Can we ever get enough of strawberries? Of course not! Right off the vine, directly out of the basket, sliced with cream, sorbet, panacotta, tarts, salads…every which way. And as a lunch with fresh country bread, goats cheese  and basil? Simply delicious.

Suggestions:

  • The strawberries can be used fresh instead of sautéed, o cut and marinated in some white balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Add a bit of olive oil to the marinade and use as a vinaigrette.
  • Use some soft cottage cheese instead of the goats cheese with freshly chopped chives and basil the and salt and pepper mixed into the cottage cheese.
  • Omit the cheese completely and make a sandwich of fresh strawberries, basil, chopped chives and add a drizzle of maple syrup.
  • Another version could be to top the bread with strawberries and lastly add some goats cheese, put under the gril for two to three minutes and add the basil and a drizzle of honey just before serving.
  • Use other sliced fruit in season instead of the strawberries.

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We stopped our restoration here at Coin Perdu for a day of fun. With aprons. And three delightful, playful models. They chopped and chirped, giggled and grated, peeled and pestered,  mocked and mixed, all the while performing with an apron chosen from the heap. So.. can an apron be fun? Judge for yourself…

 

I grew up seeing my mother in her apron every day. While she was doing her morning’s work; the washing, ironing, cleaning, kitchen work, she faithfully wore her apron. And after lunch, it would be removed until dinner time, when preparing dinner and cleaning up would demand an apron again.

Unlike those days, when aprons at home were more of a necessity to protect the small wardrobe of clothes, we have a multitude of aprons today for adding to that special ambiance of an occasion or activity. It partially serves to also  show our domain of expertise as well as our our fun loving side. But some habits haven’t changes over the years…the butcher still wears his butcher’s apron/outfit, the boulanger(baker) is still clearly recognized by his apron, the fishmonger wears his proudly, the blacksmith is never without his leather aprons, the “garcon” serving your “panache” at the bar wears his with French  flair… an apron is there for our barbecues and for our kitchens , our gardens,  for playgrounds, yes, it is fun equally for men, women and children.

So, do you have a fun loving side…?


à bientôt

Ronelle


23 thoughts on “Countrybread with panfried strawberries and basil…and apron fun!”

  2. Liewe Ronelle
    Ek het nog nooit aarbeie op brood probeer nie en moet sê dit lyk heerlik saam met die bok kaas! Jou fotos is te pragtig met die dogters en die voorskote…lyk of julle so baie “fun” gehad het! Daai kraak vars groente en vrugte lyk heerlik…nes n mens sal kry in die Franse platteland!
    Bisous
    Ixx

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  3. Your strawberry recipe sounds wonderful. I too love strawberries. They are fresh from the patch here but I haven’t gotten any. I’ve been meaning to and will this week. Love the apron party.. such fun! Your blog is always so inspiring Ronelle, Thank you, Love,Diana

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  4. That “tartine” looks fabulous! So delightful.

    I really love your aprons. Very pretty. It looks like you had a lot of fun wearing them…

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  5. What a cute cute cute post:)
    Magazine worthy! It is full of life,love,laughter and beauty.
    Coup De Coeur pour moi.xx

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  6. gorgeous envious fun! I can’t believe how quick the girls have grown into little ladies…seems like just the other day they had to stand on a chair to reach the kitchen counter! I can just imagine you giggling behind the camera while taking these fun pictures..love the aprons and will have to try your strawberries on bread…mmmm can only imagine that it will taste perfect on French bread.xoxo Colette

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  7. The kids and I used to go strawberry picking and come home with 12 pounds of them. Husband-person would remark that I had better make jam or something use them up. I didn’t. And we ate them all up. So I love seeing your strawberry ideas. Our strawberry season is coming. Also had great fun looking at the happy apron photos. I never wear one. Now, I want one.

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  8. Ronelle what a wonderful recipe! I love aprons and probably do not wear one often enough. The vintage aprons are sometimes so small and decorative you wonder how they would have protected any clothing.

    Eileen

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  9. Oh how I love this post!!! What fun everyone is having. I have always wanted an apron – a vintage one. I have one of my grandmother’s, but save it – maybe I should get it out and wear it.

    I also just got some strawberries from the farmer’s market, so I must try your recipe.

    …and look at all that lush produce. Yum!

    Your photos and blog always makes me dreamy.

    xo~Dana

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  11. What a great apron collection Ronelle. I use my William Sonoma green apron for cooking, but whip out a fancy black apron that says “Queen of Everything” on it for laughs just before company arrives.

    Strawberries and balsamic vinegar seem to be a match made in heaven. Lovely appetizer you’ve created for us today and of course I adore anything with goat cheese.
    Sam

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  12. What a delightful lunch this would be! It sounds delicious to me. It will be June before there are farm-fresh strawberries to be picked here.

    What a delightful collection of aprons. My favorite? The one with the extra green and red strip layers in front! So cute.

    Beautiful locale at Coin Perdu and I would have loved to join in the laughter and food fun 🙂

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  13. Adorable. Simply adorable! I can almost hear the laughter and the lively conversation….

    And as for the strawberries – I never thought of pan-frying them before. My mouth started watering before I even got to the goat cheese part! 😉

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  14. Thank you to all my friends, supporters and readers…I may not always respond, but I ALWAYS appreciate and enjoy every visit and comment and little story…Thank you!!
    Ronell

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  15. Everything on your post is just delightful Ronelle – I love the strawberries with goats cheese and those pretty aprons make me want to search out pretty fabrics and make myself one. Thank you for sharing these pretty pictures with us they have brightened up my day. xx

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  16. I loved every last crumb of this posting…loved the aprons, and yes, I live in mine sometimes and have a habit of wiping my hands on it, which I sometimes do to my clothes (bad habit).

    My strawberries are coming in heavily now and I’ll give this a try.

    All joys,

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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  18. What fun and fun apron collection…and just look at all of this gorgeous produce! Great photos 🙂

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  19. Absolute joy, really. Your photos capture it all!
    I will try your bruschetta…looks yummy.
    Shel

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  23. Lovely aprons and a great recipe too!!This post reminded me of my Grandma who always wore an apron and had a bunch. I once drew pineapples and sewed them onto an apron and went to something as a pineapple queen. I was small and a few people understood what I was trying to accomplish and I was so happy they got it. This is a memory from a very long time ago. Thanks Ronelle for your lovely posts.

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