Strawberry’s the star of Long Grove fest

PHOTO: You can use strawberries in savory as well as sweet dishes. | KARRIE ANGELL LUC~FOR SUN-TIMES MEDIA

Everyone will be seeing red when strawberries take over the village of Long Grove beginning today (June 26) and continuing through Sunday (June 28).

If you’ve never been, you’ll be impressed by the many ways strawberries are used in foods and beverages at the festival. And not only in sweet dishes, but savory ones as well.

You’ll see strawberries used in a panna cotta topped with a fresh strawberry sauce at the Long Grove Cafe. They play a pivotal role in the hot pepper jelly that will be available for tastings at the Galena Canning Company. Berry strawberry lemonade will be available at By the Bay Lemonade.

Speaking of beverages, strawberries will play a role in drinks for those 21 and over, too. Relax with a strawberry beer at Finch’s Beer Company or the strawberry wine that the Broken Earth Winery will be making just for this festival.

The shaved prime rib sandwich topped with strawberry salsa — which TV viewers might have caught when it was featured on on the Food Network’s “Eating America with Anthony Anderson” — will be back at the Village Tavern (which also will be featuring the classic strawberry cheesecake). The sandwich won last year’s Best of the Fest tasting competition.

The Village Tavern’s strawberry salsa proves how well the fruit plays off savory companions. It works well atop a beef sandwich or with chips.

And of course fresh strawberries will available for sale at the fest, so grab up some and give this salsa a try.

To find out more about the festival, go here.

STRAWBERRY SALSA

MAKES 4 to 6 SERVINGS

1 pound strawberries, sliced

4 mini sweet peppers, chopped

⅛ cup cucumber, chopped

⅛ cup red onion, chopped

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of sea salt

Juice of ½ lime

Mix all the ingredients together. Refrigerate and use that day; it will not hold over night.

From The Village Tavern in Long Grove