A Taste of Summer: Fresh Raspberries and Strawberries

Right about now, bounty from South of the Border is available on
your supermarket shelves. Fresh red raspberries and strawberries, grown just an hour south of Guadalajara on the shores of Lake Chapala, will give you the sweet taste
of Mexico’s sun and warmth.

When you go to your local super market, take a closer look at those
clear plastic containers (known in the trade as clamshells) full of red
raspberries. In the small print on the Driscoll label it says "Product
of Mexico". When I still lived in the States, I read that label and
imagined a gleaming white-tile packing factory. In my mind’s eye, I saw
employees in starched laboratory jackets, nurse-like white caps and
latex gloves, packing raspberries as the pink fruit came flying down an
assembly line. It was a fantasy worthy of Lucy and Ethel at the
chocolate factory in that famous episode of I Love Lucy.

The first time I visited the nearby red raspberry "packing factory" , I had to laugh at my own earlier ideas. This
packing operation was perfectly Mexican. Several clean-cut young men
with bandannas wrapped around their heads roamed up and down the rows
between lush raspberry canes. They hand-picked only the reddest, ripest
raspberries and gently placed them into small plastic buckets, the kind five-year-olds use at the beach.

Two young women dressed in blue jeans and caps stood at a long folding
table (the kind you’d find at a swap meet) and packed those perfectly
ripe red raspberries into flat after flat of Driscoll clamshells. They
packed the plastic boxes into case after case for shipping and then
rapidly started packing more.

Within 24 hours of picking, those berries are in the United
States, either in Miami or Los Angeles. A day later, they are heading
to stores across the United States. Red raspberries from the shores of
Lake Chapala are shipped not only to the United States but also to
Canada, to England, to all parts of Europe, and to Japan.

The half pint boxes sell for about $4.50 the box in grocery stores North of the Border.

Remember that raspberries are the most delicate fruits in the vast
berry family. Treat them with the softest touch, just like handling
like a newborn baby. Wash them gently (never allowing them to soak)
just before you serve them.

I prepared this wonderful recipe for guests just the other day. Not one single forkful was left over.

Raspberry Rosemary Sauce on Pork Medallions
1 medium or large orange
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion or shallots
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot (1 small carrot)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 small bay leaf
1 package (6 ounces) red raspberries, divided
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
4 boneless center-cut pork chops
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup flour
Shredded green onion tops for garnish

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
 

Sauce:
Using a vegetable peeler or zester, cut eight to ten thin
strips from only the outer orange portion of orange peel and reserve.
Squeeze the juice from the orange, reserving 1/4 cup juice.

Heat the two teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add
onion, carrot, garlic, orange peel and herbs. Cook, stirring
occasionally, until vegetables are lightly brown and wilted, about five
minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the raspberries, the reserved 1/4 cup orange
juice and the white wine.

Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Boil, stirring
occasionally, until mixture is reduced to about two tablespoons (about
eight to ten minutes). Add chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil
again. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Turn off heat and set
sauce aside.

Note: Sauce can be prepared ahead of time to this stage. Cover and refrigerate until ready to finish.

Pork Medallions:
Pat pork dry with paper towels. In a large,
oven-proof skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. While oil
is heating, dust the pork evenly on both sides with flour, patting off
any excess. When the oil is very hot, add pork medallions and cook
until well-browned on the first side, about three minutes. Turn the
medallions over, place the skillet in the preheated oven and cook until
pork is just cooked through, this will be quick, only about six to
seven minutes.

Remove medallions to heatproof platter or serving plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil and keep warm while finishing sauce.

Strain the sauce back into the same skillet in which the pork was
cooked, pressing the solids through the strainer with the back of a
spoon. Add any juices that may have collected on the serving platter. Over high heat, bring the mixture in the skillet to a boil. Continue to
boil, stirring occasionally, until lightly thickened, about six to
eight minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Spoon a tablespoon of the sauce in the center of each of the
four warmed dinner plates. Place each pork medallion on top of the
sauce. Top with one tablespoon sauce, about two tablespoons raspberries
and a few strips of diagonally shredded green onion tops. Serve at once.

Makes four servings.

In case any of you might have health concerns about Mexican-grown
produce, here’s what the Driscoll people themselves say about the
safety of their raspberries and strawberries:

"Driscoll’s farmers have been leaders in the practice of
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which relies on a balanced method of
natural and inorganic means to reduce disease and control pests in the
field. To insure that Driscoll’s fruit is the safest possible,
Driscoll’s employs a company which conducts third-party independent
residue testing of fruit in every Driscoll cooler and facility every
week."

The fields near here are Mexican owned and leased to
Driscoll solely for growing raspberries and strawberries. The raspberry
crop is rotated annually and the packing operation is moved each year
to the fields most convenient to the highway.

Near the raspberry fields are far-flung fields of Driscoll’s
other delicious crop—strawberries. Red jewels lie close to the ground,
nestled in dark green leaves. The strawberries are ripe and luscious
this time of year, ready to be hand picked, packed, chilled, and
shipped to all parts of the world. You’ll find them, packaged in clear
plastic one-pound boxes so you can see exactly what you’re choosing, in
the produce section of your favorite hometown supermarket. North of the Border, the boxes sell for about $2.50 in season.

These are not those huge strawberries grown more for looks than for
flavor. Is there anything more disappointing than biting into a
beautiful berry and finding it white in the middle, dry, hard and
tasteless? These berries are mid-size and grown for their sweet
taste—the best possible flavor—as well as beauty. Ripened more fully
prior to picking than those grown elsewhere, these local strawberries are
simply perfect.

Always refrigerate berries immediately—move them from the shopping bag
to the refrigerator. Temperatures between 34 and 38 degrees F are best,
but be sure not to freeze them! Fresh berries are very sensitive to
freeze damage. Remember this general rule: for every hour your berries
are away from refrigeration, you’ll lose a whole day’s shelf life.

Do not wash your berries until you are ready to prepare and eat them.
Moisture will hasten decay of these fragile berries, so keep them dry as well as
cold until the last moment.

Shelf life varies between berries; however, under ideal conditions,
strawberries should keep for about two to five days in your
refrigerator and raspberries should keep for between one and three
days. For best results, consume your berries as soon after purchase as
possible.

Are you drooling yet? Let’s look at more wonderful recipes for raspberry and strawberry treats.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
For the ultimate in red raspberry decadence, try this cheesecake.

18 vanilla wafer cookies
1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted
4 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh raspberries
8 ounces sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Finely grind cookies
and macadamias in food processor. Add butter and blend until mixture
forms very moist crumbs. Press crumbs firmly onto bottom and part of
sides of an eight inch spring-form pan. Bake until golden (10 minutes).

Filling:
Melt white chocolate in microwave, (about 1 1/2 minutes), stopping
every 30 seconds to stir and to make sure it doesn’t burn. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use your electric mixer to beat cream cheese, sugar,
vanilla extract, and lemon juice until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time,
beating after each addition, just until combined. Beat in white
chocolate.

Spoon half the batter into the crust. Top with berries. Top with
remaining batter. Bake for about 45 minutes or until cake is set around
the edges, but center jiggles slightly.

Let cool for about 20 minutes before adding the topping.

Topping:
In a medium bowl, whisk sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Spoon over
cake, spreading the topping to the edge of the pan. Bake five minutes.
Allow cake to cool and then refrigerate overnight. Serve plain or
garnish with more berries.

Here are a few tips for handling red raspberries,
whether you buy them here at Lakeside at the farm or in your North of
the Border supermarket.

If you want to freeze red raspberries, spread them out in a single
layer on a cookie sheet with sides and place the uncovered cookie sheet
in the freezer. After the raspberries are well frozen, shake them
gently into a zip-lock bag and immediately put them back in the
freezer. Your raspberries, whole and beautiful, will be ready for
immediate use when you need them.

Try the following recipe when you want to serve an unusual
fruit treat for a Sunday party brunch. Your guests will love the
refreshing berries in a very unusual dressing.

Cristina’s Ginger Strawberries
This recipe is served cold with a hint of spice and always makes a hit at brunch.

2 pounds fresh ripe strawberries
1 orange
2 tablespoons pickled ginger, drained
1 cup unflavored yogurt
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 tablespoons sugar or 2 packets artificial sweetener (Splenda, Sweet’n’Low, Equal)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Remove green caps from strawberries and wash gently. Pat dry in
a large terry cloth towel. Cut the strawberries in half and place in a
large mixing bowl.

With a vegetable peeler or zester, cut thin strips of orange
peel (orange part only). Cut the orange peel strips into tiny
matchstick-size strips, no longer than 1" and no wider than 1/16".

Cut the pickled ginger to the same size as the orange strips. Mix the ginger and the orange strips together.

Add the ginger and orange strips mixture, orange marmalade,
sugar (or artificial sweetener) and salt to the yogurt. Stir until
well-mixed.

Pour yogurt mixture over strawberries and stir gently to coat all the strawberries.

Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve.

This sorbet is delicious served either at the end
of a meal or served (in a tiny cup) as a refreshing palate cleanser
between otherwise spicy courses. I’ve served it scooped into tiny
fluted foil cups meant for chocolate truffles. The tiny servings, piled
high on crushed ice in a giant brandy snifter, make a beautiful
presentation.

        Fresh Strawberry Sorbet
        During strawberry season and the warmer days of spring and early summer, this easy sorbet  is a           cooling favorite.

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 pints fresh ripe strawberries
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 to 3 tablespoons vodka

Makes 8 to 10 servings
   

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Cook
and stir until mixture comes to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer
five minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand approximately 10
minutes.

Lightly rinse and dry the strawberries; hull and cut in halves. In a
food processor or blender, puree the strawberries with 1/4 cup of the
sugar syrup (sugar and water mixture). Add lemon juice, vodka, and
pureed strawberries to the remaining sugar syrup; stir until thoroughly
blended.

 
NOTE: The vodka (or any other type of alcohol) is the secret to
a soft sorbet. Alcohol itself does not freeze and adding a little bit
to the mixture keeps the sorbet from freezing. Vodka is an
excellent choice as it doesn’t change the flavor of the fruit.

Ice Cream Maker–Transfer mixture to ice cream maker, process according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Refrigerator Freezer Method–Pour into plastic container, cover,
and place mixture in the freezer. When it has frozen enough to be
semi-solid, mash it up with a fork and freeze again. When frozen, place
in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Cover and
refreeze until serving time.

NOTE:Fresh strawberry sorbet can be prepared three days in advance. Cover and keep frozen.

Bringing fresh, ripe strawberries home from the field (or from the tianguis)
is tricky. It’s a good
practice to take a wicker basket or plastic container with you to put
your strawberries in for their trip home; like raspberries, they are
easily smashed and deteriorate quickly under their own weight in a
plastic bag.

If you buy either raspberries or strawberries in plastic clamshells,
save a clamshell or two for times when you might go to a pick-your-own
farm to protect the berries on the trip home. Bring your strawberries
home in the clamshells. You’ll be glad you did, when you realize your
freshly picked berries will arrive home in perfect condition.

Here are some fascinating statistics about strawberries: Canada imports all
of its fresh strawberries from either the United States or from Mexico.
The United States is the major importer of Mexican fresh strawberries.
Under NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), duty is no
longer charged on strawberry exports to either the USA or Canada.

Last, but certainly not least, let’s toast our local strawberries with a refreshing and beautiful strawberry margarita.

Strawberry Margaritas
The jewel of the season: try our fresh strawberry margarita recipe!

For two:
10 to 12 ripe strawberries
2 cups ice
2/3 cup prepared margarita mixer
1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 teaspoons fresh key lime juice
Whole strawberries (for garnish)

Put strawberries in a blender with the ice, margarita mixer,
orange juice concentrate and lime juice. Blend until smooth
and slushy. Pour into two glasses and garnish with whole strawberries,
if desired.

Buen provecho!