Strawberries

Many poets, authors, playwrights and song writers have found inspiration in luscious sweet strawberries. Consider this humorous prose from Shel Silverstein from his book, Where The Sidewalk Ends on strawberries. 

Should you pet them, or let them run free where they roam? Could they ever relax in a steam-heated home? Can they be trained to not growl at the guests? Will a litterbox work or would they make a mess? Can we make them a Cowberry, herding the cows, or maybe a Muleberry pulling the plows, or maybe a Huntberry chasing the grouse, or maybe a Watchberry guarding the house, and though they may curl up at your feet oh so sweetly can you ever feel that you trust them completely? Or should we make a pet out of something less scary, like the Domestic Prune or the Imported Cherry, Anyhow, you've been warned and I will not be blamed if your Wild Strawberries cannot be tamed.”

or this famous song written by John Lennon and attributed to the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership. It was inspired by Lennon's memories of playing in the garden of "Strawberry Field" a Salvation Army Children's home near where he lived.
"Strawberry Fields Forever"

Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hungabout.
Strawberry Fields forever.

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out, it doesn't matter much to me.
Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hungabout.
Strawberry Fields forever.

No one I think is in my tree, I mean it must be high or low.
That is you can't you know tune in but it's all right, that is I think it's not too bad.
Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hungabout.
Strawberry Fields forever.

Always, no sometimes, think it's me, but you know I know when it's a dream.
I think I know I mean a 'Yes' but it's all wrong, that is I think I disagree.
Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hungabout.
Strawberry Fields forever.
Strawberry Fields forever.

 Strawberry Pie

Cook's notes: Strawberries often provide inspiration for my cooking. The hardest part about this dessert was waiting the two hours for the pie to set up in the refrigerator.  All the reviews stressed two hours or more-NO LESS. I set my timer so we wouldn't be tempted to cheat. If you do not add whip cream it can be a healthy dessert :)

Ingredients:

• 1 pie crust
• 6-8 cups strawberries, sliced but leave some strawberries whole 
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 TB. lemon juice
• 2 heaping TB. cornstarch 
• drop red food coloring
• splash of Grand Marnier

Directions:

Prepare pie crust according to directions-set aside

Remove stems from strawberries and slice 

Glaze

• In a blender add 1 cup strawberries, lemon juice and 1 cup water-puree
• Add puree mixture to a saucepan, cook on medium until it boils, then lower heat and simmer uncovered 2 minutes
• In a bowl add sugar and cornstarch, stir into puree mixture in saucepan and cook on low 5 minutes
• Add puree mixture back to blender, mix well and return back to saucepan
• Using a whisk add in a drop of food coloring, cook on  low 20 minutes until thickened
• Set glaze aside in saucepan to cool 10 minutes (do not stir) 
• Add in sliced strawberries to glaze mixture with a splash of Grand Marnier  
• Spoon glaze with strawberries into cooled pie crust and arrange some whole strawberries in pie shell with sliced ones
• Refrigerate 2 hours or more

Strawberry Fields is a living memorial to the world-famous singer, songwriter and peace activist, John Lennon. During his career with the Beatles and in his solo work, Lennon's music gave hope and inspiration for world peace and his memory and mission lives on in Strawberry Fields.

This tranquil section of Central Park was named after one of Lennon's favorite songs, "Strawberry Fields Forever." Recorded in 1966, the song's title comes from an orphanage in Liverpool, England where Lennon used to go to play with the children. His aunt, who raised him, disapproved but he insisted it was, "nothing to get hung about." Hence, the song's famous lyric.

Strawberry Fields was officially dedicated on October 9, 1985, the 45th anniversary of Lennon's birth. Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono Lennon, worked with landscape architect Bruce Kelly and Central Park Conservancy to create a meditative spot. The black-and-white mosaic was created by Italian craftsmen and given as a gift by the city of Naples. Based on a Greco-Roman design, it bears the word of another of Lennon's songs: Imagine. A designated Quiet Zone in the Park, the memorial is shaded by stately American elms and lined with benches. In the warmer months, flowers bloom all around the area. Along the path near the mosaic, you'll find a bronze plaque that lists the 121 countries that endorse Strawberry Fields as a Garden of Peace.