If you are a regular to the site you know that I love berries. And since summer is their main harvest time, this is when we get to use them with abandon. At first you may just want to serve them raw in a Berry Parfait, a Fruit Tart, or as part of the Graham Cracker Tarts. But once you have your fill, why not try baking with them. If you like blueberries, try making a Blueberry Pie or the Blueberry Tart which uses both cooked and raw blueberries. For the raspberry lover there is the beautiful Raspberry Cream Cheese Tart or the Raspberry Tart or which has concentric circles of raspberries encased in a buttery pastry. And, of course, there is the juicy and sweet tasting Bing cherries that are wonderful in either the Cherry Clafoutis or the Cherry Cake.

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. There is a 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.

Have a safe and happy Summer.

Stephanie and Rick Jaworski