European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 30, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Living today Berry Good dessert mixing Pepper and strawberries is a Sweet treat by Sharon Hudgins special to stripes Magazine whenever i think of Aranjuez in i think of some people May associate Aranjuez with its Beautiful Royal or with the music of Joachim Rodrigos concerto do but to Aranjuez Means i used to live about 50 Miles from and in the Early Spring i decided to visit the famous Palace and gardens located but my guidebooks failed to mention that Aranquez is also the capital of a major Strawberry producing Region in palaces May be important but strawberries Are something All along the roads leading into the City were Small wooden stands Selling fresh More strawberries than i had Ever seen in one strawberries to take strawberries to eat right do you want them with sugar or whipped Cream or both the Aroma of newly picked strawberries filled the almost overpowering the other delightful fragrances of and since that strawberries and Aranjuez have been inseparable in my both wild and grow in the temperate zones of every and even in the tropics and Artic Border there Are Many different ranging in size from the tiny wild ones to quite Large cultivated the smaller the the better its taste with wild strawberries being Superior to the cultivated most strawberries Are some Shade of red Pale dark but a few types Are White or Golden when in moderate strawberries Ripen from mid april to uncooked or served hot or strawberries Are Best eaten As soon As possible after being preserved ones Are available year round made into jellies and strawberries can also figure As a major ingredient in fruit ice soft and Strawberry Shortcake a round sponge sliced and layered with sugared strawberries and shipped Cream is almost As american As Apple at the annual Strawberry fest in youll even find the worlds largest Strawberry Shortcake a 12foot dream that has to be Cut with a the German have a rousing Good time at their own Erdbeer Strawberry fest in where they mix sliced strawberries with White wine or sparkling to produce a drink fit for the gods or at least for the i encountered one of the most interesting uses of strawberries at Gunnels restaurant in slightly were combined with White wine and Lemon and garnished with to make a Pale Pink cold soup that was served As the first course of my the German make a similar chilled Strawberry known As Erdbeer but the prize for the most surprising Strawberry dish goes to an italian restaurant near West its the sort of place where regular customers never order from the printed menu they always take the chefs suggestion for that one after a particularly Good the waiter informed us that the restaurant had fresh strawberries for dessert fresh strawberries with or with sugar and or fixed a special Way with ice my companions and i chose the special the waiter pushed a serving cart up to our on it were bottles of a a couple of some Large serving a big bowl of sliced fresh and several other items that i paid no attention another waiter placed a Goblet of Vanilla ice Cream in front of each of the first waiter then began mixing up the special Strawberry tossing and stirring the strawberries after adding each my Mouth watered As he sprinkled the strawberries liberally with poured in a whopping amount of Anise Flavoured and added a Good portion of Orange Flavoured suddenly he reached for the Pepper Mill and began grinding Black Pepper into the Strawberry what Are you doing i he just grinned and wait until you taste added some heavy stirred Only until the ingredients were then spooned the strawberries and Boozy sauce Over our Vanilla ice it was a Strawberry even More delicious than i and the Black Pepper melded beautifully with the other ill bet that even in they Haven eaten strawberries like wait until you taste italian peppered strawberries note for this must use Black Pepper freshly ground in a Pepper this dessert is made immediately before serving it although the can be washed and sliced and refrigerated ahead of 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries about 1 quart whole fresh strawberries 3 cups Good Quality Vanilla ice Cream preferably homemade cup granulated White sugar Viz cup Sweet italian Anise Flavoured liqueur Sambucco cup Orange Flavoured liqueur grand Mariner whole Black in a Pepper grinder cup whipping Cream Wash the pull off the and let the strawberries Drain in slice the strawberries Lengthwise into thirds or and place a Large Glass serving Divide the Vanilla ice Cream evenly into six and put each into a dessert Goblet or Sprinkle the sugar Over the strawberries and toss to mix pour the liqueurs Over the strawberries and toss again to hold a Pepper grinder Over the and grind it 12 Complete times 12 Complete stir and mix pour the whipping Cream Over the strawberries and mix spoon the strawberries and sauce evenly Over each portion of Vanilla ice serve serves note this is a very dramatic dessert to make at the in front of your guests especially if you dont Tell them in Advance what youll be have the strawberries already sliced and ready in a pretty set on the table the sliced a bowl containing cup of a Small Pitcher with cup of bottles of Anise liqueur and Orange a Small measuring and a Pepper serve your guests individual bowls or goblets of Vanilla ice then proceed to mix and serve the strawberries As and dont let anyone talk you out of using the e Sharon 1985 4 stripes Magazine May