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Strawberry Fields Forever (until June)

Posted on Apr 27, 2011 by Kathleen  |  

Spring is my favorite time of year in Athens (not including football season) because it’s when the community comes out of winter hibernation and gets active! The Farmer’s Markets are in full swing at Little Kings and Bishop Park, concerts on the lawn are about to begin at Ashford Manor, and best of all, strawberries are in season at Washington Farms!

I’ve been a patron of the Farms for years now. In college we made annual trips to the Halloween corn maze and pumpkin patch for Greek functions and roommate outings, and every spring and summer we picked the respective berries of the season – strawberries, blackberries and blueberries to make homemade desserts!

Strawberries came into season just a couple weeks ago and are already just bursting out of the fields. I visited Washington Farms, just a few minutes from Athens in Watkinsville, after work yesterday to pick a bucket with several friends. We were able to fill our bucket in just 15 minutes because there were so many! Afterward we returned to my house and enjoyed them on the patio with powdered sugar and ginger ale. But it got me thinking… what else can I pair them with? They’re famous as a complement to champagne, but surely beer will be just as, if not more, delicious!

Melted chocolate, obviously. A little fondue is good for the soul. Especially dark chocolate! So a Southern Tier Jah*va would do nicely. I intend to try strawberries with a little Lazy Magnolia Southern Gold as soon as I get my hands on some! Honey and strawberries? Yes please.

Porters and stouts, any dark, rich beer really, should be an excellent complement to the sweet flavors of a strawberry fresh off the vine. And my personal favorite pairing (the only beer I had in my fridge last night), is Magners Irish Cider. I just loved the combination!

Definitely take the time to visit Washington Farms in the next few weeks before the strawberries disappear for another year. They are open Monday through Saturday, 8am to 8pm. And this weekend, on Saturday April 30, they are holding a Strawberry Festival!

Tagged: leon farmer and company, athens ga craft beer, strawberry picking athens georgia, washington farms georgia, washington farms strawberries, athens ga farmers markets, magners irish cider, southern tier jahva athens, corn maze athens, corn maze georgia