I was shocked the first time I saw my mother-in-law get strawberries (from the store) ready for making strawberry shortcake (shortcake also from the store *shudder*). She washing them, cut them up, hulled them, and then got out a potato masher and started mashing away! I'd never seen such a thing! I've always processed them like I remember my grandma doing--by washing them, taking the green part off (usually with a paring knife, but I've been known to use a fingernail instead), cutting them up, sprinkling sugar on them, stirring it up, then setting the bowl in the fridge for a couple hours. I had no idea that other people did it any differently!
I don't just use these strawberries for strawberry shortcake. One of my favorite desserts in the world is strawberries, processed as described above, on vanilla ice cream. One of my favorite breakfasts--waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. It is very much like having strawberry shortcake for breakfast!
How do you process your strawberries and what are your favorite ways to eat them? Do you sugar them, mash them, both, or do something else?
Mmmmm...Strawberries!! I can not wait until they are ready to be picked here!
ReplyDeleteWhen I freeze strawberries, I just wash them, cut off the green and put them in the freezer (in a container, of course). Sometimes I make a few containers of cut up strawberries.
I love to eat strawberries any way I can...LOL! I love homemade strawberry shortcake and I make it with homemade biscuits and whip the cream myself.
I process exactly like you for shortcake; which is exactly like my grandmother! I also put whole hulled berries on a cookie sheet, pop them in the freezer and when they are frozen I put them in zip-lock freezer bags. I also slice them and then dehydrate them. You just can't have enough strawberries.
ReplyDeleteReally,it depends on what I'm going to be using them for.For shortcake,I simply slice,sugar and let sit.But there's also jam,parfaits,etc,etc..tonight I'm making a strawberry/banana bread recipe I got from another blogger.
ReplyDeleteOh strawberries.. fresh from my own garden.. If the slugs have had a nibble, I slice it off and set aside the good part for sprinkling with powdered sugar and a dab of orange juice (over icecream or on an Aussie style sponge cake)I put perfect strawberries directly into a zip lock bag and freeze. I add fresh ones to the bag till it is full! The frozen ones will be used in one of several ways. Jam.(If I actually get enough extra to make jam). smoothies or sprinkled with powdered sugar and OJ for topping icecream or strawberry sponge cake. I could get really adventurous later in the year and mix with passionfruit to top a Pavlova!! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-best-pavlova/
ReplyDeleteMy Grandmother, Mom, and I process them just like you - with one more step. After they have set in the fridge a few hours we pour whole milk in there with them. Just enough to cover them. (I've even been know to use heavy whipping cream, YUM!) Gently stir and ladle over the cake - which we made with Bisquick mix, lol. The best!
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