Float cake croutons on strawberry soup

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, July 4, 2006

If you’re of the same strawberry school of thought as my husband (you can never have too much strawberry anything too often), you’ll absolutely hop with joy at today’s berry good taste treat.

It’s another borrowed from the “Best of the Season” program, as shared by Lane Hoss and Anthony’s Restaurants.

Where, in case you didn’t already know, you can go for dinner tonight or any other night, as long as the season lasts, and partake of strawberry specialties running the gamut from beverages to entrees to desserts.

Or, if you’re not frazzled to pieces by Tuesday’s Fourth of July fanfare – and it’s not too hot to fire up the oven broiler for a few minutes – grab some fresh local strawberries, whip out to the kitchen and whip up:

Anthony’s Restaurants’ chilled fresh strawberry soup with pound cake croutons

4cups fresh local strawberries, sliced

1ripe banana, peeled and cut into 4 pieces

1cup orange, pineapple or banana juice

1cup light sour cream

1tablespoon raspberry liqueur

2ice cubes

1 1/2cups 1/2-inch cubes pound cake

6sprigs fresh mint

In food processor or blender, blend strawberries, banana, fruit juice, sour cream and raspberry liqueur until smooth. Add ice cubes and swirl briefly to chill the liquid. Remove cubes before they completely melt.

Preheat oven to broil. Place the pound cake cubes on a baking sheet. Toast cubes under the broiler, turning once to brown on two sides.

To serve, pour the soup into small, chilled bowls. Garnish with the toasted croutons and mint sprig.

Makes six servings.

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