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| Delicious Strawberries! |
A magical and fragrant greeting!!!
Today we talk about a March delicacy... the strawberry!
Originally from the Alps, where it grew wild, the strawberry (Fragaria vesca) was called fragrans by the Romans, in homage to its intense fragrance.
On the tables of ancient Rome, this fruit regularly appeared in conjunction with the festivals in honor of Adonis, upon whose death, as legend has it, Venus wept copious tears that, upon reaching the earth, transformed into little red hearts: strawberries.
Romantic, isn’t it?
Properties
Rich in vitamin C and potassium, the strawberry strengthens the body's natural defenses and has a thirst-quenching, refreshing, diuretic, antiuric, and purifying action. It is also recommended for those suffering from rheumatism and hypertension (as it stimulates the production of hormones that strengthen the nervous system).
Fairy... curiosities!
In popular tradition, the strawberry was attributed magical virtues. Specifically, to avoid snake bites, one had to collect the leaves on June 24th (the magical day of St. John the Baptist), dry them in the sun, and make a belt with them. No snake would dare approach a person wearing such a belt.
Choose it well...
make sure it is firm and uniformly red. If it has white or light green parts, it means the strawberry is still unripe. If you buy it in a container, check that there are no bruised or moldy specimens.
Pay attention:
to the stem, which should still be attached to the fruit; to the color of the strawberry: if it is dark red, it means it is quite ripe and should be consumed very quickly.
Storage:
strawberries are highly perishable, so they should be kept in the refrigerator, in the least cold compartment, for 2-3 days at most, placed on cardboard trays or left in the basket in which they were purchased, to allow air circulation.
A few more tips:
- avoid washing or removing the stem if you don't intend to consume them immediately.
- after quickly washing the strawberries, remove the leaf rosette without tearing it, but with a twisting motion;
- avoid soaking them; if you want to clean them more thoroughly, add lemon or white wine to the rinsing water.
- remember to season them only at the last minute, otherwise, they will cook and become mushy.
Delicious recipe
Okay, okay, strawberries and cream are delicious and delightful...
But have you ever tried combining the fragrance and taste of strawberry with melted chocolate? If you haven't done so yet... start licking your lips!
Preparing this recipe is very simple and quick:
chop 200 g of dark chocolate into pieces and put it in a saucepan with 150 ml of cream.
Heat the mixture over moderate heat and stir until well melted and homogeneous.
Now, remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the mixture over the strawberries... enjoy your meal! |
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