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Thursday, April 17, 2008

Strawberry

I've never given much thought to where strawberries are grown. Unlike peaches (Georgia), apples (Washington), or oranges (Florida), I don't recall any specific state that's associated with strawberries.

Well I've learned that Louisiana is one state that grows strawberries. So much, that one local town near us has an annual strawberry festival with a strawberry King and Queen, baking contest, concert, parade, what have you. I've been meaning to go for years, but haven't had the time until this past Sunday. So Nathalie and I drove on over to see what all the ballyhoo was about.

As expected, just about anything you can think of to do with a strawberry was done and being offered for purchase. Jam, jelly, pie, shortcake, smoothie, daiquiri, deep fried (this is the South, you know)... it was the Bubbagump of strawberries. Not to mention a mind-boggling assortment of strawberry themed knick-knacks.

After a thorough afternoon of entertainment, we bought a flat of just picked, perfectly ripe strawberries to take home with us. And as soon as we got home, we melted some Hershey's bars and engorged ourselves with chocolate dipped strawberries.

At about my 25th strawberry was when I started to wonder about the fiber content of a strawberry and how it would rank next to, say, a prune.

Well, the answer to that question came the next morning.

And I'll think twice before eating that many strawberries again anytime soon.