An orchid love affair.

Working at Parkesdale Market, you really can’t miss the seasons.  Even though at times Florida seems to just have one: Summer.  Valentine’s Day comes around and everyone wants Red Roses.  During Easter, the market is flooded with all types of bulbs. From Hyacinths to Calla Lilly, you name it, we probably have it!  Can’t forget Christmas, the Poinsettias take over and the greenhouses are filled with multiple shades of red, white and pink.  But all year long, there is the still one.  She taunts me…

Simple and magnificent.  Beautiful and scary.  I would often walk by them and just turn around, only because I would be afraid of “killing them”.  But you can only walk by them so many times before you give into their allure.  So, every year I would bring a few home in the hopes that they would survive.  And every year, I would be sadly disappointed with my results.  You see, my house is pretty bright, so I was keeping them by a window.  I thought they were getting enough sun and water…apparently not.  So, last year when they finished blooming I moved them outside under our tree.

Just last week, as I was rushing to get the girls to school and myself to work, I noticed some of the blooms had opened up!  Finally.  It seems like I’ve waited an eternity, because I’ve forgotten what color the orchids were, but really it was just a few months.  The simple, magnificent, beautiful and no longer scary orchids were greeting me!

Leave a comment

It’s Strawberry Festival Time!

Did you know the Florida Strawberry Festival dates back to the 1930s?  The Florida Strawberry Festival begins March 1 thru March 11th.  That’s 11 days of fair food.  But don’t worry, you’ll be getting all of your antioxidants with every bite of strawberry shortcake, strawberry milkshake, strawberry cookie, or flat of berries you purchase.  Wanna double up on your antioxidants?  Get the chocolate dipped strawberries!

Parkesdale Farms founder, Roy Parke was an active member in the Florida Strawberry Festival Board of Directors for about 45 years.  The Parkesdale Farms booth offers our strawberry cookies, strawberry bread, strawberry preserves and of course our sweetest strawberries.  The Parkesdale Greenhouses booth is full of beautiful plants all grown here in Plant City Florida.  You can find our booths in the Parke Building.   The Parke Building, named after Roy and Helen, is located between gates 8 and 10.

The first day of the Strawberry Festival is always exciting.  No matter how many years go by, the Strawberry Festival is always very special to the Parke Family.  This is what we look forward to all year long.  The whole family is involved in the festivities and craziness that comes with the additional thousands of people that will now stop by our market because they saw one of our booths at the Strawberry Festival.  How many of you learned about Parkesdale Farms from your visit to the Florida Strawberry Festival?

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Featured Articles | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Do you Salsa?

We love to grill.  Luckily for us, we live in Florida where we can grill any time of the year.  When you have  beautiful mangoes such as these, the possibilities are endless.  Yes, I could make smoothies and I will freeze some cubed mangoes for later.  Did you know you can add frozen fruit to your smoothie instead of ice and still get a frozen treat for breakfast?  Smoothies are great for a quick and healthy breakfast, but I prefer to eat mangoes along side savory grilled chicken or fish.

A mango salsa made with fresh strawberry onions, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and red peppers accompanied our grilled chicken.  Wait, strawberry onions?  Yes, they are called Strawberry Onions because they grow on the edges of our strawberry fields.  And no, they do not taste like strawberries.  They are a hybrid Savannah Sweet Onion.  Our Strawberry Onions are only available from mid February to April.  By the way, you can cut the Strawberry Onion in thick slices, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper then grill it for a few minutes on each side.

Mango Salsa Recipe

2 large mangoes

1/2 cup Strawberry Onions (you may substitute for your favorite onion)

1 clove garlic, minced

handful cilantro, chopped

salt to taste

1/2 lime

1/2 red pepper, diced

Olive Oil

 

When we grill, I’m in charge of making the side dishes.  I think I’ve probably used our grill once or twice.  I like the taste of grilled food, I just prefer to keep the open flames contained in candle jars or fireplaces.  Open flames in the grill are just to close for comfort in my opinion.  Grilled chicken with mango salsa, spinach salad and roasted red potatoes.  Dinner is served.  How do you use mangoes at home?

 

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , | 7 Comments