Celebrate summer’s plentiful crop of sweet strawberries—and National Strawberry Parfait Day
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Now is the perfect time of year to pick up some sweet, juicy strawberries. Nearly 90% of America’s strawberries are grown in California and, depending on the weather, peak strawberry season in the Golden State begins in early spring and runs all the way to fall. Sure, berries find their way to us from other countries in the dead of winter, but these delicate fruits are most abundant and at their best when their journey to our shelves is shorter. And with National Strawberry Parfait Day was celebrated on June 25th, it’s the perfect time to learn some strawberry fun facts and tips, plus try a new recipe to make the most of this delicious fruit.
Strawberries have grown wild in Europe and the Americas for centuries, but the garden strawberry, which is the plant of choice for most commercial growers, was first bred during the mid-1700s by crossing a North American strawberry, F. virginiana, and a Chilean strawberry, F. chiloensis.
Since strawberries are fully ripe at the time they are picked, they will not continue to ripen after harvesting. Soon after they’re picked, the berries are taken to a cooler to be prepped for shipping, then refrigerated trucks take them across the country and they arrive in stores within three to four days.
Naturally fat-free, strawberries are a good source of dietary fiber, folic acid, and antioxidants. They are second only to blueberries in antioxidant levels, and have more vitamin C than other berries. A 1-cup serving—about eight whole berries—has only 50 calories and fulfills the recommended value of vitamin C for an entire day.
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Berry Best Selection and Storage
Choose shiny, brightly colored plump strawberries with tips that aren’t too seedy and those that still have their green caps attached to “shoulders” that aren’t white.
Berries are delicate and must be handled with care. Do not wash them until just prior to use; moisture can hasten their decay. Keep berries dry and refrigerated. If they didn’t come in a specially designed ventilated plastic container, store them in a single layer in a shallow container lined with paper (which will help keep them dry for optimum freshness). They may be topped with a paper towel to absorb additional moisture, then covered with plastic wrap.
When it comes time to use them, rinse in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Never soak strawberries in water. They can become waterlogged.
Refrigerated, under ideal conditions, strawberries will last 2 to 5 days.
Strawberries are always delicious on their own, but also a great addition to salads, atop cereal or yogurt, swirled in ice cream, or blended into a smoothie. You can also easily freeze these seasonal treats if you have an abundance on hand and bake them into muffins, pies, cakes, and other delicious desserts at a later date. The California Strawberry Commission features many sweet and savory recipe options to check out, including this one I have highlighted here in honor of the “holiday.”
Easy, portable no-bake cheesecake jars made with a jammy strawberry topping. These are perfect to have on hand during the warmer months when you want something light and refreshing.
For the Topping
2 cups chopped strawberries
2 teaspoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon arrowroot flour or cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
For the Base
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons coconut oil, softened
For the Cheesecake Layer
⅔ cup Greek yogurt
7 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and arrowroot (or cornstarch) and water mixture. Bring to a low boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
In a bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and coconut oil until well combined and the mixture holds together when pressed between your fingers. Add this as the base to 6 small jars.
In a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) combine all ingredients for the cheesecake. Mix well on low speed until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Divide the cheesecake mixture into the jars. Top with the strawberries. Store covered in the fridge until ready to eat.
PHOTOGRAPHY TERRY BRENNAN, FOOD STYLING LARA MIKLASEVICS
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MNMOMAG: Gathering to watch a game or cozying up for some binge-watching? Here are recipes for a cheese spread with hot pepper jelly and bacon, jazzed-up deviled eggs, easy Super Loaded Sheet-Pan Nachos, and more to make your night even better.
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This week I have gathered recipes for a cheese spread gilded with hot pepper jelly and bacon and a jazzed-up variation on deviled eggs, which cookbook author Kristin Donnelly created for Real Food. Nachos are always an easy-to-make crowd pleaser, and in the following recipe, courtesy of Wisconsin Cheese, they have added some heat with spicy cheese and toppings to keep you warm on cold nights. Also, check out their tips below for serving spicy cheese and using it in recipes, and my roundup of a selection of recipes I have highlighted on this site. You’re bound to find something tempting.
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Tips to Turn Up the Cheesy Heat
Find spicy success with these simple tips from the folks with Wisconsin Cheese. Less is more when serving and cooking with spicy cheeses.
Cut cheeses into small slices for serving on a cheese board. Consider making bite-size appetizers, which allow the spiciness of the cheeses to build with each portion.
Gradually add spicy cheeses to recipes and taste-test in between additions.
Create a blend of shredded hot and mild cheeses to top nachos or pizza.
Stir fiery cheeses into dips or soups for added creaminess and spicy heat.
Crank up the heat in warm dips with spicy cheeses. Or mix them with “cooling” sour cream or milk in cold dips, as these dairy products help neutralize the capsaicin in chili peppers.
Ease into things by customizing pairings. Dot your favorite mild cheeses like Gouda and blue with hot pepper jams and jellies, such as peach habanero or raspberry chipotle.
Goat Cheese with Hot Pepper Jelly and Bacon
Makes 8 to 12 Servings
Cream cheese with hot pepper jelly is a classic snack in the South. Here, a similar combination comes together with fresh goat cheese. (If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, you can use cream cheese, of course!) And bacon “gilds the lily.” —Kristin Donnelly
8 ounces bacon, preferably not thick-cut
1 (8-ounce) log fresh goat cheese
1 cup hot or sweet pepper jelly
Crackers or crostini, for serving
Thinly slice the bacon crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Spread them out in a skillet and set the skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until a lot of the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Arrange the goat cheese on a platter. Pour the hot pepper jelly over the top, allowing it to run and pool down the sides. (If the jelly is stiff and you’d like to loosen it, microwave it for 20 seconds.) Just before serving, sprinkle with bacon and serve with crackers.
Cook’s Notes:
• You can cook the bacon a day in advance and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• If you’d like to create a tidier presentation, you can press the goat cheese into a small dish and pour the jelly over, so it forms a layer on top.
PHOTOGRAPHY TERRY BRENNAN, FOOD STYLING LARA MIKLASEVICS
Michelada Deviled Eggs
Makes 8 to 12 Servings
Inspired by the Mexican beer cocktail, these eggs are a punchy riff on classic deviled eggs. While the filling should be a bit spicy, you can always adjust the amount of hot sauce to your taste. That said, it’s the hot sauce that really makes these. —Kristin Donnelly
8 large eggs
¼ cup mayonnaise
Zest of ½ lime plus 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons red Mexican hot sauce, plus more for serving
Small pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. When it boils, reduce the heat to medium, so the water simmers, and carefully lower the eggs into the pot. Simmer the eggs uncovered for 11 minutes, then drain and return to the pot. Immediately cover with ice water and let the eggs cool to room temperature, then carefully peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise.
Using a small spoon, pop the yolks out of the eggs into a bowl or the bowl of a food processor. Using a fork or the food processor, blend the egg yolks with the mayonnaise, lime juice, Worcestershire, 1½ teaspoons hot sauce, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Using a spoon or a piping bag, fill the egg whites with the filling. Add a dash of hot sauce to each and serve.
Cook’s Note: The filling can be made up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately from the whites. You can either fill the eggs just before you leave for a party and set them in muffin tins to transport or bring the eggs and filling separately and fill them at the party.
Makes 6 to 8 Servings | Recipe courtesy Wisconsin Cheese
1 bag (13 ounces) tortilla chips
4 ounces Cedar Grove Mild Cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
4 ounces Cedar Grove Pepper Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (2.25 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
½ cup diced sweet red bell pepper
4 ounces (1 cup) Cedar Grove Havarti cheese, shredded
Optional toppings: minced fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, pickled banana pepper rings, diced tomato, cubed avocado, sour cream and salsa
Heat oven to 400°F. Line a 15×10-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Arrange tortilla chips in a single layer on prepared pan. Sprinkle with cheddar and pepper jack. Layer with black beans, olives, red bell pepper, and Havarti. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cheeses are melted. Garnish with toppings as desired. Serve immediately.
Cheesemonger Tip: Havarti is a semi-soft, Danish-style cheese with a washed curd. It’s mild, buttery, and creamy with tiny, irregular eyes or holes. A wonderful melting and table cheese, it pairs well with Riesling or a pilsner.
Hungry for More?
Here is a roundup of appetizers and more that I have highlighted for various occasions, but they can also work for any get-together or binge-watching session. Also, check out the search feature on this site to find hundreds of recipes.
Jerked Pork in the Slow Cooker
PHOTOGRAPHY TERRY BRENNAN, FOOD STYLING LARA MIKLASEVICS
Celebrate cheese with deliciously cheesy recipes from apps, a cheese board, and mac-and-cheese to a sweet strawberry bite, courtesy of Wisconsin Cheese.
Bacon. Bacon in meatballs. Bacon-y barbecue sauce atop said meatballs. Need we say more? These tasty little gems by meat expert Bruce Aidells make an ideal appetizer—for meat-eaters.
These easy-to-make exotic-flavored meatballs (also by meat expert Bruce Aidells) work equally well atop rice for a main dish or as hors d’oeuvres—with optional green curry or Asian dipping sauce.
Photography Terry Brennan, Food Styling Lara Miklasevics
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Coconut Cake with Swiss Meringue Frosting
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Minnesota Monthly: Toasty coconut and layers of cake with buttery frosting make a lovely springtime treat—and Twin Cities culinary instructor Jason Ross helps you every step of the way.
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I have been watching the most recent seasons of The Great British Baking Show on Netflix and am always amazed at the challenges put to the amateur bakers competing on the show. How often do you see a cage made out of pastry placed over a tart, sculptures made out of dough or gingerbread creations complete with moving parts? If you haven’t made a cake—or “sponge,” as they often call it across the pond—from scratch, it might look like a lot of ingredients and instructions, but Twin Cities chef and Saint Paul College Culinary Arts instructor Jason Ross, who created this recipe for Real Food, walks you through every step of the way. While the contestants on the show are given cheeky instruction for a recipe such as simply “make the cake” or “bake,” our detailed instructions are aimed to help you succeed. Then, no judges’ scrutiny—your creation will just meet with appreciative delight from friends and family who get to enjoy a slice. “Bake!”
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Coconut Cake with Swiss Meringue Frosting
Makes 2 10-inch Cakes, 16 Servings
Toasty coconut and layers of cake make a lovely springtime treat. Coconut milk instead of cow’s milk in the cake adds tasty, toasty flavor.
For the Coconut Topping
2¾ cups sweetened coconut flakes (half a 14-ounce bag)
Toast the coconut: Heat the oven to 375°F. Spread the coconut into an even layer on a sheet tray and toast for 5 minutes in the oven. Remove the tray and stir the coconut with a wooden spoon. Jiggle the pan to spread coconut into an even layer again, and toast for another 5 minutes. Repeat until the coconut is light brown and fragrant. Set aside.
Reduce oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour two 10-inch round cake pans and line with a circle of parchment paper.
Using a mixer with the paddle attachment (hand mixer or counter-top is also fine) beat the sugar and butter on medium-low speed for about 8 to 10 minutes or until light and fluffy. With a rubber spatula, scrape the bowl and the paddle to make sure all the sugar and butter are fully combined.
Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time and mix on low until fully incorporated.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add 1/3 of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just blended. Add 1/3 of the coconut milk and mix on low until just blended. Scrape the bowl and the paddles with a rubber spatula, making sure cake batter is fully incorporated as needed. Continue adding dry mixture and coconut milk, alternating, until all the ingredients are incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Tap or jiggle the pan gently to get the batter to lay flat and even. Put cake pans on sheet tray and bake in oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake pulls clean with no wet batter.
Cool the cakes in the pan until set, about 40 minutes, then invert cakes onto a wire rack and remove parchment paper. The cake can be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.
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Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Makes About 6 Cups (Enough to Frost one 2-Layer Cake)
Buttercream can be made with different bases. The French version uses egg yolks whipped with boiled syrup. Italian uses egg whites whipped with boiled syrup. And Swiss, the gentler and more versatile cousin, uses a warmed egg white meringue for the vanilla-scented icing. It’s stable, spreadable and simple to work with.
Bring a wide pot filled with a couple inches water to boil. Then, reduce heat to very low, enough to keep water hot but not bubbling.
Put egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a stainless steel bowl that will fit on top of pot with hot water. Whisk the egg whites with a wire whisk over the hot water until they are warmed through, about 120°F. This should take about 10 minutes. If you do not have a thermometer, taste a small spoonful; it should be warm, or put a dollop on your wrist or upper lip for the temperature check.
Use a mixer with whisk attachment (hand mixer or counter-top is fine) and whip at high speed until the meringue is white and fluffy, forms stiff peaks, and is cooled. The side of bowl will feel cool.
With the mixer still running, add the softened butter by the spoonful, allowing butter to incorporate with each addition. Continue until all the butter is used and the mixture is light and fluffy. Finish by beating in the vanilla.
Butter cream can be used immediately or stored in a zip-top bag or container in the refrigerator for 7 days, or in freezer for 3 to 4 months. If refrigerated or frozen, the buttercream will need to soften until it is at room temperature, and then be re-whipped until smooth.
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Cake Assembly
Use a long serrated knife to trim off any rounded tops on the cakes and brush off any stray cake crumbs.
Place one cooled cake on a revolving cake stand if you have one, or use a plate. With an offset spatula or cake spatula, spread 1 cup of buttercream across the top of cake from edge to edge and just past the edge of cake. Put the next layer of cake on top of the frosted cake and repeat, spreading 1 cup of buttercream across the top, and just a little bit past the edges. Next, spread the extra buttercream that went past the edges, adding a little more as needed around the sides of the cake to make a thin coating. Do not worry if some crumbs make a messy coat, this is called the crumb coat, and will be covered with a fresh coating of buttercream. Refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, about 15 minutes.
Use the rest of the buttercream to cover the crumb-coated sides and another thin layer on top. While the buttercream is still damp and sticky, sprinkle and coat tops and sides with toasted coconut.
Serve immediately, or the cake can be stored at room temperature in a cake box for up to 3 days but does not refrigerate well.
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Tip: Better Buttercream
It is a common mistake to make a buttercream that ends up either too stiff or too runny, and it might even seem ruined—but the good news is that buttercream is simple to fix if you run into problems. If the buttercream is loose and soupy, it has gotten too hot. Put the mixing bowl in the refrigerator until the outside edges of the buttercream have gotten firm, like refrigerated butter. This should take around 10 to 15 minutes. Then re-whip on high speed and the buttercream will firm up into a smooth, spreadable consistency. If the buttercream looks curdled or grainy, it has gotten too cold. Put the mixing bowl back over the hot water and stir until the edges of the buttercream start to melt around the edges. Then re-whip. The cold buttercream will soften and smooth as it whips with the melted butter. —Jason Ross
Nutrition info Coconut Cake with Swiss Meringue Frosting (per serving): Calories 650; Fat 41g (Sat. 27g); Chol 115mg; Sodium 280mg; Carb 67g; Fiber 2g; Sugar 45g; Protein 6g
ICYMI