Strawberries star in flavorful summer drinks, desserts

Strawberries just seem to keep on producing and that’s a happy thing, especially when it’s time for dessert: Herewith, a variety of mouth-watering possibilities. We begin with our illustrated cooler. Everyone loves lemonade, but strawberries make it better!

Strawberry Lemonade

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar, depending on sweetness of the berries

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries (about 1 quart)

1/3 cup lemon juice

Choice of Ice water, Club soda, Seltzer, Proseco

Extra strawberries, lemon slices or mint leaves for décor.

Heat water and sugar together until sugar dissolves; cool and chill. Shortly before serving time, puree the berries in a blender or other processor and combine with the lemon juice and chilled syrup. For each drink, place several ice cubes*in a tall glass, pour in about 3/4 cup strawberry mixture and fill to the top with your choice of water, club soda, seltzer or Proseco. Decorate with whole berries, lemon slices or mint leaf clusters.

Next up, an easy-to-make and sinfully rich pie for any special occasion.

Pink Lemonade Pie

1 graham cracker crust

1 9-oz. can pink lemonade concentrate

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 cup cleaned perfectly ripe strawberries, sliced in halves or quarters

Whip cream to heavy consistency in med-large bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat together lemonade concentrate and sweetened condensed milk. Carefully fold lemonade mixture into whipped cream till well incorporated. Spoon evenly into pie crust and decorate as desired with strawberry slices. Chill in freezer for at least 1/2 hour before serving.

Glace Strawberry Pie

1 cup pure cane sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 baked plain pastry shell

3 cups strawberries, neatly stemmed

1 cup real whipping cream

Bring water to a slow boil in bottom of double boiler; reduce to simmer. In top saucepan of double boiler combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, water and lemon juice. Cook, stirring, over low heat, until mixture thickens. Place pan over simmering water in boiler bottom; simmer 20 minutes; cool. Slice berries evenly into baked shell, saving most beautiful berries for top.* Pour cornstarch mixture over berries; cool, then chill. Whip cream until stiff and use for decorative topping around pie.

*Tip: Rather than using whole berries to top the pie, cut stemmed tops evenly from the most beautiful berries leaving even-sized pointed ends to stand upward. Slice remaining berry parts with other sliced berries in pie shell.

This beautiful dessert is a dazzler – tasting as lovely as it looks.

Strawberries with Meringue Cloud

2 Tbs. very finely chopped walnuts or pecans

6 cups full-ripe strawberries, hulled, halved

1/4 cup orange liqueur OR pure orange juice

8 Tbs. pure cane granulated sugar (or to taste)

3 large egg whites

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 Tb. powdered sugar

Lightly toast chopped nuts in oven. Remove and set oven to 500F. Meanwhile, place prepared strawberries in a large bowl and mix with liqueur and 2 Tbs. granulated sugar (or to taste). Pour into a 10-inch shallow non-stick pan or 2-quart oval casserole dish.

In a large bowl combine egg whites and cream of tartar, beating with an electric hand-held mixer at high speed until foamy. Gradually add 6 Tbs. granulated sugar; continue to beat until whites hold stiff moist peaks. Spoon meringue evenly over center of strawberries, leaving about two inches open around the entire pan; sprinkle meringue with nuts; sift powdered sugar evenly over meringue, Bake in center of oven until meringue is golden – about 4 minutes . Serve at once; expect applause!

• You may feature other berries as you desire. Pass a dish of ground candied ginger for optional sprinkling if you wish.

Heavenly Strawberry Torte

1 ready-made angel food cake*

3 cups ripe strawberries, cleaned

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup cane sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch of salt

2/3 cup water

1 tablespoon real butter

1 pint real whipping cream

Process or mash 2 cups of the strawberries for filling. Slice remaining cup attractively lengthwise, cover and refrigerate.

Prepare filling: Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt in pan, then add 1 cup of mashed strawberries and the water. Bring to a boil, stirring and cooking till thickened and clear. Remove from heat, stir to cool slightly then stir in the butter and 1 cup of the remaining mashed strawberries. Fold and stir till well mixed and chill for 1 hour. When mixture is chilled through, stir in the lemon juice. Return to fridge till well thickened.

Whip the entire pint of cream in a large, deep, chilled bowl till fairly stiff. Do not add sugar or vanilla. Stir in mashed strawberry mixture, folding with a large spatula to mix completely.

Using a good cake or bread knife, slice cake into three layers. Place bottom piece on a cake plate, (crumb side up) and top with 1/3 of the whipped mixture. Place center layer atop bottom and repeat. Place top layer and spread with remaining topping and arranging last cup of sliced fresh strawberries decoratively as you desire.

• Circular w/center hole.

You will need about 5 cups of whole berries to make 2 cups of prepared filling.

When all’s said and done, a simple bowl of whole (rinsed and patted dry) strawberries with tops intact is the nicest snack – especially outdoors – that one can offer; if you’re lucky enough to own some heirloom Strawberry forks as I am- (pictured)) this is the time to show them off to best advantage!

As I write this, ashy, unbreathable air negates outdoor gatherings but make your dining area an island of charming, summery beauty with the perky brightness of strawberries us a reminder that there is still lush sweetness to be had – the skies will be blue again.

And there is a bit of good news! : In a recent Note to Readers, I asked if t anyone could help with a conundrum from one of Mama’s old recipe from the ‘30s. I had no idea what “BFC” meant, and a phone call today from Georgia York answered the question: “Butter Flavored Crisco” The recollection crept back and I knew she had nailed it! Thanks to the many callers and to Georgia – the heroine of the day!

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com. or by phone at 208-265-4688 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.