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My fingertips are red from all the strawberries I have been eating lately. Once spring begins to bring the fresh, warm breezes to tickle my cheek and the sun begins to stream through the windows early in the morning I begin to reach for berries...especially of the "straw" variety.

I can eat them freshly washed with the stems still intact. I love them dipped in white or dark chocolate. Filled with sweetened cream cheese, with ice cream or angel food cake. I love them in breads, in pancakes and in milkshakes. They're delicious in pie, cobbler and coffee cake. You name it, strawberries make it better.

When at an Italian restaurant one evening a few summers ago I ordered a light dessert after an amazing, but a little heavy meal. The waiter had suggested a bowl of fresh strawberries with a little brown sanding sugar and some perfectly aged balsamic vinegar. I had never had this combination before and I was a bit surprised at the flavours. Once you get past the initial thought of vinegar on berries it is all good. The flavours play off of each other so magically it's almost hard to believe you would ever eat the two separately again.

When I had three pints of strawberries languishing in my fridge recently I kept thinking back on that wonderful dessert. I also remembered a bottle of white balsamic vinegar that was begging to be used in a delicious, interesting recipe. Pairing white balsamic with a beautiful, unctuous custard was the best thing I've done in some time.

Next time I'm making balsamic ice cream and serving it with strawberries...that says delicious to me!

Filed under:   Memories   Sweets

Related Recipes   White Balsamic Custard and Strawberry Tart

Comments:
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May 30, 2008:	Evelin (http://www.bounteous-bites.blogspot.com) Is there anything better than custard with strawberries? Your tart looks absolutely delicious! I haven't heard of white balsamic vinegar before, but I have tried strawberries with regular balsamic vinegar and BOY is that a combination! Thanks!
May 26, 2008:	Lynn (cookiebakerlynn.blogspot.com) Gorgeous tart. I just bought some white balsamic vinegar on a whim and was wondering what to do with it. Now I know!
May 23, 2008:	rose mmm... "these are a few of my favorite things..."
May 21, 2008:	Amber (http://bentobox.typepad.com) As always a beautiful photo and great entry. Just wanted to say that your blog got me hooked on the foodie blogosphere, one that I'm now a little bit a part of. I don't usually post but thought I'd let you know. Thanks.
May 19, 2008:	Jackie (http://www.gastereas-table.com/) That looks absolutely delicious. The strawberry-balsamic mix is definitely a wonderful combination. Love your idea for the white balsamic custard. Happy strawberry season!
May 18, 2008:	George (http://culinarytravelsofakitchengoddess.wordpress.com) Looks gorgeous, so fresh, moist and yummy.
May 17, 2008:	Melanie In th cookbook Pure Chocolate, Fran Bigelow gives a recipe for chocolate balsamic vinegar that is supposed to be to die for on strawberries
May 17, 2008:	Johnna sounds AMAZING, will have to try this one!
May 16, 2008:	dhanggit (http://dhanggitskitchen.blogspot.com/) this tart is definitely to die for....the photos are stunning too :-)
May 16, 2008:	Tartelette (www.tartelette.blogspot.com) Gorgeous tart! I have bee strawberry picking quite a few times lately and it has taken a great deal of willpower not to eat them all before they get used for a dessert!! The tart sounds wonderful!