Smitten for Strawberries

Oregon strawberries.  The season is here.  Buy them now.  Buy them often.  They are perfect, sweet, and highly perishable.  So, we eat them as fast as possible.  Yesterday, we picked up two pints at the lovely produce stand in Tumalo.  They are gone.  So, we picked up a flat today.  Freezer jam, casual eating, freezing, whatever we can do with them within the next 24 hours.

I've baked several goodies with them.  A good excuse to try out the many recipes in this month's Bon Appetit magazine.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Biscuits

Homemade Shortcake

Emil's freezer jam

We already picked off four cups from here.  Yes, really.

In addition to working and climbing the Butte twice a day, we've explored several lakes.  We took out of town company on a tour of Elk Lake and Hosmer Lake last Monday.  Yesterday, we hiked around Suttle Lake.  Absolutely gorgeous! 

Elk Lake

Elk Lake Marina

Perfect launch at Hosmer Lake

Hosmer Lake

Emil took pics of Suttle Lake, so I don't have them handy to share.  We hiked around the lake (3.5 miles), and then relaxed on the deck at The Lodge at Suttle Lake.  http://thelodgeatsuttlelake.com/.  I came here (near this area) last weekend on a catering job, and we stopped in at their restaurant on the lake.  Menu looked nice, and we splurged on some fries.  We'll have to return for dinner.

Well, it's time to clean all those strawberries!