​Ah, February—many people are deep in winter’s freeze, but holidays like Valentine’s Day warm us up and help reduce the weather’s chill. Something that really warms our hearts and gets us excited are chocolate-covered strawberries. The delectable combination of chocolate and fresh berries is something few can resist, and we will be serving them here on the farm for Valentine’s Day dinner!
 
If you need more of this treat, you can make them on your own, or order from lots of places. Just be sure to keep the following tips in mind, because these treats don’t like to hang out in the fridge. 
 
If you’re making berries at home:
 

• Make sure all berries are washed and dried.
• Make sure all berries are room temperature.
• Wear gloves when dipping to ensure cleanliness.
• Use good chocolate!
• Temper chocolate; make sure not to refrigerate before chocolate is fully cooled.
• Decorate with sprinkles!

 
Like any great relationship, theses delicious delicacies need some special care and attention. Here’s how to store your berries, whether you’ve made them or ordered them:
 
According to The Food Network:
 

• Berries are best enjoyed the day they’re made.
• If you’ve refrigerated them to help the chocolate set, remove them and let them sit out before enjoying. (This prevents sweating.)
• Store on the counter covered with a thin plastic covering (like plastic wrap).
• Leave them out for one day—they won’t last much longer, so don’t make or order too many; you don’t want to waste them.
• Freezing is not recommended. 

 
We’re wishing you a chocolate-covered-strawberry-filled February, with a hefty helping of love. 
 
Mary Lynn Martin
Owner

Ice Cream! Ice Cream! We all love ice cream!
 
Our family really enjoys ice cream. I had the opportunity to pick wild black raspberries around the fields here at Hickory Bridge Farm. After simmering the delicious berries in a little water, I placed the berries in a wire strainer and carefully mashed the berries into a nice juice. As a special treat, I added chopped dark chocolate to the frozen mixture. Delicious!
 
Here’s how to make some yummy black-raspberry ice cream for yourself!
 
Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup of black raspberry juice  
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows 
• 1 cup half & half
• ½ cup whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

 
In a saucepan, combine eggs and milk; stir in sugar. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon, and a thermometer reads at least 160 degrees—about 14 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in marshmallows until melted. Set saucepan in ice, and stir the mixture for 5-10 minutes or until cool. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to freeze, just follow directions of the ice cream makers. Yields 2 doz.

It’s not very often my husband, Robert, watches the FoodChannel; however “Diners, Drive-ins & Dives” caught his eye. On one particular episode they showcased a diner that made French toast with a banana-nut bread. What a great idea!

At the Bed & Breakfast at Hickory Bridge Farm, we gave the following recipe a try. After our critical review, we decided to make a change by using our lemon tea bread recipe and topping it with a delicious berry sauce. Yum! Yum! Here is the recipe:

Lemon Tea Bread

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons lemon rind, divided
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Directions
1. Beat softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
2. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture
alternately with milk, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon rind. Spoon batter into greased and floured 8- x 4-inch loafpan.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth; spoon evenly over top of bread, letting excess drip down sides. Stir together remaining 1 tablespoon lemon rind and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; sprinkle on top of bread.

Berry Sauce:

• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 cup blueberries- fresh or frozen
• ½ cup strawberry jam
• ½ cup red raspberry jam
• 1 cup water

In a small bowl, combine sugar and corn starch, set aside. In a medium sauce pan, combine blueberries, strawberry jam and water, bring to a boil and add sugar mixture. Stir until thickened.

Let us know what you think! Feel free to leave a comment!

by Mary Lynn Martin

It is rose time!

Roses are not my thing, however, my mother loved them,  so I try to keep them alive! (haha) We also have roses that I transplanted three times from a very good friend’s home.

One of our dinner guests shared these easy tips for rose care, so now I'm sharing them with you! Good luck with your roses, and please send us photos of your beauties!

Tips for rose care:

• Early in the spring, cut off all dead branches, and cut each stem back to about 14 inches tall.
• Place a circle two-feet wide of dry cow manure around each plant.
• Apply a big handful of Epson Salt, blood Meal and bone meal.
• Work into the soil. 
• Every three weeks from April through October, apply a spray that controls Black Spot and other diseases. (Bioadvanced all-in-one rose and flower care with fertilizer, insect control and disease control works well.)
• Once a month, work into the soil, bone Meal and cow manure.
• ​​In the fall, cut plants back to 3 feet.