There are two fruits that we attach to Spring; strawberries and rhubarb. Strawberries have long been associated with Spring and rebirth as they are one of the first fruits of the season. Although they are available year round, they are especially flavorful this time of year when their color is deep ruby red and they have no white shoulders. When choosing strawberries look for fragrant, plump, firm, uniformly sized, bright-red berries with no white or green "shoulders" at the stem end. The green leaf-like cap or hull should still be attached and not brown or wilted. There should be no soft spots, bruising or mildew. Always check the underside of the container to make sure there are no squashed berries or red juice (sign of overripe berries). Field grown rhubarb is the other fruit (although technically a vegetable) available this time of year and its bright rosy red and green tinged stalks with green leaves have a very pronounced tart flavor. When buying rhubarb looks for crisp and firm stalks that have a nice bright color and are free from blemishes and cuts. The leaves, if still attached, should be fresh looking, not wilted. Rhubarb can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for a few days before using. Stalks will become soft if stored too long. Remove any tough and stringy fibers and brown spots before using.

Fruits that have the same harvest time often go well together and this rule applies for strawberries and rhubarb. The tartness of the rhubarb is balanced perfectly by the sweetness of the strawberries. One recipe that showcases this pairing so well is individual Strawberry Rhubarb Tarts. Also, check out the Strawberry Page which has many nice recipes you might want to try. If the weather is warm, try the Pavlova which is a combination of sweet meringue, cream, and fruit or the Strawberry Meringue Cake which is a blend of sponge cake, meringue, cream, and strawberries. For breakfast, strawberries make a nice filling for the Berry Pancake, and are delicious in the Strawberry Bread. Another favorite of mine is the Strawberry Banana Muffins which make a convenient on-the-go breakfast food.

Stephanie and Rick Jaworski