Erdbeer

Berliners, I've realised, like their seasonal fruit.  A couple of weeks ago it was all about Beerlitz Spargel (White Asparagus).  Every "turk" (seven11) and grocer worth his while was selling Beerlitz Spargel; every restaurant and pub has a special 'Spargelkarte'.  Now it's the strawberry.  These cute little stands have been popping up everywhere selling locally grown strawberries which smell and taste delicious.  I've decided to embrace the frenzy and bought some strawberries for eating and some for cooking.

You see, I'm a lady of domestic leisure at the moment (quite enjoying it too).  I went and saw the specialist (ENT) doctor about my ear yesterday and she recommended, neigh, handed me, a doctor's certificate to have the next week off work and emphasised that I shouldn't be working on the weekend either.  So I'm at home this week.  I've had a lovely time spring cleaning the house from top to bottom, including reorganising the bookshelves.  Well, partly anyway, and then I lost steam.  I even managed to be so organised as to look in the fridge before I went shopping to check what vegies we had leftover - tonight's dinner is a Thai dish called Larp Gai on Quinoa - the only things I needed to buy were corriander and mint for garnish.  And the Quinoa.

And I made these.  Strawberry and Ricotta Muffins.  They're still cooling, but I've already taste tested one - it was a causalty of me trying to take them out of the tins while they were still too hot.  So, so good.    I'm contemplating making strawberry jam tomorrow.  And maybe some banana muffins. And...

Strawberry and Buffalo Ricotta Muffins
(from Cook Almost Anything)

300 grams plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
100 grams caster sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
100 grams butter, melted and cooled
250 grams strawberries, hulled, cut in half
200 grams buffalo ricotta

Sift the flour, baking powder and sugar into a bowl - make a well in the centre.  Lightly whisk together the milk and eggs and pour this into the dry ingredients, followed by the cooled, melted butter.  Stir until combined and them tumble in the strawberries, crumble in about a quarter of the ricotta and then fold this gently through so the strawberries just disperse through the batter and the ricotta doesn't break up too much.  Fill your muffin cases about half way, top with a rough piece of ricotta and then cover with more batter.

Bake in a preheated 170°C oven until golden and cooked through - about 20-30 minutes.

Cool slightly in the pan before moving on a wire rack to cool completely.