Berry Weird

I don't know about you, but when I eat a strawberry, I always discard a little bit of the berry--specifically the part that is surrounding the little green cap--and, of course, I discard the little green cap itself.

I bring up this topic because apparently not all people do this--discard parts of the berry--as I previously had assumed.

Last night I made a fruit dip, which I served with fresh strawberries, and I discovered the strangest thing about my friend, Benji. He eats the entire strawberry, little green cap and all; just pops the whole thing right into his mouth. What the hell? Do people do that?  Do you do that? Because it's kinda weird.

The fruit dip, if you were wondering, is made by mixing whipped cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a bit of almond extract and it is delicious. I don't have any measurements for the recipe, just enough of everything until it tastes sweet and good.  Another fruit dip I love is made by mixing one tub of whipped cream cheese with one jar of marshmallow fluff.

Either concoction is yummy with all types of fruit and especially with strawberries. Green caps optional.

Comments

[Bethany]

Uh, yes. That is weird. It's right up there with eating shrimp tails and sunflower seed shells. Dip sounds damn good though!

[annalise]

hi Janet! how are you? it was very nice seeing your comments on my site, and i just want to return your visit.

i don't eat the part of a strawberry surrounding the green cap either. i guess your friend is really not picky about food. :)

so you have a degree in art history? i studied art in college too. i have a BA degree in Studio Art from UCI, but i am not doing anything with it now.

[Alexandrialeigh]

Uh, no. I don't eat the little green tops.

Perhaps I am missing out, but...I don't think so. Sounds kinda gross.

[SCM]

Okay, your friend must be some kind of freak. Eats the green caps on a strawberry. What does he do with the top off a carrot?

[Pink Chihuahua Princess]

I'm definitely a no green cap girl.

[kalisah]

that is weird. That's like those people who chew up the whole sunflower seed, shell and all.

Weirdos.

[Alison]

That's mild compared to my uncle Ken's habit of eating apples: stem, core, and all. I kid you not. There is NOTHING left when he's done eating the thing.

So I'm thinking a little strawberry hull isn't so bad!

[TJ]

I use a straw to get rid of the little green cap. Just shove it straight thru the middle of the strawberry.

I guess I am weird now. LOL

[Janet]

I think Benji eats the apple core, too.

Benji?

[Jill]

People eat the LEAVES?

Maybe it adds a little zing. One could call them strawberry greens and serve them in gourmet restaurants.

I've never imagined eating the leaves before.

Benji is expanding my world here.

[Kuky]

That is very weird indeed. I don't know anyone who eats the leaves. Which makes me think of bananas, I have them on my mind of late.

Do you open a banana from the stem or from the other side and hold it using the stem? Because I open it from the stem. And my mom saw me doing that once and thought it was weird. So she opened it from the stem in front of her friends and they all laughed at her since they are used to holding it by the stem. They're from China see. So is your friend from another country?

Gawd, I believe that was the longest comment ever. Sorry.

[Benji]

Janet, I do eat the Apple core as well. Mr. Chambers calls me a horse. I think the whole vegetarian thing turned me into some kind of weird fruit eating freak. Like I love fruit and I'll eat it all, except for bitter parts like orange peel and stuff. If you pop part of the fruit in there it goes down easier as well. The leaves in strawberries contain a good dose of fiber as well. The almond dip also was really really good. Although you may not believe it yourself, but you are a good cook. I enjoy your food very much. Good blog by the way, a lot of comments so far.

[Benji]

One more thing... did you notice I capitalized the A in Apple? Like if it is a proper noun for a name of something, like a company. :o)

[nicole]

Gracie eats the hull, but I think it's cause she doesn't know any better! xoxo

[Bethany]

The straw thing, TJ. Brilliant.

[Lauren]

Never heard of it...kinda weird. but whateva. I Miss you Janet!

[Sijbrich]

I just bought some strawberries today. Maybe I'll try eating the leaves. I have heard of eating the whole apple thing and have done it once or twice. I also don't take out the little brown spot on tomatoes where it was connected to the vine. Is that wierd?
Another great way to eat strawberries is dipping them in sour cream, then brown sugar. Really addicting, although the sour cream part might seem gross. But really, it's delicious!

[Erin]

First, we use a decorator's tip thingie to hull strawberries. Works really well. (Thanks Alton Brown)

He also said that brewed strawberry leaves make a good tea that also can be used as a laxative. So maybe your friend just needed some...uh...help. :)

[SCM]

Now I feel bad, your friend Bengi is not a freak, he just likes to be regular.

Sijbrich -- everyone eats the brown spot on tomatoes.

[Benji]

Being that I am already a vegetarian I can attest to the fact I have no problem with my regularity. I don't know why I eat it all, maybe it's just to be efficient or I just think the partially eaten leaves with some berry left on it look gross. lol, it works for me though.

[Jen]

Ick. Couldn't do it. Can't eat the brown part on the tomato either. Reminds me of people who don't know how to eat edamame and just shove the whole pod in their mouths. :)

[Kayla]

As you already know, I don't eat the green caps either. Benji is a wierdo and watching the man Wallace try to be like Benji and eat the green caps was pretty funny.

good day. and very good dip.

[Cat]

That is definitely weird, but my hubby discards none of the fruit, just the green hat. Also, a great fruit dip is mixing smooth goat cheese with nutella. OH SO GOOD!

[shannon]

That dip sounds great! Ok, the strawberry eating of the green thing- just wrong. My stepdad does that and eats lemons with the peel and all. shudder.

[mrsmogul]

I hire some personally to take out the green caps!

[Alexandrialeigh]

SCM: I don't eat the brown spot. Perhaps I am too fussy.

[Laura]

The green part...how could you eat that? I assume it would be hard to chew, taste yucky, and hurt going down...

[Jennifer]

not a green topper eater here either. As for fruit dip.. cream cheese and cool whip is another mix that's great!

[Nicole]

when i make a smoothie i just put in the whole strawberry. it is okay to eat when its blended with other things but just eating the whole thing is weird

[Deanna]

I was just doing a net search to find out if eating strawberry leaves was safe... no information at all! I gave a strawberry to my pet rats and they ate the leaves first, and it made me curious. After reading here, I just ate a strawberry, top and all. It's not bad... the top is kinda flavorless and a bit "rough," but not disgusting. I think I'll make a habit of it. :)

Oh, and I do eat the shrimp tails, and even the legs. My friend had a Japanese exchange student and she told us that they eat the tails there to get calcium, because they have few cows and don't drink milk in Japan. I tried it and have been eating them ever since.