Italian Strawberries

As far as I am concerned, if you want to learn from the best, go to the masters of cooking, the Italians. They have merged thousands of years of invasions, travel and Mediterrrean climate into an organic vegtable, fruit and lean protein diet. Northern Italy has the German influences with their white cream sauces, meats, cabbage & potatoes. Southern Italy, and the tip of the boot where my maternal ancestors come from, have the Greek, Arab influences with the red tomato sauces, eggplants, zucchini, cornmeal, oranges,lemons,figs and fish that permeate the diet. The Pasta, a MiddleAges Chinese contribution from Marco Polo's travels, well is just the icing on the cake. Like great cooks everywhere, they use what they have to come up with the lightest, cheapest food fare. Some recipes complicate things so much, no wonder people get intimidated by it all.

Only the Italians could come up with a quick way to preserve my favorite American summer fruit: STRAWBERRIES: ( can also be done with blueberries, raspberries)

slice, dice, and wash strawberries
mix with 2-3 tbsps of balsamatic vinegar ( made from grapes and sweeter than its cheaper cousin, red wine vinegar)
2 tbspns of sugar or 2 packets of Splenda
sprinkle black pepper & mint or basil on them and mix until a glossy finish from the vinegar clings to the strawberries and makes them shine.
Strawberries will keep a week longer in the frig. If you have some cornbread, top on the cornbread with some whipped cream and a mint leave for a southern Italian shortcake.