I just don’t get tired of strawberries. Maybe because the season for local berries is so short- and sweet. Local strawberries are at all the markets now- and they are fabulous. The season for local berries is short and I try to use them as much as I can. I also will freeze some for use throughout the year.

Cooking camp starts in Hudson next week. We will be making these cupcakes. I am sure the kids will love them as much as I do. The recipe came about on a whim. I was making cupcakes for some friends and decided to make some with strawberries. As you might expect, they were a big hit. The berries add sweetness and color in a delicate, natural way. You could also  make these with frozen berries. I like to get extra strawberries and freeze some, so I will have them, even when the season is over.

Strawberry Cupcakes

2/3 cup whole fresh strawberries

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

2 large egg whites, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing. Makes 12.

Strawberry Frosting

1/2 cup whole fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries, thawed

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold

Pinch of coarse salt

3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners’ sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not over-mix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream. Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes.

I had been wanting to have a fondue party for a long time. I have fond fondue memories from when I was a kid. My mother had fondue parties and I loved them.

I decided to start things off with two different cheese fondue recipes. One was made with Jarlsberg cheese and the other with smoked Gouda. The recipe for both was pretty much the same. Probably pretty close to what my mom used to make, too.

There was one ingredient I used that my mom would not have even heard of- sodium citrate. Sodium citrate has several applications in molecular gastronomy. For me, its value is what it does when added to cheese sauce. Sodium citrate makes cheese sauce super creamy. If you have ever made a cheese sauce and ended up with a grainy texture, you know how frustrating that can be. Sodium citrate makes that problem go away. I get mine online. If you don’t have sodium citrate, your cheese sauce will still be good- but not as creamy.

So here is the recipe I used for my cheese fondue.

Smoked Gouda Cheese Fondue

1 garlic clove, peeled*

½ a bottle of white wine- dry preferred

2 T. sodium citrate

2 T. Kirsch

2 lbs. shredded Smoked Gouda

Dash of hot sauce

*In a classic cheese fondue, you are supposed to rub a garlic clove around the inside of the fondue pot, to give just a hint of garlic flavor to your fondue. I just put the garlic in the pot and removed it just before adding the cheese.

In pot, place garlic, wine, sodium citrate and Kirsch. Bring to a boil. Remove garlic. Start adding the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring vigorously. As each batch of cheese melts, add another handful until all the cheese has been added. Stir until smooth. Add a bit of hot sauce- if you like. Transfer to a fondue pot. Keep warm. Serve with crusty bread cubes and assorted veggies.

Note: I opted to make my fondue in a separate pot, then transfer it to the fondue pot. I just found it easier for me, but you can make the whole thing in the fondue pot, if you prefer.

The dippers: I had crusty bread, that I cubed up and toasted. I also roasted baby potatoes, asparagus, sweet peppers and mushrooms. I steamed broccoli until it was just a bit past raw- 4 minutes in the microwave.     

The Jarlsberg fondue was pretty much the same recipe, but it seemed to need a little something extra. I added some roasted garlic, which was good. It also needed a bit of salt.

Special thanks to Jonathan, Jill and Dale for your extra help to make this happen.

Long before cauliflower became trendy, I was a fan. I love it steamed, served with a little butter and salt or pan fried and mixed with garlic and a bit of Parmesan cheese. I have enjoyed cauliflower in any number of salads as well.

I picked up a huge cauliflower from a local produce market. I decided to turn it into a salad. I was not disappointed.

Here is the recipe I made with a head of cauliflower.

I used curry powder- I make my own- but you can use a store bought one. The recipe for curry powder is at the end of the recipe. I also added some green onions and peanuts for crunch. It came out quite nice.

I have used curry powder in hot cauliflower dishes before, but the salad was a pleasant change of pace.

Curry Cauliflower Salad

1 head cauliflower, cooked
½ c. chopped green onions
¾ c. mayo – or less or more depending in the size of the head of cauliflower
1 T. curry powder- or to taste
1 t. hot sauce, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. peanuts

First break the cauliflower into florets. Cook the cauliflower any way you like. I steamed mine for about 5 minutes. You could roast it, or sauté it in a little oil. You want it tender, but still a little crisp. Don’t cook it to mush. I would also advise against boiling it, as it gets too wet. Once the cauliflower is cooked, let it cool down before proceeding. Combine the cauliflower with the green onions, the mayo and seasonings. It was hard to be exact because your head of cauliflower might be bigger or smaller than mine. I could have said 5 cups of cooked cauliflower- but would that really help? Then you’d have leftover cooked cauliflower. Or perhaps not enough. So add a little more mayo, if needed, and adjust the seasonings to suit your taste and the amount of cauliflower you have. Chill and toss the peanuts in closer to serving time. If you add the peanuts at the end, they stay crunchier.

Curry Powder

2 t. ground cumin

2 t. ground coriander

2 t. ground turmeric

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. salt

½ t. cinnamon

¼ t. cayenne pepper

¼ t. ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and store in a cool, dry place.

Strawberry Liqueur

This strawberry liqueur is like summer in a bottle. I make a lot of different liqueurs and strawberry is one of my absolute favorites. It is wonderful for sipping or over ice. It is also a fun addition to any number of cocktails. A friend adds it to ice cream with extra berries and blends it up for an adult strawberry milkshake.

With strawberries in season, this is the time of year to enjoy them. I have been eating strawberries in breakfasts, desserts, chocolate fondue and salads.

I want to preserve some for later, too. I made strawberry jam and dehydrated some. I will also freeze some.

Another way to preserve strawberries, is by making a liqueur with them.  It is pretty simple. Just combine berries with vodka and a small amount of powdered sugar. I use half gallon canning jars for this, but you could use any food safe container with a tight fitting lid.

Let the mixture steep long enough for the berries to infuse the alcohol with their flavor. You can sweeten it later on, or even leave it unsweetened, if you prefer. I like to sip the liqueur as is, or serve on the rocks with a splash of club soda.

Strawberry Liqueur

3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

3 T. powdered sugar

3 c. vodka

1 c. simple syrup*

Sprinkle powdered sugar over berries and let dissolve. Pour over vodka and let steep 2 weeks. Crush berries and strain then filter. Add sugar syrup and mature 1 week. Makes 5 cups.

*Simple syrup is made from 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cool. You will have 1 cup of syrup. You can sweeten your liqueur with honey, if you prefer. Watch when you substitute honey for sugar, as it is sweeter and stronger flavored. Better to use orange or clover honey. Add to suit your taste.

Strawberry Sorbet

If you are looking for a versatile dessert, sorbets are a great option. Almost any fruit can be used, and you can sweeten, or not, to suit your own taste. If you start with frozen fruit, you can blend up your sorbet and serve it right away. Even better, if you can process and freeze it a couple of times.

Sorbets can be served on their own, with cake, or drizzled with chocolate sauce. I sometimes add a scoop of sorbet to a glass of lemonade or ice tea on a hot day. So refreshing.  Sorbet can be a fun topper in cocktails, too. I sometimes  combine a couple of fruits in one sorbet.

I made this strawberry sorbet the other day. I had some strawberries in the freezer and I needed a quick dessert. It came out just wonderful.

You can make the sorbet in an ice cream machine, if you have one, but you don’t need to. I don’t. It really is simple. As an added bonus, once your sorbet is made, you have it on hand whenever you need a dessert. The secret is to blend the sorbet a couple of times after it is frozen, if you can. Each time, the sorbet gets smoother and creamier. I use my food processor.

So here is the recipe for my strawberry sorbet. You can substitute any number of different fruits.

Strawberry Sorbet

1 1/2 lbs strawberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 c. sugar, or to taste – you could also sweeten with honey, if you prefer, or use no sweetener

1 T. lime or lemon juice

Wash and stem berries. Place in food processor with juice and blend until smooth. Sweeten to taste, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Place in a container with a lid and freeze. Once frozen, remove strawberry mix from freezer and sit it on the counter to soften a little bit. This is really the important part. You don’t want it to thaw, but you do want it soft just enough to break into chunks. Place chunks in food processor and blend it again. It will actually start to look a little creamy and lighter in color. You can serve it right away- or put it back in the freezer to serve later. At this point the sorbet is ready- but you can repeat the soften/process step once more, if you like, for even creamier sorbet. Makes 3-4 cups.

Black-eyed Pea Salad

I taught a vegetarian cooking class last week and this recipe was a big hit. Several of the people in class said they never thought of eating black-eyed peas in a salad. They had only had them in hot dishes before.

Black-eyed peas, like other legumes, are a wonderful addition to both hot and cold dishes. This recipe was presented as a great vegetarian option for dinner. Truth is, this makes a nice salad for almost any summer party, picnic or cookout. Even the carnivores should be pleased.

It is a simple recipe you can make ahead of time. Not too many ingredients, but packed with flavor.

I used dried peas and cooked them in my pressure cooker. If you are really pressed for time, you could use canned black-eyed peas instead. You’d need  4 or 5 cans. A can of black-eyed peas ( 14 oz.) will give you about a cup and a half of peas. A pound of dried  gives you about 7 cups of cooked peas.

Here is the recipe. Great summertime salad. Serve it plain- or over a bed of salad greens.

Black-eyed Pea Salad

1 lb. dried black-eyed peas

1 large sweet onion, chopped fine

1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 t. dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Cover beans with cold water in saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans. Return to saucepan and cover with cold water. Simmer beans until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Drain. Place cooked beans in a bowl and cover with remaining ingredients. Toss to coat, cover and chill. Serve as a main dish or on the side. Also tasty served over salad greens or stuffed in a hollowed out tomato. Serves 6-8.

Strawberry Vanilla Jam

Once you taste homemade jam, you will understand why it is worth the effort to make your own. Homemade jams, preserves and jellies are a great way to save seasonal fruits to enjoy all year. They also make nice gifts.

One of my favorite homemade jams is strawberry. I like the addition of some vanilla to my strawberry jam. I think it adds an additional layer of flavor, without covering up the natural beauty of the berries. Of course, you can omit the vanilla, if you prefer.

I try to make enough to last all year, but I end up running out quickly. This jam is great on toast, but also a nice addition to several desserts I make.

With local berries in season now, it is a perfect time to make a batch, or two.

In grocery stores, berries are often sold in one pound packages, not in quarts. A quart of strawberries should weigh 1 1/4 pounds. That should help you figure out how many berries you will need.

Here is the recipe.

Strawberry-Vanilla Jam

2 qts. strawberries, stemmed, washed and crushed

2 T. pure vanilla

1 package dry pectin

1/4 c. lemon juice

7 cups sugar

Combine  berries, vanilla, pectin and lemon juice in large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.  Add sugar and turn heat up to high. Stir often until mixture comes to a boil. Boil hard one minute stirring constantly. Ladle hot jam in to jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Wipe rims and screw on lids comfortably tight. Place in boiling water bath and process 10 minutes. Remove to cooling rack, towel or wooden surface to cool. Makes 8-9 half pints.