December 21, 2006
“Drop Red Gorgeous” Florida Strawberries Add Style To Winter
As Florida’s strawberry season moves into full production, shoppers throughout North America are brightening their cold winter days with this delicious and colorful treat from the Sunshine State.
The Florida Strawberry Growers Association is teaming up with grocers to promote the state’s signature berry through its new “Drop Red Gorgeous” campaign that embodies the idea that “you are what you eat.” Wal-Mart and other retailers are featuring fresh Florida strawberries and the eye-catching “Drop Red Gorgeous” point-of-sale signage in their produce sections from now through February. The marketing campaign touts the nutritional benefits of Florida strawberries, which are low in calories and free of sodium and fat, and packed with vitamin C, potassium, fiber, folic acid, and powerful, disease-fighting antioxidants.
“The strawberry is America’s most popular berry,” Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said. “People know it’s delicious, but the good news is it is also one of our most nutritious food choices.”
Plant City, Florida, is the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World,” and from December through February, Florida strawberries dominate the U.S. market. Florida is the nation’s second-largest producer of strawberries, with eastern Hillsborough County the center of Florida’s strawberry production. Substantial commercial acreage can also be found in Alachua, Pasco, and Polk counties. Florida’s strawberry farmers receive about $129 million in cash receipts annually for their harvest.
Wal-Mart is promoting Florida strawberries in conjunction with its “Salute to America’s Farmers,” a year-long program to spotlight the retailer’s commitment to purchase from local growers for distribution to stores in their areas in support of locally grown agricultural products.
Bronson offered the following strawberry buying tips for shoppers:
- -- Look for strawberries that are fully and deeply red. Be sure the color has spread from one end of the berry to the other. Don’t choose a berry with large white or green spots in hopes it will ripen up on your windowsill; strawberries stop ripening as soon as they are picked.
- -- If you can touch the berries, check to see that they are firm but not hard. The calyx, the strawberry’s leafy cap, should be fresh and green.
- -- Don’t wash strawberries until you are ready to eat them. Refrigerate strawberries if you’re not going to eat them within a day or two.
“There’s no reason to wait for a special occasion to add Florida strawberries to your shopping list,” Bronson said. “This winter, take advantage of the abundance of fresh berries by including them in everything -- from desserts and breakfast treats, to snacks and savory dishes.”
Celebration Strawberry Mousse
1 1/3 cups Florida strawberries quartered (from 6 oz)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from 1 envelope)
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup well-chilled heavy cream
3 butter cookies, coarsely crushed (1/4 cup)
Mash 1 cup quartered strawberries with sugar and lemon juice in a bowl using a fork. Cut remaining strawberries into 1/4-inch dice and reserve. Sprinkle gelatin evenly over water in a very small saucepan and let stand 1 minute to soften, then warm over low heat, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Stir gelatin mixture into mashed strawberries. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir frequently until a spoonful of gelatin mixture holds its shape briefly before dissolving back into mixture, about 5 minutes. Beat cream in another bowl with a whisk until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold 1/2 cup whipped cream into gelatin mixture, then fold in 1/4 cup diced strawberries (reserve remainder for topping). Spoon one-third of strawberry mousse into a glass and sprinkle evenly with half of cookie crumbs, then top with half of remaining mousse and all of remaining cookie crumbs. Top with remaining mousse, whipped cream, and strawberries, then chill until set, about 30 minutes.
Yield: Makes 1 serving
“Drop Red Gorgeous” Strawberry Tiramisu
1 1/2 pounds Florida strawberries
1 1/4 cups Florida strawberry preserves
1/3 cup plus 4 tablespoons orange liqueur
1/3 cup Florida orange juice
1 pound Italian mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 1/3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
52 (about) crisp ladyfingers
Whisk preserves, 1/3 cup orange liquor, and orange juice in 2-cup measuring cup. Place mascarpone cheese and 2 tablespoons orange liquor in large bowl; fold just to blend. Using a wisk, beat cream, sugar, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons orange liquor in another large bowl to soft peaks. Stir 1/4 of whipped cream mixture into mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whipped cream a small amount at a time. Slice half of strawberries. Spread 1/2 cup preserve mixture over bottom of 3-quart serving dish or a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange enough ladyfingers over strawberry mixture to cover bottom of dish. Spoon 3/4 cup preserve mixture over ladyfingers, then spread 2 1/2 cups mascarpone mixture on top. Arrange 2 cups sliced strawberries over mascarpone mixture. Repeat layering with remaining lady fingers, preserve mixture, and mascarpone mixture. Cover with plastic and chill at least 8 hours overnight. Slice remaining strawberries. Arrange over tiramisu and serve.
For more “Fresh from Florida” recipes, visit www.Florida-Agriculture.com.
For more information:
Terrie Fishman
(850) 488-5831
fishmat@doacs.state.fl.us
