Memorial Day is the single biggest day of the year to eat beef, and the majority of that comes in the form of burgers, which also account for 29 percent of the beef eaten in the U.S. round. But after grilling the burgers, hot dogs, ribs and veggie burgers, there has to be dessert. More often than not, that means strawberries, either eaten fresh, baked into pie or piled on top of shortcake or ice cream.
Serving strawberries for dessert at Memorial Day picnics is a local and possibly national tradition. While other areas of the country may have to import their berries, we are fortunate because the best-tasting, sweetest berries are here at our local farms and farm markets.
I checked in with local farmers and they all anticipate there will be plenty of strawberries for the holiday weekend. The newly arrived hot weather will help that along by speeding up the ripening process.
There is plenty of other freshly harvested produce at local markets including rhubarb, asparagus, radishes, lettuces, leeks, collards, kale, spinach, shallots, arugula, broccoli, carrots, Swiss chard, onions and herbs. Russo's Orchard Lane Farm has greenhouse tomatoes at its home farm stand in Chesterfield and at the Trenton Farmers Market in Lawrence.
Look for cabbage and zucchini in the next few weeks and so far, blueberries are on target for harvest around June 12 according to Judee DeFiccio, who owns the Pineland Farms stand at the Trenton market.
Rolling in pork roll
Arden pork roll fans can double their pleasure this weekend by attending the dual Pork Roll Festivals taking place on Saturday in Trenton.
Trenton Pork Roll Festival 2016 will be the third one at Trenton Social restaurant and bar. It will feature pork roll dishes from a variety of local chefs including T.C. Nelson, owner of the restaurant. There also will be live music all day. Ticket prices are $5 for general admission, $15 for the Pork Roll-Out Bike Tour, and $35 for VIP tickets with access to a private hospitality area with a bar, pork roll breakfast and lunch buffet, beer and event shirt. See trentonporkrollfestival.com.
Not far away at Mill Hill Park, the third annual Pork Roll Festival will have its own food and craft vendors with pork roll-themed menus. There will be live music, a pork roll recipe contest, art and children's events and the crowning of the Pork Roll Queen. For advance $5 tickets (they also will be sold at the door) and more information see porkrollfestival.com
Picture this
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture wants your photos again, only this time you might get a prize.
Last year's posting of images of Jersey Fresh fruits, vegetable, prepared dishes, farmers markets, roadside stands, pick-your-own activities and wineries was so well received that the department is reprising it. Residents can post their photos on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #JerseyFreshLove or upload images on the new #JerseyFreshLove Contest tab on the Jersey Fresh Facebook page.
This year you also can vote for your favorite photos. Each week, one winner will be chosen at random to receive a Jersey Fresh apron, reusable shopping bag and car magnet. At the end of the contest, the single photo submission with the most votes will be awarded the grand prize: a Jersey Fresh Experience worth up to $500. The contest runs through Sept. 14, with voting through Sept. 21.
Check out images at facebook.com/JerseyFreshOfficial, @JerseyFreshNJDA for Twitter, pinterest.com/JerseyFreshNJDA/ for pinterest, and http://jerseyfreshofficial.tumblr.com/ for Tumblr.
Tea and Talk
They will be drinking tea and talking about Blue Willow China on Saturday at a special Howell Living History Farm event in Hopewell Township.
At 2 p.m. a traditional tea will be served at the historic Henry Phillips Farmhouse. Tickets are $25 and reservations are required. Send name, phone number, email address and the number in the party to Kim at kdaly@howellfarm.org or call 609-737-3299.
Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
You don't have to be avoiding gluten to enjoy this seasonal crumble recipe from mybakingaddiction.com.
FOR THE FRUIT:
2 cups rhubarb, cut into 3/4 -inch pieces
2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut into 3/4 -inch pieces
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
pinch of salt
FOR THE TOPPING:
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon gluten-free oat flour (see notes to make your own)
1 1/4 cups gluten-free rolled oats
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup butter melted and cooled slightly OR 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 1-quart, 8x8-inch or another similar sized baking dish.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, almond extract, vanilla extract, cornstarch and salt.
Add the chopped fruit and stir to coat in the mixture. Let sit for at least 10 minutes while preparing the topping.
In another large mixing bowl, stir together the oat flour, oats, brown sugar, melted butter or coconut oil and salt until well combined.
Spoon the fruit mixture into the pan and top with the topping. Place the dish on a baking sheet to catch any spills.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the topping is firm and the fruit is bubbling. The topping will appear to be quite runny around 25-30 minutes but firms up in the last 10-15 minutes of baking. The filling may also appear runny while warm but thickens as it cools.
Let cool for 30 minutes and serve warm or room temperature. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes: To make oat flour, grind rolled or quick oats in a coffee grinder or small food processor until it resembles flour. For a dairy-free or vegan version, use coconut oil. If you need this to be gluten-free, make sure all your products are certified gluten-free.
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