Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-08
THE STRAWBERRY CROP.
Ways to Prepare, Serve and Preserve
this Delicious Berry.

THE STRAWBERRY CROP.
Ways to Prepare, Serve and Preserve
this Delicious Berry.
REASONS WHY IN THEIR ABUNDANCE THEY Rave
BEEN ISFrRroR-wHAr HAS BEEN AND WHAT
NAY BE ExPEcTED-vARrous AND DAINTY WAYS
OF SERVING NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
This week has practically seen the straw
berry season at its best. The promise of an
abundant crop as noted by THE STAR awhile
ago was literally fulfilled, but the unprece-
dented wet weather proved most injurious to
the quality. In consequence Of the indications
OF better weather it is probable that the COM
ing week will bring with it the best Of the
strawberry season, though they may not be so
abundant as they have been. They will not
be so scarce, however, as to materially inter-
fere with their cheapness, and the prudent
housekeeper should lay in her supply for
future use. The season has not been propi-
tlous for putting up strawberries, and much OF
1t will be done in the next ten days. There
were great many very fine aud delicious ones
on the market, but there were q great many
more that belied their rich tempting redness
when 1t came to the eating. As
rule one part was over ripe, while the
was caused by the parts exposed to the air and
sun, when that orb condescended to shine
awhile, ripening before the lower portion,
winch hung next to, If not upon the wet, soggy
ground. The wet weather taste prevailed. and
all were more or less sandy and gritty. Some,
however, raised on high ground and which
were carefully looked after. were unusually
nne, and sold at fancy prices. Some OF the
Sharpless variety, thirteen of which made
quart, sold at As cents per quart, while very
QOOd af
quart, or three quarts for rs cents During the
favorable days Of this week strawberries were
retailing at as low as cents quart, six for Is
cents, while at wholesale some went at cent
quart on a very slow market. Indeed, some of
the commission merchants were glad to get rid
OF them at any price. At times hundreds Of
crates, all nearby berries, were piled up along
the streets in front of the stores fairly begging
for buyers. Hundreds upon hundreds Of boxes
were thrown away.
The berries Of next week promise to be
OF better quality and more desirable for pre-
serving, canning or otherwise preparing for
next winters use.
SERVING THE STRAWBERRY.
The easiest way, of course, of serving straw
berries, and to many the most desirable way,
is merely that of sweetening with sugar. Form
erly it was universally the custom to eat them
with good rich cream, and that custom now
largely prevails but it is claimed to be more
they should be as freshly gathered from the
vines as possible. 1t is never advisable to put
freshly picked strawberries on ice, but if they
have been gathered day or more it may be an
advantage to them to be placed tray or
dish and placed in refrigerator for an hour or
SO, and then stemmed and sugared Just before
serving.
It's dainty idea, and very pretty one, to
serve them in their green caps, in cunning little
dishes or small receptacles of odd and fapciful
shapes, SO often used for bon-bons at winter
entertainments. They are then taken by the
cap or stem with the hand, dipped into pull
verified sugar, and eaten singly
STRAWBERRY sHoRTcAKE. .--
The popularity of strawberry shortcake is
only exceled by its latitude of construction
Nearly every cook has way of his or her own,
and it goes without saying that it is a mighty
poor way that has not patrons enough to sweep
the platter clean.
A very palatable method of making the
shortcake is to take one quart of flour, add
half level teaspoonful of salt, three heaping
teaspoonfuls Of baking powder and sift three
times or stir thoroughly with spoon. Work
level tablespoonful of butter into the -four
and make into dough with one pint of milk;
roll the dough until it is not more than one
eighth of an inch thick; cut it in two equal
parts, rub the top OF one piece with butter,
using the butter freely, and place the second
upon 1t; cut 1t into cakes with a cutter about
4 inches in diameter and bake quickly. When
baked the cakes should come apart at touch.
Prepare the strawberries by removing the
caps, and when ready to serve, and not before,
cut into pieces with a spoon, sweeten to taste.
and place between and on top of each cake
One cake should be served to each person.
Some use cream; others do not For those
who prefer it with cream very tasteful way of
making 1t Is to sweeten one quart of berries,
crush them and then work through sieve and
beat in one pint of very thick cream and serve
as above
A most delicious strawberry cake, though
not a strawberry shortcake, is made by pre-
pairing any kind of cake dough preferred; use
small pans; place in each enough Of the dough
to cover the bottom set in the dough- point
down. as many small sized berries as can be
placed without touching each other; drop
pinch OF pulverized sugar on each berry and
put over them spoonful of dough. While the
cakes are baking in a moderate oven make
very stiff frosting Of the white of eggs and
sugar. When the cakes are nearly done re-
move from the oven; spread the tops thickly
with the frosting and set in it large straw
berries; remove the caps from each berry as it
Is put In the cakes, large end down, and return
to the oven five minutes. There is something
about this dish so pleasing it can hardly i'm
prove upon acquaintance.
OTHER WAYS OF SERVING.
Here is another dish that captivates the
palates of the connoisseur. Remove the caps
from one pint Of berries sugar and set them
away for an hour; then crush them and work
through a sieve. Melt over the fire one half
ounce Of gelatine which has been soaking in
barely enough water to cover it; when melted
add two tablespoonfuls Of sugar and the Juice
of one lemon; boil two minutes; then pour
through the sieve into the bowl of berries, beat
thoroughly; whip half pint Of thick cream,
stir lightly into the berries and turn into a
form. Set away on ice until cold When ready
to serve dip the form into hot water, turn the
contents out on dish and serve with or with
out cram.
The strawberry pyramid is another not only
effective but very palatable way of serving the
berry. Put four quarts of water over a fire;
when it boils sprinkle In gradually one pint of
best Carolina rice we'll washed. Do this so
slowly that it will not stop the boiling or if it
does stop and stir now and then until the boil
ing resumes. Let it boil rapidly thirty or forty
minutes, then skim out and place in thin layer
OF the rice upon plate having smooth edges
Upon this place a layer Of Strawberries and so
on, making each layer smaller, leaving line
of the berries around the outside of each LAYER
in the form Of pyramid. II the berries are
sweet and tender no sweetening will be needed,
otherwise put sugar upon each layer as they
are put in, and then set in an oven to scald
through. Then finish off with a spray of ber-
ries at the top ond decorate around the bottom
with strawberry leaves TT mora eonca 10