Berries Signal Start of Summer

There are lots of things that remind me of summer: cotton skirts and dresses; the colors red, white and blue; lazy afternoons in the backyard; baseball games; and concerts in the park. The two things that stick out in my mind the most, however, are the Fourth of July and berries.

Growing up in Oregon, my memory is that it rained from the beginning of November to the 4th of July. I’m willing to concede that my youthful mind may have exaggerated that a little. Still, it wasn’t until after the last fireworks had gone off that it felt like the grey rain clouds took a much-needed vacation and it finally got hot outside.

Every year on the Fourth we would have a picnic at home. We were often joined by my grandparents or neighbors from down the street whose children were the same age as my siblings and I. After dinner we would set off fireworks in our driveway. We could hardly wait until dusk to start spinning and twirling with sparklers in our hands. These were followed by smaller fireworks, ending with one or two big fountains as a grand finale.

No Fourth of July picnic would be complete without salads, and Mustard Potato Salad is one of my favorites. Dijon mustard adds richness and snipped dill adds an incredible fresh taste. To make the salad even more appropriate for the Fourth of July, see if you can find red and blue skinned potatoes. This salad is delicious served warm or cold and is quite easy to make. I learned recently that you should put potatoes in a pot of cold water then heat them, rather than dropping potatoes into a pot of boiling water. Placing them in cold water ensures even cooking.

The best thing about Oregon in the summertime is the berries. Oregon has some of the best berries in the world, owing to acidic soils, plenty of rain, and mild weather. Most years my family would pile in the car and go to a nearby farm to pick berries. If we got lucky my grandfather would pick them for us. He would pull into the driveway with a bucket full of blueberries or raspberries in the bed of his blue pickup, and we would pile in the back and eat them as fast as we could. We always froze berries and made freezer jam so we could enjoy their sweet goodness all year long.

Maybe it’s because they’re the first to ripen, but there is something particularly magical about strawberries. My favorite ways to eat them are with strawberry shortcake, whole-wheat pecan waffles, strawberry biscuits cooked with a sprinkling of sugar on top, and Strawberry Pie. This recipe calls for a pie crust, strawberry gelatin made from scratch, and a pile of ripe, shiny berries. The general consensus is that it’s best eaten with both whipped cream and ice cream. Then again, what isn’t?

Both of these recipes would be perfect additions as you gather friends and family around the picnic table this 4th of July. Start the season out right with these recipes and any others that scream “summer!” and remind you of all the good things to come.

Mustard Potato Salad
2 lbs. potatoes
½ c. low-fat mayonnaise
¼ c. Dijon mustard
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, diced
1 T. snipped fresh dill or 1 t. dried dill weed
½ t. salt
½ t. pepper
½ t. lemon juice
2 green onions, white and light green parts sliced
3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Cut up potatoes and put in a pan of cold water. Place pan on stove and bring water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.

In the meantime, combine mayonnaise, mustard, onion, celery, dill, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a large bowl.

Drain potatoes and add to bowl with mayonnaise mixture. Stir well. Sprinkle chopped green onions over the top and place sliced eggs in the center. Serve warm or cold.

Strawberry Pie
1 8-inch pie shell
3 pints fresh strawberries
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
¾ c. sugar
Vanilla ice cream, optional
Whipped cream, optional

Cook pie shell according to package directions. Cool completely on a wire rack. In the meantime, wash and slice strawberries.

Put ½ c. of cold water in a small bowl. Add gelatin and let sit at least 5 minutes to soften.

Place 1 c. of berries in a small saucepan. Add sugar and ½ c. of water. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, and cook until sugar has melted and berries are very soft, about five minutes. Place a colander over a large bowl and pour strawberry mixture into it. Press on berries with the back of a spoon to drain out as much liquid as possible. Discard berries and transfer liquid to a glass measuring cup. Add additional warm water if needed to equal 1 cup. Add softened gelatin and stir until it has dissolved. Put gelatin in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes or until it starts to thicken.

Put remaining berries in pie shell and carefully pour gelatin mixture over the top. Refrigerate for at least three hours or until gelatin is firm. Serve with ice cream and/or whipped cream if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator.