Get your chocolate fountain ready, it's berry time.

Spring is here (on the Gulf Coast of Alabama) and the first strawberries are coming to our local fruit markets.

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In catering and event planning, presentation and taste are everything. You get the best of both worlds with fresh strawberries. The bright red and green accent are a sure draw for the eye.
The sweet, juicy flavor of "in season" berries is without equal. Combine those visual and sensory delights with the aroma of melted flowing chocolate from a chocolate fountain and you'll draw a crowd without fail.

Setting up a chocolate fountain is a sure attention getter that will be the talk of any party or event, both during and long after it has passed.
Some Strawberry serving tips:

• Strawberries are best within 2 or 3 days of picking. Refrigerate them unwashed.
• Never store strawberries at room temperature for more than a couple of hours. They will begin to loose their color and flavor.
• Look for any berries with mold and remove them right away. Mold spreads to the adjacent berries very quickly.
• Wash them right before serving (never soak in water, it diminishes the flavor).
• Never remove the green before rinsing (avoid removing the green at all when possible. The flavor and appearance will begin to degrade immediately after the green is removed).
• If you remove the green tops, use a plastic tool. Only remove the Green, never cut the berry flesh (they will stay fresher, taste & look better longer).

If you're in the Loxley, Alabama area the week of April 8, you'll find yourself in the middle of the Baldwin County
Strawberry Festival. In a county known for it's long growing season and variety of fresh, locally grown produce, it's the first major crop of the growing season.
Enjoy!