Happy Pi Day

[vaneramos]

3/14 is Pi Day. Last night we took some strawberries and rhubarb out of the freezer to make a crumble for a friend's Pi Party tonight. We don't have a big freezer so I didn't freeze a lot of fruit last summer. I have fastidiously avoided buying any non-local berries through the winter months. We haven't tasted a strawberry since last August because I have a tendency to hoard things for Who Knows What.

A Pi Day party is Who Knows What. The perfume from these plump little gems was lust inducing.

Comments

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

I didn't think strawberries froze well?

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I just lay them out on a tray to flash freeze, then pack them in a freezer bag and suck out the air with a straw. No need to blanch them. They lose texture but not flavour, fine for baking.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

P.S. this technique works fine with any acidic fruit, including tomatoes. You can freeze tomatoes in their skins, which peel easily upon thawing.

[teddyb.livejournal.com]

Those berries look luscious, and your description reminds me of the phrase quoted to me by my British friends, who absolutely love their strawberries, "Doubtless God could have made a better berry, and doubtless God never did."

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

They are sure hard to beat. It's fascinating that in our addiction to having whatever food we want whenever we want it we have learned to settle for food that looks great but tastes like nothing. Such is the case for winter strawberries from California or Chile. Local produce is worth the wait.

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

I have the same bowl!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

How odd, though maybe we shouldn't be surprised! My daughter, Marian, loves Vietnames pho, so I made it from scratch for her birthday celebration last December. My stonewear bowls were inadequate, so I purchased six of these from the Asian grocer downtown. Besdies being superior pho vessels, they're extremely handy for food preparation and microwaving.

[bellakara.livejournal.com]

Strawberries and rhubarb crumble?! I've made rhubarb crumble, but never added strawberries, though there are strawberries in the back garden in summer. I would never have thought of that combination!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Really? I see strawberry-rhubarb pies everywhere around here. Maybe it's a Canadian thing. Anyway, they go wonderfully, partly because they're in season together, but also because the combination is sweet-tart.

Here's the recipe I used: http://tastyandglutenfree.blogspot.com/2008/07/strawberry-rhubarb-crumble.html

If you're not worried about gluten, just use regular flour and a tsp of baking powder and leave out the xanthan gum. Or use your favourite crumble topping.

[grandiva1968.livejournal.com]

Do I need to send Robin Zasio up there to talk to you about some strawberry issues?
*giggle*