Sunday, June 20, 2010

Strawberries Wild and Tame -Recipe and Reflections

We have a big patch of tame strawberries, and our yard is full of wild ones. The tame ones are juicy and sweet. The wild ones look and taste like tiny stars. As the French say, Miam. I nurture the patches of wild strawberries, and someone suggested that means they're tame but I say no. 
I am not taming them. I am nurturing their wild nature. 
How can I tell? Well, the wild ones make a lot of noise at night, frolicking with fairies and so on. Their high-pitched laughter often fills my dreams. The tame ones read books and go to sleep early. That's how I know my wild ones are still wild. 
The Mohawk, who have a ceremony of thanking everything that precedes all their other ceremonies,  celebrate strawberry time, sending special thanks to this leader of the berries. At the traditional Mohawk Community of Kanatsiohareke, in Fonda, NY, there's an annual strawberry festival. (You can find out more about it on their website) In Mohawk, the word for strawberry is Eryahsa, which also means heart. An Intercultural Moment: Eryahsa. Miam
Here's a recipe for strawberry chocolate mole (pronunciation - molay) dip. Best for tame strawberries: Dry fry a mix of ground fennel seeds, cumin, cinnamon, ground almonds, ancho chili powder and hot smoked paprika. Add to melted dark chocolate and stir. Dip your tame ones in it and watch them go wild. For more wildness, check out my website, http://www.wildreads.com/

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