Focus Summer 2015
Page 10
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup sugar
One 750-millilitre bottle chilled Prosecco
2 pints vanilla ice cream
·
"Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but
doubtless God never did." (Dr. William Butler, 17th Century
English Writer) Dr. Butler is referring to the strawberry.
Strawberries are the best of the berries. The delicate heart-
shaped berry has always connoted purity, passion and
healing. It has been used in stories, literature and paintings
through the ages.
·
In Othello, Shakespeare decorated Desdemonda's
handkerchief with symbolic strawberries.
·
Madame Tallien, a prominent figure at the court of the
Emperor Napoleon, was famous for bathing in the juice of
fresh strawberries. She used 22 pounds per basin, needless
to say, she did not bathe daily.
·
In parts of Bavaria, country folk still practice the annual
rite each spring of tying small baskets of wild strawberries
to the horns of their cattle as an offering to elves. They
believe that the elves, who are passionately fond of
strawberries, will help to produce healthy calves and
abundance of milk in return.
·
The American Indians were already eating strawberries
when the Colonists arrived. The crushed berries were mixed
with cornmeal and baked into strawberry bread. After
trying this bread, Colonists developed their own version of
the recipe and Strawberry Shortcake was created.
·
In Greek and Roman times, the strawberry was a wild
plant.
·
The English "strawberry" comes from the Anglo-Saxon
"streoberie" not spelled in the modern fashion until 1538.
·
The first documented botanical illustration of a strawberry
plant appeared as a figure in Herbaries in 1454.
·
In 1780, the first strawberry hybrid "Hudson" was
developed in the United States.
·
Legend has it that if you break a double strawberry in half
and share it with a member of the opposite sex, you will fall
in love with each other.
·
The strawberry was a symbol for Venus, the Goddess of
Love, because of its heart shapes and red color.
·
Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII had a
strawberry shaped birthmark on her neck, which some
claimed proved she was a witch.
·
To symbolize perfection and righteousness, medieval
stone masons carved strawberry designs on altars and
around the tops of pillars in churches and cathedrals.
·
The wide distribution of wild strawberries is largely from
seeds sown by birds. It seems that when birds eat the wild
berries the seeds pass through them intact and in
reasonably good condition. The germinating seeds respond
to light rather than moisture and therefore need no
covering of earth to start growing.
Medicinal Uses
·
The strawberry, a member of the rose family, is unique in
that it is the only fruit with seeds on the outside rather than
the inside. Many medicinal uses were claimed for the wild
strawberry, its leaves and root.
·
The ancient Romans believed that the berries alleviated
symptoms of melancholy, fainting, all inflammations, fevers,
throat infections, kidney stones, halitosis, attacks of gout,
and diseases of the blood, liver and spleen.
Strawberry Fields Forever …
Method
In a bowl, toss the strawberries with the sugar and let
stand until the sugar is dissolved, about 30 minutes.
Spoon the berries and any syrup into glasses and top with
the Prosecco and a scoop of ice cream. Serve right away.
Strawberry Facts
l
Strawberries are the
only fruit with seeds on the
outside
l
The average strawberry
has approx. 200 seeds
l
Strawberries are a
member of the rose family
l
Strawberries are grown
on a vine
l
The plants have a white
flower with a yellow centre
History & Lore
Perfect Prosecco