the Leona Valley and I have been hooked ever since. It is less than an hour's drive from LA and you feel like you are transported back in time. This is a small one-horse town and is a wonderful escape-for-the-day trip, and also an excellent adventure for families with small children. The Leona Valley has over a dozen cherry orchards where you and your family can pick and sample (for flavor only, not for eating : -) some of the most delicious and freshest cherries of the season. Cherry tree fruit hangs low to the ground and is very easy for the little munchkins to pick. Basically, you pick all the cherries you can fit in a bucket and pay about $3 a pound for what you pick (usually cash only)--it's fun, yummy, cheap and a delightful all around experience. And at the start of the season, the Leona Valley even has a kitschy Cherry Parade too!

The most important piece of advice I can give you about cherry picking (besides to wear old clothes because cherry juice stains) is that the season is SUPER short and if you blink you will miss it. But you are in luck, because you have me, your in-the-know gal who is kindly letting you know that the season is in full swing right now until the end of June. We went last weekend with our good friends and their kids (remember David the Karaoke King and Ingy Baby?) and we had an absolute blast--the kids loved tasting the super fresh sweet cherries, were so happy that they were easy to pick and they felt such pride when they filled their buckets to the rim with these tasty cherries.

So pack a picnic, grab a blanket, and some old clothes and head to the Leona Valley to partake in the season's bounty for a fun and inexpensive outing. Checkout Hobarts (the oldest orchard) and Windy Ridge (one of the more picturesque orchards) with their great picnic grounds, homemade cherry bread and a fun little tram/tractor ride up to the orchards.

And because you will pick way more cherries than you can possibly eat, I am sharing one of my favorite, super easy cherry dessert recipes that showcases the fruit--Enjoy and happy picking!

CHERRY CRISP
1 1/2 lb pitted sweet cherries
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup oats
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

Heat oven to 375°. Grease square pan, 8x8x2 inches. Spread cherries in pan. Mix the remaining ingredients thoroughly. Sprinkle mixture over cherries. Bake 30 minutes or until the top is brown. Serve warm with ice cream.

Romy's Favorite Summer Salad

Being a foodie, I just love all the colors, tastes and smells of summer time. Going to my local farmers markets is truly heaven during this time of year because the season is brimming with a plethora of healthy, yummy, beautiful fruit and vegetable options. Nothing says summer to me more than fresh corn from my local farm stand--sweet, juicy, crunchy and delicious!

I am constantly in search of those easy, yummy, light and summery recipes that 'wow' my guests and include the best of the seasons bounty, and I think of have found it in the recipe below. It is a beautifully colorful salad, easy to make, made with a medley of my favorite mouth watering ingredients--fresh corn, cucumber, and pungent tasty feta cheese. For you oenophiles, I'd pair this salad with a nice crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris. This is one of my all time favorite recipes that I have been making for years, and I have graciously decided that my loyal readers would appreciate this treat--so enjoy and let me know what you think.

Summer Corn and Orzo Salad with Cucumber Feta Dressing
Bon Appétit June 2001
Yield: Makes 8 servings

1 3/4 cups crumbled feta cheese (about 8 ounces)
3 large cucumbers (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1 one pound box orzo (rice-shaped pasta; also called riso)
4 cups yellow corn kernels (cut from about 4 ears)
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Place 1 cup feta cheese, half of cucumbers, oil and 1 tablespoon water in processor. Process until smooth. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add corn; cook until pasta is just tender but still firm to bite, about 2 minutes longer. Drain pasta and corn. Transfer to large bowl. Add 1/2 cup feta cheese, remaining half of cucumbers and 1/3 cup chives; toss to combine. Mix in dressing. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup feta cheese and 2 tablespoons chives.

Strawberries--Bursting with JUICY Possibilities

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