Sunday, July 15, 2007

Macerated Strawberries



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Oh you sweet people, how I love you so. You make me all grin-ee. (That’s right, grin-ee.) Even when I am deep in the fog of a head-cold (pout, pout and double pout) I get comments and emails and the sheer thrill of the outpouring of cyber-lovin’.

Thank you all so much. That lil’ quiz below and all your answers, made my day. And for your reading pleasure, I will be including my very own answers soon.

But today, alas, all I can focus on is ingesting mass quantities of vitamin-C in hopes that I will somehow emerge from this tunnel of ick into the bright sunshine of health.

And knowing me (as I feel you do! I do!), no cure is complete without a tiny dose of pizzazz, right? Which leads me to this simple recipe for macerated strawberries. As simple to throw together as can be, it is sweet glory. Inspired eating and just plain delish. Try some today, and see.

2 pints strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 T. white sugar
3 T. orange liquor
A tiny pinch of salt
An even tinier pinch of black pepper
Mint and whipped crème fraiche for garnish


Combine the berries, sugar and booze. Let sit for 15 minutes, minimum. Toss once or twice, then add the salt and pepper, and serve with whipped crème fraiche.

Serves four to six

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Macerate: To soak foods, usually fruit, in liquid so they absorb the liquid's flavor. The macerating liquid is usually alcohol, liqueur, wine, brandy or sugar syrup. Macerate is also frequently applied to fruits sprinkled with sugar, which intensifies natural flavor of the fruit by drawing out its juices.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest filed a lawsuit against Burger King, the only leading restaurant chain that had not yet committed to eliminating trans fats from its menu. The world's No. 2 hamburger chain is currently testing a variety of more healthful oils in hundreds of restaurants in five U.S. markets, Silversmith said. Restaurants are not legally required to disclose the amount of trans fat in their foods, but center attorney Stephen Gardner said the risks associated with eating trans fats made the products unsafe. - From Reuters