Sweet, savory strawberries

BY MARIAN DOUGLAS

Red. Luscious. Sweet and savory. Strawberries are the belle of the ball in the “10 Years of Strawberries” cookbook created by the Georgia Strawberry Festival. This compilation of recipes is from the Georgia Strawberry Growers Association and the winners of the Georgia Strawberry Festival cook-off, which is held in Reynolds the fourth weekend in April each year. This year’s festival takes place April 24-25.

The Georgia Strawberry Festival is free to all strawberry lovers. Proceeds from the festival and the cookbook are invested back into the Reynolds community to purchase equipment for its fire and police departments, beautification efforts and other programs that continue to improve the charm of this Southern town.

Reynolds is nestled between Columbus and Warner Robins on Georgia Highway 96. It’s been home to the Georgia Strawberry Festival for the last 10 years. Each year the festival salutes Georgia strawberry growers and the delectable fruit they produce.

The statewide strawberry cook-off is held on Saturday afternoon during the festival at the Flint Energies auditorium. Local celebrities along with strawberry and food experts have the enviable task of judging who reigns best among the entries brought by cooks from around the state. Though the cooks vie for the fame of winning the cook-off, the public vies for samples from the strawberry creations after judging is complete.

Try this award-winning recipe, Strawberry Glazed Drummettes With Strawberry Salsa, to experience a tasting at home.

Copies of “10 Years of Strawberries” are available for $18 each ($15 per book, plus $3 shipping) by mailing a check or money order to The Georgia Strawberry Festival Cookbook, c/o the City of Reynolds, P.O. Box 386, Reynolds, GA 31076.