#101thingstodo - 1. Go berry picking

1. Go berry picking - 6/1/15

Handful of Magic

I have gone berry picking since I was a kid. This is not a new thing for me. But it's a time honored ritual that means more to me than just having the best strawberries in the world at my finger tips. It symbolizes that the harvest has begun. 

Cutest

Besides leafy greens and over wintered root veggies, strawberries are one of the first big harvested crops here in the pacific northwest. I guess peas are in there as well. When that first container of strawberries marked "product of Oregon" show up in the store, my hearts jumps for joy and I immediately begin scheming as to when I can get out to the fields and harvest some of the delicious fruit myself. 

brief break from the rain

In true Oregon fashion, we didn't cancel our picking plans due to the rain, but relished the promise of less crowds and quiet open spaces. Armed with rain coats, rubber boots, and flat boxes, we set out toward the field marked "hoods." Hoods are the candy of strawberries. Though tiny, they are red through to the center, sweet and pack a punch in juicy flavor. 

They might be tiny, but they are tasty!

Lately, we've been craving ice cream with all this heat (80 is hot for us Oregonians in May). So I blended up some of the strawberries with a bit of coconut milk and honey and put it in the freezer to harden. Later, we'll have "ice cream." I whipped up some strawberry kiwi Popsicles as well. We ate a few and froze the rest to be used throughout the summer. There will be more treats (and more picking!) to come. Strawberry Rhubarb pie and jam are a must, as well as some strawberry balsamic jam (which is amazing on toast with sharp white cheddar)! I want to try roasting a few on the grill. Fruit leather, pancake syrup, breakfast smoothies, etc.... 

Naturally, all of this berry mixing awoke the domestic goddess and I made some fresh chicken soup and quinoa, scrubbed the cast iron I just bought at Goodwill and began the seasoning process, oiled the wooden cutting boards, and prepped lunches for tomorrow. I'm thankful for the cool day today or else all that stove and oven use would've been unbareable. 

What item on the list might tomorrow hold?