RED IS `IN' COLOR AT FESTIVAL THOUSANDS FLOCK TO INDULGE IN THE FRUIT OF THE SEASON.Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer Paula Ricketts could hardly contain her glee as she sat down to enjoy some strawberry shortcake
Strawberry Shortcake is a licensed character owned by American Greetings, originally used in greeting cards and expanded to include dolls, posters, and other products. Saturday at the 21st annual California Strawberry Festival A Strawberry Festival is an event and celebration in many towns in North America. In most instances, areas around these towns are, or have been, deeply involved in the production and marketing of strawberries, and the festivals are usually held in late spring around the time of the . ``I come here every year to indulge in strawberries,'' said Ricketts, 51, of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . ``I get my shortcake, my chocolate-dipped strawberries, I do my happy dance, and then I pass out on the ground and then I get more food.'' ``There's a pure taste about strawberries,'' she added. ``You don't even need to put sugar on them.'' Ricketts had plenty of company. About 30,000 people were expected on Saturday, the first day of the festival, which continues today at Strawberry Meadows of College Park in Oxnard. The festival, which dates to 1984, celebrates the region's 8,500 strawberry-producing acres, which generate $230 million annually. The area produces more than one-fourth of California's strawberry crop. The state produces 83 percent of all the strawberries grown in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . In addition to strawberry shortcake and chocolate-dipped strawberries, festival-goers could feast on strawberry pizza, strawberry cheesecake, strawberry wine, strawberry margaritas and even strawberry cotton candy. Kevin Antonelli, 34, and his mother, Sandi Morita, 55, both of Granada Hills, made a special trip to the festival just to try the strawberry beer. ``It's very refreshing. It's actually got a crisp flavor,'' Antonelli said, sipping from his glass, which was adorned a·dorn tr.v. a·dorned, a·dorn·ing, a·dorns 1. To lend beauty to: "the pale mimosas that adorned the favorite promenade" Ronald Firbank. 2. with a whole strawberry. ``We were really hesitant to try it last year, but we figured the people must know something if they were all lined up,'' his mother added. Jack Potts, 66, of San Pedro, however, stuck to strawberry shortcake. ``I'd have to go a long way before I'd try strawberry beer,'' he said, spooning up a chunk of sauce-soaked poundcake. ``Beer is beer - and if you make it fruity, it's no longer beer.'' Other creative uses for the bright-red berry included the tart toss. For $1, people could fling a pastry tart topped with strawberry sauce and whipped cream at the faces of friends and family volunteers. The goopy mixture made a satisfying splat See asterisk. 1. splat - Name used in many places (DEC, IBM, and others) for the asterisk ("*") character (ASCII 0101010). This may derive from the "squashed-bug" appearance of the asterisk on many early line printers. 2. whenever one hit the target. Faustino Lopez, 37, of Culver City Culver City, city (1990 pop. 38,793), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles; inc. 1917. It is a center of the U.S. motion-picture industry, whose roots in the city date to c.1915. Its chief manufactures are rubber products and computers. , let both of his twin sons, Francisco and Faustino Jr., 13, take turns tossing tarts. ``I like to play with my children,'' Lopez said afterward, smiling as he toweled off the bright red goo. Ruth Herrera, 10, of La Crescenta enjoyed the berry treats, but also tackled the rock-climbing wall with her sisters, Esther, 11, and Blanca, 13. ``It was cool, but my mom knows I'm afraid of heights,'' Ruth said shyly. The festival also had plenty of non-strawberry foods, including fried calamari Fried calamari is a popular seafood dish served in many Mediterranean countries' restaurants such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey. It is a relatively simple dish, which consists of batter coated, deep fried squid, often fried for under two minutes to prevent it from becoming too , quesadillas, Polish sausage, corn dogs, garlic fries, roasted corn-on-the-cob, fried artichokes and even lobster bisque bisque 1 n. 1. a. A rich, creamy soup made from meat, fish, or shellfish. b. A thick cream soup made of puréed vegetables. 2. Ice cream mixed with crushed macaroons or nuts. . Total strangers became friends over food, stopping people to ask, ``Oooh! What's that?'' or ``Where did you get it?'' and comparing notes. Shoppers in the arts and crafts arts and crafts, term for that general field of applied design in which hand fabrication is dominant. The term was coined in England in the late 19th cent. as a label for the then-current movement directed toward the revivifying of the decorative arts. area browsed among more than 300 artisans from 14 states selling handmade glycerin soaps, paintings, photographs, a sushi-making kit, clothing, jewelry jewelry, personal adornments worn for ornament or utility, to show rank or wealth, or to follow superstitious custom or fashion. The most universal forms of jewelry are the necklace, bracelet, ring, pin, and earring. , quilts, furniture and even hammocks. Lisa M. Sodders, (818) 713-3663 lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com IF YOU GO --The 21st Annual California Strawberry Festival will run from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. today at Strawberry Meadows of College Park, 3250 S. Rose Avenue, Oxnard. Tickets are $9 for adults, $5 for youths ages 5 to 12 and seniors 55 and older, and active military with ID card. For more information, call (888) 288-9242 or check the Web site at www.strawberry-fest.org CAPTION(S): 3 photos, box, map Photo: (1) A woman waves to an occupant of the ``berry-go-round'' ride Saturday during the 21st annual California Strawberry Festival at Strawberry Meadows of College Park in Oxnard. (2) Brian Lau, left, carries three flats of strawberries purchased from a vendor as he walks with girlfriend Michelle Sanchez. (3) Christy Ling feeds her son Clarence, 22 months, a strawberry dessert. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News Box: IF YOU GO (see text) Map: 2004 California Strawberry Festival |
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