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I 8 Pick of the Crop, Supplement of The Canadian Statesman/Independent, July, 1994 Ontario Berries are Favourite Summer Recipes Ready to be Picked Fresh Ontario Berries are here: ripe and ready for picking and enjoying! This is the time of year when families and friends travel to berry farms all across Ontario to enjoy die fun, the sun and the taste of berries in the fields. What should I do and where should I go to pick my own strawberries? strawberries? If you do not have a favourite place for your annual berry picking outing, call the Berry Hotline. It is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturdays and from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sundays. The toll free number is: 1-800-263-3262. A brief chat with the people on the Hotline will help you find the berry farm nearest you that will make your day most enjoyable. It is always wise to check with the farm first to find out any specific regulations and hours plus the conditions for picking. Always Always ask the following questions: • Are baskets available - What is the cost? • Can I bring my own containers? • What is the price per pound, kilogram, kilogram, or basket? • What are the hours for picking? • Can children go to the field? In addition, always wear comfortable comfortable walking shoes. Be prepared for hot weather, sun, rain and cold. Wear a hat. Take a lunch and some water or juice. You will taste enough berries for dessert. Picking berries for yourself yourself is rewarding and fun. There are no time restrictions - only those you set yourself. Pick only the berries you can carry, eat and store, preserve or freeze. Many people pick berries two or three times a season and thoroughly enjoy eàch visit. Favourite Recipes Five Minute Fudge, that luscious holiday favourite from Carnation is now captured in this creamy, quick dessert...FIVE MINUTE FUDGE FONDUE. Few ingredients ingredients and a simple method make it the perfect dessert to share around a warm cosy fire when ùnexpected friends drop by. But it's so delicious, you shouldn't wait for a special occasion to serve it. Treat the family to this creamy chocolate dessert tonight! KITCHEN TESTED RECIPES FROM CARNATION Ü m mi. FIVE MINUTE FUDGE FONDUE 1 pkg (225 g) semi-sweet chocolate squares 1 small can (160 mL/% cup) CARNATION Evaporated Milk % cup ' corn syrup 1 Tbsp cognac or coffee liqueur 1 tsp. vanilla Assorted cut-up fruit or cake 50 mL 15 mL 5 mL. Coarsely chop chocolate. Combine chocolate, evaporated evaporated milk and corn syrup in a small heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in cognac and vanilla. Serve warm with pieces of fruit or cake for dipping in chocolate fondue. Makes about 6 servings. Per serving of Fondue Sauce approx: 311 Calories, 4 g Protein, 9 g Fat, 40 g Carbohydrate Preparation time: 5 min Cooking time: 5 min STRAWBERRY TACO SALAD Serves 4 125 g (4 oz.) tortilla chips 500 mL (2 cups) shredded lettuce 250 mL (1 cup) sour cream 2 ripe avocados, mashed with lemon juice 15 mL (1 tbsp.) lemon juice 500 mL (2 cups) Strawberries, halved 125 mL (1/2 cup) shredded cheddar cheese Serve as one large or four individual salads. Place tortilla chips on bottom of plate, sprinkle with shredded lettuce, spoon sour cream, then avocado over lettuce. Add strawberries and sprinkle with grated cheese. BERRY ZUCCHINI SALAD Serves 4 leaf lettuce 250 mL (1 cup) thinly sliced zucchini 375 mL (1.5 cups) halved Strawberries or Raspberries Place several pieces of leaf lettuce on each salad plate. Add thin slices of zucchini and berries. Serve with your favourite dressing. Fred's Fruit Market Caters to Cottagers Beginning Holidays Headed to the cottage this weekend? weekend? Planning on visiting friends? Don't forget to stop in at your local local fruit farm on the way to the beach or the backyard barbecue to pick up some of Ontario's famous fresh produce. Fred's Fruit Market on northbound northbound Hwy. 35/115 just south of Orono caters to the weekend crowds on their way to vacationland. It's fast and convenient to pop in at this time of year for a quart of sun-ripened strawberries - the perfect perfect complement for a summer breakfast, lunch, teatime, or supper. And at Fred's Fruit Market you can pick up a basket ready-picked and get back on your way, or you can take a break from the car ride and pick your own berries in the fiacre fiacre patch out back overlooking Clarington's most scenic farmland. Louis Obrist assures customers that you don't need a degree in agriculture agriculture to know how to pick strawberries. strawberries. Just use your first two fingers and thumb and pull gently, he says. It takes less than five minutes to fill a quart. If you're more ambitious and are planning to collect a big bucket full for freezing or jam making you might want to wear a pair of long pants and a hat for protection from the sun, or even a pair of knee-pads for kneeling in the rows. Fred's Fruit Market also stocks a wide range of vegetables and fruits including apples grown in their own .orchard, and ciders, jams and jellies. Deflate floating trait CERTO preserving tip It is very disappointing when the fruit in jam floats to the top of the jar. Here are three tips from CERTO Hotline home economists to help you eliminate fruit floating floating in your next batch. 1. Be sure fruit is crushed or finely chopped, as directed. 2. For cooked jams, maintain a good rolling boil for the full "one minute" cooking time recommended recommended in the recipe. 3. Stir jams for 5 minutes to cool slightly before filling jars. For marmalade, stir 7 minutes. 500 mL (2 cups) Strawberries or Raspberries mint, optional toasted coconut and slivered almonds Arrange shrimp and fmit on salad greens, garnish with mint. Serve salad dressing on the side with dishes of coconut and/or slivered almonds. STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD Serves 4 1L (4 cups) fresh spinach, washed, dried 250 mL (1 cup) Strawberries, washed, stemmed and quartered 2 mL (1/2 tsp.) each, salt and pepper 125 mL (1/2 cup) salad dressing, cole slaw, mayonnaise OR your choice of dressing In a large salad bowl, tear spinach into bite-size pieces. Add strawberries: strawberries: toss lightly with dressing; season to taste. STRAWBERRY SUNDAE PIE Serves 8 1.5 dozen 5 cm (2 inch) crisp cookies or shortbread 1L (1 quart) vanilla ice cream, . softened 1L (4 cups) Strawberries, washed and stemmed 75 mL (1/3 cup) sugar 25 mL (2 tbsp.) cornstarch 25 mL (2 tbsp.) lemon juice Line 22.5 cm (9 inch) pie plate with cookies, halving cookies as needed needed to fit sides and bottom. Gently spread ice cream in crust; freeze. For Sauce: Crush 500 mL (2 cups) berries; combine in saucepan with sugar and cornstarch. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture begins begins to thicken. Stir in lemon juice; continue cooking until thick and clear, 3-4 min. Chill. Halve remaining berries; fold into sauce. To serve pie: spoon strawberry sauce over ice cream. Garnish with a spring of mint, if desired. Cut wedges with a sharp knife. ONTARIO BERRY GLAZE PIE Serves 8 1 baked pie shell 1.5 L (6 cups) Fresh Berries, washed and stemmed 250 mL (1 cup) water 200 mL (2/3 cup) sugar 25 mL (2 tbsp.) cornstarch few drops red food colouring (optional) For Glaze: crush 250 mL (1 cup) of the berries; add water. Bring to boil; simmer for 2 minutes; sieve. Combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in sieved berries. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. If desired stir in food colouring. Spread 50 mL (1/4 cup) glaze over bottom and sides of pastry shell. Arrange Arrange half of the remaining berries in pastry shell. Spoon half of the remaining remaining glaze over berries. Arrange remaining remaining berries atop first layer; spoon on remaining glaze. Chill 3 - 4 hours. BERRY ELEGANT PIE Serves 8 7 mL (1/2 tbsp.) gelatin 100 g (3 ounces) package cream cheese, softened 75 mL (6 tbsp.) powdered sugar 5 mL (1 tsp.) vanilla 250 mL (1 cup) whipping cream 200 mL (3/4 cup) plain yogurt 1 prepared crumb crust 500 mL (2 cups) Berries, halved 50 mL ( 1/4 cup) jelly, melted. In a small saucepan, combine gelatin gelatin with 50 mL (1/4 cup) water and dissolve over low heat. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add cream. Beat until soft peaks form. Add dissolved gelatin and yogurt. yogurt. Beat until stiff. Pour into prepared crust. Chill 3 hours. Before serving, arrange berries decoratively on top. Drizzle jelly over berries. In a lam? Phone for help! CERTO preserving tip A windfall of berries? A misplaced misplaced recipe? Want jam with less or no sugar? Puzzled over preparation preparation steps? Looking for a new jam recipe? . ........ You need help with homemade jam or jelly! The answer is just a toll free telephone away. Call the CERTO Hotline at 1-800-268- 6038. This toll free line provides two types of service to consumers. Home economists will answer consumers' questions weekdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. E.S.T. June through August. The number also offers a 24- hour voice mail system for recipe requests. BUY OR PICK -Hi * Pick Your Own * FRUIT MARKET Pick 8 quarts of Strawberries and ONE FOR FREE We still have crunchy tasty Apples New Potatoes - Hot-House Tomatoes Later in the Season • Peas • Carrots • Sweet Corn South of Orono HWY. 115/35 983-5628 ©