Strawberries

[robyn]

The mocking birds are nesting in my gardenia, the tomatoes are blooming, high today of 82 - and the most important harbinger of Spring in Florida - Plant City strawberries are at their prime!

3.29 a pound at Sedano's. Late season and dead ripe! I purchased 5 pounds.

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They look beautiful!

But can someone explain to me how Fla berries are $1.99 / lb in New Jersey?

I suspect that the berries in those pix are significantly riper & tastier than what we're seeing in NJ right now - I haven't seen berries that ripe, judging by appearance, in a couple of months - so maybe both are priced fairly for what they are.

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If you're getting Plant City strawberries - you're getting the same stuff we get. The price difference is mostly a factor of whether a particular store wants to push something as a loss leader (or you can get tons of the stuff really cheap in a place like Costco). Robyn

[therese]

We're getting the same berries at Dekalb Farmers Market in Atlanta (Wishnatzki Farms out of Plant City) for at least two weeks now. Very ripe, very sweet. I bought a half flat last week, and another half flat this week. Can't remember what I paid, but they were neither incredibly cheap nor incredibly expensive, but probably less than annecros paid.

[annecros]

CaliPoutine,

I stopped by Publix yesterday afternoon while I was out, and counted three displays! You should have no problem. 2 pounds for $5.

I should have gone to Publix. But I was in Sedano's for something else, and they called my name.

[artemisanne]

If you're coming down to FL, and you're around Plant City, you can pick your own at millions of farms off I-4- about 45 minutes from either Orlando or Tampa- if you're in a hurry I'd advise stopping by Parkesdale Farms or any of the markets- try the strawberry cookies!!!!

I buy whole flats of strawberries for 7$.

[annecros]

If you're coming down to FL, and you're around Plant City, you can pick your own at millions of farms off I-4- about 45 minutes from either Orlando or Tampa- if you're in a hurry I'd advise stopping by Parkesdale Farms or any of the markets- try the strawberry cookies!!!!

I buy whole flats of strawberries for 7$.

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Cool, what do you do with them?

When I lived in Palm Beach County I would pick them up at Rorabeck's for anywhere from $12 to $17 a flat depending upon the season. I also had a bigger bunch to feed at the time.

We moved down here to Broward in October, and I am still hunting for a place like Rorabeck's, but haven't settled on one yet. There is a place next to the Greyhound track on US1 that looks promising, but they were closed when I stopped by last weekend.

[CaliPoutine]

If you're coming down to FL, and you're around Plant City, you can pick your own at millions of farms off I-4- about 45 minutes from either Orlando or Tampa- if you're in a hurry I'd advise stopping by Parkesdale Farms or any of the markets- try the strawberry cookies!!!!

I buy whole flats of strawberries for 7$.

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Cool, what do you do with them?

When I lived in Palm Beach County I would pick them up at Rorabeck's for anywhere from $12 to $17 a flat depending upon the season. I also had a bigger bunch to feed at the time.

We moved down here to Broward in October, and I am still hunting for a place like Rorabeck's, but haven't settled on one yet. There is a place next to the Greyhound track on US1 that looks promising, but they were closed when I stopped by last weekend.

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That place on US1 is always closed on Saturday. The owners are Jewish and they observe the Sabbath on Saturdays. They are open on Sunday though. You might find the berries at the fleamarket on the weekend. Check out carini's, they have great pizza. They are on the corner of Atlantic Shores and US1

[annecros]

That place on US1 is always closed on Saturday.  The owners are Jewish and they observe the Sabbath on Saturdays.  They are open on Sunday though.  You might find the berries at the fleamarket on the weekend.  Check out carini's, they have great pizza.  They are on the corner of Atlantic Shores and US1

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I suspected as much when I saw the bagel signs (I bet they are good bagels, too). Will be out and about today with my daughter and we will be checking out the various flea markets. The fleamarket at the Greyhound track the last time I went only had a few berries. Mostly citrus, squash, beans, okra and tomato. I like the market on 441 north of Sunrise (it is a branch of the SwapShop market on Sunrise), but that is a little bit of a haul for me to do on a regular basis. Festival fleamarket is almost in Palm Beach County.

Will continue to explore, and thanks.

[ghostrider]

The berries I mentioned previously weren't genuine Plant City, but the ones I got last night are, & oh so fragrant & tasty. $1.29 / lb at my local farmers market place. Hadn't been able to get there for a week, had become dispirited looking at the lifeless $2.99 / lb CA berries at the supermarket, but the farmers' market came through big time! I'm in strawberry heaven this weekend!

[CaliPoutine]

Anne,

The bagels at The Sage on Hallandale Beach Blvd are amazing. I'm sure a lot better than the ones at the Farmer's Market. I even brought a dozen bagels back to Canada with me.

I had some strawberries while I was down. Bought them at publix, 2.50 for a quart. I bought some berries today too. They cost 1.99pint and the sign said Product of USA. Not sure where they come from, maybe Florida. They were sweet and juicy.

I'm anxiously awaiting our Ontario berries. They usually hit around June and they are fabulous as well.

[annecros]

The berries I mentioned previously weren't genuine Plant City, but the ones I got last night are, & oh so fragrant & tasty.  $1.29 / lb at my local farmers market place.  Hadn't been able to get there for a week, had become dispirited looking at the lifeless $2.99 / lb CA berries at the supermarket, but the farmers' market came through big time!  I'm in strawberry heaven this weekend! 

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They are super good.

Look for corn soon. I'm just seeing the early spring corn come in and it is still expensive, but I bought a dozen ears and creamed it the other day, and it was super sweet.

I don't understand why they insist on bringing California strawberries to the east coast. There are a couple of chains down here in Florida that insist on doing just that. Talk about taking coals to Newcastle! Those same strawberries are wonderful in California, I'm sure, but by the time they are picked green and trucked across the country, they taste like nothing.

[annecros]

Anne,

The bagels at The Sage on Hallandale Beach Blvd are amazing.  I'm sure a lot better than the ones at the Farmer's Market.  I even brought a dozen bagels back to Canada with me.

I had some strawberries while I was down.  Bought them at publix, 2.50 for a quart.  I bought some berries today too.  They cost 1.99pint and the sign said Product of USA.  Not sure where they come from, maybe Florida.  They were sweet and juicy. 

I'm anxiously awaiting our Ontario berries.  They usually hit around June and they are fabulous as well.

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Thanks, The Sage isn't far from me at all, and I have recently had a bagel jones going. Will have to go by.

By June, our berries are just a memory and it's mostly what people think of when they think Summer produce around here. I should have my own peas and butterbeans by then.

[robyn]

...I don't understand why they insist on bringing California strawberries to the east coast. There are a couple of chains down here in Florida that insist on doing just that. Talk about taking coals to Newcastle! Those same strawberries are wonderful in California, I'm sure, but by the time they are picked green and trucked across the country, they taste like nothing.

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So we can have strawberry shortcake in August! We have found that Driscoll's is a pretty reliable product. Berries (not only strawberries - but other berries - like blueberries) are coming not only from California - but from south America in the winter. Some (which we bought at Costco's) have been really excellent. I eat fruit and cereal at least 5-6 times a week - and I used to get pretty sick of bananas in the winter. Robyn

[annecros]

...I don't understand why they insist on bringing California strawberries to the east coast. There are a couple of chains down here in Florida that insist on doing just that. Talk about taking coals to Newcastle! Those same strawberries are wonderful in California, I'm sure, but by the time they are picked green and trucked across the country, they taste like nothing.

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So we can have strawberry shortcake in August! We have found that Driscoll's is a pretty reliable product. Berries (not only strawberries - but other berries - like blueberries) are coming not only from California - but from south America in the winter. Some (which we bought at Costco's) have been really excellent. I eat fruit and cereal at least 5-6 times a week - and I used to get pretty sick of bananas in the winter. Robyn

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Oh, Driscoll's is a very fine company. I have had the pleasure to meet individuals who have worked for Driscoll's in the past. Although they are California based, they purchase extensively in Florida, and more than just strawberries.

I guess I should be more specific. Why would a supermarket chain bring strawberries from California into Florida, or New Jersey for that matter, when the Florida berries are in season?

Surely robyn, you are not telling me that you would hunt out a Driscoll's label, when Plant City is in season?

Edited March 26, 2007 by annecros (log)

[robyn]

...I don't understand why they insist on bringing California strawberries to the east coast. There are a couple of chains down here in Florida that insist on doing just that. Talk about taking coals to Newcastle! Those same strawberries are wonderful in California, I'm sure, but by the time they are picked green and trucked across the country, they taste like nothing.

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So we can have strawberry shortcake in August! We have found that Driscoll's is a pretty reliable product. Berries (not only strawberries - but other berries - like blueberries) are coming not only from California - but from south America in the winter. Some (which we bought at Costco's) have been really excellent. I eat fruit and cereal at least 5-6 times a week - and I used to get pretty sick of bananas in the winter. Robyn

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Oh, Driscoll's is a very fine company. I have had the pleasure to meet individuals who have worked for Driscoll's in the past. Although they are California based, they purchase extensively in Florida, and more than just strawberries.

I guess I should be more specific. Why would a supermarket chain bring strawberries from California into Florida, or New Jersey for that matter, when the Florida berries are in season?

Surely robyn, you are not telling me that you would hunt out a Driscoll's label, when Plant City is in season?

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I shop mostly at Publix and Fresh Market - and - this time of the year - all the strawberries are from Plant City. Of course - the season isn't very long. March and April - that's about it. The other 10 months of the year - it's mostly California - some South America. Robyn

[CatPoet]

We have  2-3 months to go before  Strawberry season!  Oh the joy of living in the  north of Europe...

[ChocoMom]

No strawberries here until July.  :+(      Makes me want to crawl through the computer and sneak a taste of that, Jim.

 

Oh! there we go again.  I really must remember to wear a drool bib when I start perusing this forum.  :+P   Thanks, guys.

[kayb]

Bumping up an old topic here, because, well, it's that time of year, at least in the Middle South. As I made pound cakes to serve as the base for strawberry shortcake, I was thinking about the different iterations of strawberry shortcake I've had, and wondering what the phrase denotes in other parts of the world.

 

When I was a kid, we were of the sponge cake school of shortcake base. Berries capped, quartered or halved, macerated in a little sugar, heaped onto the sponge cake, topped with whipped cream (or more likely, Cool Whip). 

 

When I moved to Arkansas, I found most folks who made their own shortcake made either a true shortcake cookie-ish base, or used simple piecrust. There's a regional restaurant in the heart of a big strawberry-growing area that is a destination in the spring for its strawberry shortcake, which consists of soft-serve ice cream, topped with macerated strawberries and surrounded by wedges of pie crust that have been cut, sprinkled with granulated sugar, and baked.

 

I had a friend (from up north, on the PA-NY state line) who contended proper shortcake was something like a biscuit, but sweetened. Never could get on board with that one. I've also known people who swore the only proper base for shortcake was angel food cake.

 

And somewhere, I hit on the notion of using pound cake as the base, and that's where I've stuck. It's fairly easy and quick to stir one up, and I almost always have the stuff on hand. I bake my recipe in a pair of 8 x 3.5 loaf pans, instead of a Bundt or tube pan, because that way I can freeze one. It's only mildly sweet, and it's a neutral canvas to best display the berries in their spring goodness. Plus it's wonderful at soaking up the juices.

 

What's underneath all the goodness in your strawberry shortcake? Any special tricks to macerating your berries, or just sugar? I will usually add a splash of white balsamic vinegar, if I have it on hand, and I had a friend who swore by cracked pepper along with the sugar. Whipped cream, creme fraiche, Cool Whip, or just naked? I lean toward barely sweetened creme fraiche.

 

And later in the year, do you make them with any other fruit? I often use fresh peaches once the strawberries are gone.

 

Let's hear about, and see, your shortcakes!

[kayb]

Here's mine from today. Pound cake on the bottom. Quartered strawberries macerated in sugar alone. Topping is, sadly (🥵) Cool Whip, as I had no cream beyond half and half.

[MokaPot]

The base for strawberry shortcake, growing up, was Bisquick biscuits. Cool Whip as well. IMO, the KFC biscuits would actually be good as a base. I like the crusty texture of the biscuits, but your pound cake looks good, too. I can't think of how to improve strawberries + sugar. Almond?

[IowaDee]

I grew up with shortcake being the one on the side of the Bisquick box.  Never saw a reason to change it.  Yes, lightly smash the berries with sugar and let sit overnight.  Pile them on the square of shortcake and, it gets strange here, pour some 1/2 and 1/2 around it.  Finish it off with a big old squirt of spray whipped cream.  We make an entire meal of this several times in the peak of berry season.  I've made it with blueberries, raspberries and blackberries but all seem like imitations next to the real thing.  If no one is watching me,  I often split the shortcake and butter it and zap it in the  microwave just to melt the butter.  When it come to this stuff, more it better.  And much more, is much better.

[chromedome]

Nova Scotia, at least the part where I grew up, is sweetened biscuit country. Scratch-made in my childhood, though probably there's a lot of Bisquick now.

[donk79]

My wife is from Pennsylvania and does the Bisquick thing.  I will be quick to tell you that the sponge cake I grew up with is far better.  But seeing as she is more likely to make the dish than me...  I shut up and enjoy what I get!  

 

(Pound cake sounds like an awesome base!)

[IowaDee]

You are a wise man!

[Kim Shook]

I am a big fan of strawberries on top of almost any baked good.  But if I'm calling it "strawberry shortcake", it's going to be on a sweetened biscuit-like cake.  This is the recipe that I've worked on over a few years and is our current favorite.  Shortcake:

 

With strawberries and whipped something (😁😞

 

When strawberry season is over (too soon) I love a peach shortbread!

 

[heidih]

They smelled great at farmers market so I just ate the whole overflowing basket all day. Happy.