May is packed with opportunity for fun and learning in our kitchen!  Bring a friend and get ready for a great time!

Click on class title for full information, then call us at 812-474-1131  to register!

May 22, Wed., 6:30pm - Southern Glazed Chicken - Scott Schymik. $50. A perfect menu for a May evening!  This colorful menu starts with an Avocado Spring Salad, Pecan-Crusted Chicken with Maple-Mustard Glaze, Grilled Red Bell Peppers and Asparagus, a Potato Tart, and a Fresh Berry Shortcake with Ice Cream.

May 27, Tue., 6:30pm - The Middle East Comes West - Shelly Sackett. $42.  Experience the fantastic flavors of a regional cuisine.  This Middle Eastern menu includes Hummus, Tabbouleh, Felafel, Harissa, and a unique dessert you'll love, Yaourtopeta.

May 29, Thu., 6:30pm - CELEBRITY CHEF CLASS: New Curries - Raghavan Iyer. $65.  Awarded "Teacher of the Year 2004," Raghavan is a Certified Culinary Professional who will be presenting an evening of vivid flavors and seasonal ingredients. 

May 31, Sat., 9:30am - How-to-Food Processor Techniques - Mary Rezek. $40. If you're not making maximum use of your food processor, you're wasting a lot of time and effort.  Let Mary show you how to chop, slice, dice, crush, grind and puree and turn you into a kitchen whiz!

Red, ripe strawberries entice our eyes with their true red color.  Then, our noses recognize the perfumy aroma. And finally, our palates dance with their tangy sweetness.  Strawberries are unique among fruits; they wear their seeds on the outside, all 200+ per strawberry!  With their heart shape and red color, strawberries have represented Venus, the Goddess of Love, as well as having served as a longtime symbol of perfection and righteousness.  Not surprisingly, it's a rare person who doesn't love strawberries!

Choosing Strawberries:  When choosing strawberries at the market look for:
(1)  Full red color, without white areas.  Strawberries will not ripen further once picked.
(2)  Fresh green leaves on the cap; no wilting or dried, brown leaves.
(3)  Prominent fragrance of the "strawberry perfume."
(4)  Lack of fuzzy mold.  One moldy berry will send spores throughout the rest in the container.  If purchasing strawberries in a clamshell container, turn it over for a view of the bottom and sides.
(5)  Finally, a quart of strawberries approximates 1.5 pounds of strawberries, or 4 cups of sliced strawberries.

Storing Strawberries:  The key to storing strawberries is brevity!  Once picked, like all produce, strawberries begin to deteriorate.  Plan to use strawberries as soon as possible after purchase, and if that is not possible, refrigerate.

Picking Strawberries:  Freshly picked strawberries are a different creature than the red fruits on produce shelves in December.  Fortunately, strawberries grow in all 50 states, though commercial production is centered in California, Florida and Oregon.  Many strawberries have been bred for shipping durability and not necessarily taste.  If you'd like to take advantage of locally produced strawberries, here are a few "U-Pick" locations to check out.  Call ahead to ensure availability and arrangements.

Englebrecht Orchards - 600 Christ Road, Evansville, IN 47711 - 812-423-1079
Mayse Farm Market - 6409 N. St. Joe Avenue, Evansville, IN 47712 - 812-963-9201
Wright's Berry Farm - 5233 Anderson Road, Newburgh, IN 47630 - 812-853-6408
Farview Orchard Inc - 4200 Oliver Springfield Road, Mt. Vernon, IN 47620 - 812-783-2571
Other Southern Indiana locations noted at PickYourOwn.org.

Prepping Strawberries:  Wash strawberries just before using.  Rinse, immediately drain the strawberries, and pat dry.  Strawberries act like sponges; avoid letting water stand on or around the berries.  Leave the green leaves, (sepals), on the strawberries while washing.  Keeping the hulls on the strawberries prevents water from gathering inside the center cavity of the strawberries.  Removing the leaves and the small white core they attach to is known as "hulling the strawberry."  Strawberry hullers are nifty gadgets that make quick work of the task.

We think strawberries served simply are a great way to savor the essence of the season.  Each of these preparations is quick and easy to assemble for a snack, appetizer, or dessert.  The redness of the strawberries dominates the presentation while the "seasonal perfume" and juice sweetens each bite.

Strawberries with Peppered Goat Cheese Stuffing - Make two or three slits in the tip of the strawberry, pipe softened peppered goat cheese in the center.  Leave the green leaves on the strawberry for an easy handle.

Strawberries with Lemon and Honey - Dress hulled, sliced strawberries with a light dressing of equal parts honey and fresh lemon juice.  Drizzle on the berries and toss.

Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate - Always a dazzling treat!  Dip washed, dried strawberries in melted chocolate.  Two teaspoons of shortening melted in 6 ounces of chocolate will help the chocolate to stay hardened in summer heat.  Chill the strawberries well before washing and dipping.

Strawberries and Walnuts on a Spinach Salad - Strawberries add sparkle to dark greens and accept all types of salad dressings with ease.  Toasted walnuts and sliced strawberries on a bed of spinach is hard to beat.

Strawberries with Yogurt Dip - Make this healthy snack with plain, lowfat yogurt sweetened with honey or brown sugar, and a splash of vanilla.  Leave the green caps on the strawberries as a convenient handle for dipping.

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar - The syrupy tang of your best balsamic vinegar pairs well with gently sweetened strawberries and a mint garnish.

Strawberries with Rhubarb - This old-fashioned pair is still a spring favorite.  Cook 2 cups quartered strawberries and 2 cups diced rhubarb with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup of water on low heat until saucy.  Adjust sweetness to taste.

Cold beverages in summertime are a survival must.  A great alternative to common sodas are drinks made with fresh, natural fruits, widely known as smoothies.  Once summer has arrived, the blender, or  "smoothie maker," is a permanent fixture on our countertops.  A smoothie can take on a variety of characteristics, but all are cold and made with fresh fruits and/or vegetables.

Milk-based Smoothies - All types of milk are suitable for smoothies:  cow's milk, goat's milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc.  Blend 1 cup of your milk choice with 1 cup of your fruit choice, and sweeten to taste. These smoothies are healthy, quick and refreshing!

Ice-based Smoothies - For a low-calorie drink, and none of the chemicals of commercial "slushies," an ice-based smoothie is fantastic.  Simply blend equal parts ice and fruit, and sweeten to taste.  Use ice cubes of a smaller size to achieve an even consistency in the ice.  Many silicone ice cube trays offer a smaller cube size and easy handling.

Combo Smoothies - Concoct a combination smoothie by using half milk, half ice along with your fruit choice.

More Smoothie Tips: 

• Turn your smoothie into a meal replacement with the addition of protein powder, or other nutritional supplements.

• Use plain, fat-free yogurt and your smoothie becomes a "lassi."

• If your smoothie contains ice cream, it's no longer a smoothie, but is now a milkshake.

• Grab your insulated, to-go cups for enjoying smoothies while on the move.

• Tall, clear glasses showcase the beautiful colors of smoothies; repurpose those pilsners!

Save a piece of the fruit prior to blending for garnishing.

Check out the Strawberry Smoothie drinks below in the Recipe section.

Blender Basics

Tip #1:  Take advantage of the local peak strawberry season by freezing as many as you have room for.  Wash, drain and pat dry just-picked strawberries.  Once hulled, place on a jelly roll pan in a single layer and freeze the strawberries. After solidly frozen, package in a freezer-quality zipper bag.  Use at will, but save a few for a cold day in November so that you can reminisce about the summer past.

Tip #2:  Stock a variety of frozen fruits, (purchased or picked), for super-quick smoothie action now or anytime of year. The frozen fruit serves the dual purpose of providing both the fruit ingredient and the ice component.

Tip #3:  Teach family members to always be safe when operating a blender: (1) Position the blender securely away from the edge of the countertop, (2) Always position the cover snuggly positioned on top of the container before powering on, (3) Never insert a utensil inside the blender container while the blades are moving.

Q:  What is a berry bowl?

A:   As discussed above, strawberries will quickly absorb any water that they contact, resulting in mushy berries.  A berry bowl is a small bowl with drain holes in the bottom.  Often a berry bowl is matched with a saucer and served as one.  Berry bowls are perfect for leisurely plucking and full berry enjoyment.

Q:  What does it mean to "macerate" berries?

A:  Macerating berries or any fresh fruit occurs when sugar is sprinkled on the fruit or the fruit is soaked in a sweet liqueur.  The sugar (granulated or in the liqueur) changes the fluid balance of the water inside the moisture-rich cells of the fruit.  The sugar coaxes the water out of the cells through an osmosis process creating a rich syrup surrounding wilted, flavor-rich fruits.

Q:  The ingredients in the blender get stuck above the blade and don't get mixed in.  What's wrong?

A:  A blender works by drawing down the ingredients into the blades, then forcing them upwards and around in a mini-whirlpool motion.  If the ingredients are too dry, or too chunky, this movement is impeded and an air pocket forms around the blade mechanism.  To avoid this, load the blender with the liquid components first.  If the situation persists, add some additional liquid to the mixture.

Q:  Can I use my food processor to make smoothies?

A:  Certainly, but only smoothies that do not contain ice.  Never use your food processor to crush ice, always use a blender, or machines specifically made for crushing ice.  Blender blades crush ice by impact force at high speeds.  Food processor blades have a fine cutting edge that will be damaged immediately when it attempts to "cut" the ice.

The Ultimate Smoothie Book, 130 Delicious Recipes for Blender Drinks, Frozen Desserts, Shakes, and More! by Cherie Calbom.  Copyright 2006 by Wellness Central an imprint of The Hachette Book Group, New York, NY.

If your idea of a smoothie is limited to one or two concoctions, this book will lift you out of your rut into some daring territory!  As the title suggests, Ms. Calbom provides recipes for all type of blender drinks.  Each recipe is accompanied by a calorie count and nutritional analysis.  In addition to the recipes, detailed information on smoothie components and "add-ins" is offered.  The book's perspective is clearly from a nutritional angle, but you don't have to be a health food nut in order to benefit from the great ideas and tips.  You'll gain the confidence to experiment with different kinds of milk including coconut milk, rice milk, and "almond milk."  You'll even expand your smoothie repertoire to include some veggies.  There are 130 recipes, enough to try a different one each day this summer!

Strawberry Topped Meringues

This luxurious dessert is the perfect showcase for the peak of the strawberry crop.  The burst of berry flavor with the crunch of the meringue, make for a sweet ending.  The meringue base is a lighter alternative than a shortcake biscuit, and may be prepared ahead of time.  The assembly is accomplished quickly while the dinner dishes are being cleared from the table.  Your favorite vanilla ice cream would easily fit in as one of the lovely layers!

Click here to view the full recipe.