Easter Leftovers Ponchatoula Style

Chocolate & Ginger Covered Strawberries

Did you know that each State in the Union has it's own State Fruit? Because I did not. So I'm excited to share this newfound knowledge and let you know that Louisiana's State Fruit happens to be the strawberry. And there is no place in the South more famous for strawberries than Ponchatoula, Louisiana!

Ponchatoula is a small town of about 5000 located half way between Baton Rouge and New Orleans that consideres itself "The Strawberry Capital Of The World." Now, that may not be an actual fact but that's what I was taught growing up so I'm sticking to it. In celebration of their worldly strawberry status each year the city hosts the annual Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival.

For the last 41 years the locals have celebrated the strawberry and the folks who cultivate and sell Louisiana's state fruit with a festival, a King and Queen, and of course a parade. The festival is this coming weekend April 13-15 and is FREE!! If you're anywhere near South Louisiana this weekend, this is an event you should definitely check out. If you're from New Orleans you really have no excuse because the drive takes 45 minutes people.

Since Easter just passed over (see how I did that...) chances are that you're going to have some leftover chocolate Easter bunnies lying around. Americans spend $1.9 Billion on Easter candy each year (just shy of the $2 billion mark on Halloween) so lets put that chocolate to good use. Nothing goes better with some Ponchatoula strawberries than some classic milk chocolate.

1 pint of strawberries
1-2 large chocolate bunnies
1/8 tsp of ginger powder (a couple of pinches)

Chop the chocolate and slowly melt in a double boiler. Do not walk away from this chocolate because it begins to melt pretty quickly. Once the chocolate is nearly melted, turn off the heat and continue to stir. Twirl the strawberries in the melted chocolate and voila!

Enjoy Ya'll!