Red, ripe, juicy and sweet. Ah, strawberries. Green, tender, crisp and flavorful. Mmm, baby salad greens. Spring has sprung, and we are full swing into one of my favorite times of the year, when salads become a mainstay of my menus. And there's nothing sweeter than to add strawberries to those menus, whether they accompany the salad or stand on their own in a dessert.

Some of my fondest memories involve strawberry picking, in my backyard or on one of the local farms. The ripe ones just fall off into your hand, and half of them go into your mouth. I love it when they're still warm, right off the stem. Those newbie lettuces are best right after they've been picked as well; I've been known to eat a whole pound by itself.

While not as many as when I was a kid, fortunately there are still local farms around that produce both of these spring delicacies. Check in with Great Country Farms in Bluemont (http://www.greatcountryfarms.com) or Hollin Farms in Delaplane (http://www.hollinfarms.com) for their pick-your-own strawberry availability. For spring greens, lettuces and spinach, check with Crooked Run Orchard in Purcellville (http://www.crookedrunorchard.com), Stoneybrook Farm in Hillsboro (http://www.stoneybrookfarm.org/), or stop by Market Salamander or the Home Farm Store for freshly picked greens from local producers. And, as always, check with the local farmers' markets on Saturday mornings in Middleburg and Thursday evenings in Purcellville.

Besides adding a bit of sweetness to your salads, strawberries are a wonderful addition to morning cereals, afternoon snack yogurt or after-dinner-splurge ice cream. Speaking of ice cream, if you've picked what you think are a few too many strawberries, wash and dry them well, hull them, then spread them on a parchment paper-lined baking tray and stick them in your freezer. In a few hours, you'll have perfectly frozen berries that you can place in freezer bags and store for up to one year. They won't be crisp when they thaw, but boy are they good in the middle of winter over ice cream or cake! You could even use them in the recipe provided below by Market Salamander Pastry Chef Jason Reaves. Enjoy the season!

Grilled Flank Steak, Spinach Salad and Warm Bacon Dressing
Created by Alyson Browett

Mmm…yum. You can't go wrong combining red meat, pork, spinach and a good ol' smelly cheese. This meal pairs great with any type of red wine – from a lighter Pinot Noir to a heavy Bordeaux. Or try your favorite ale!

1 (about 2 lb.) flank steak
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
8 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
½ medium Vidalia onion, sliced thin
4 oz. blue or gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
½ pint strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
6 strips thick-cut bacon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Dash salt and pepper

Preheat the grill and clean the grates. Place the flank steak in a casserole dish and rub it with the vinegar, oil and salt and pepper. Set aside and let rest outside the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the bacon over low to medium-low heat in a sauté pan, rendering the fat. When crisp, drain the bacon on paper towel-lined plate and reserve the fat; there should be a scant ¼ cup. Grill the flank steak, about 8 minutes per side, or until desired doneness (about 145° for medium-rare). When finished, let the steak rest for 10 minutes. Crumble the bacon. In a bowl, combine the spinach, onion and crumbled bacon. In a small sauté pan, whisk together the bacon fat, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. While the dressing is heating, slice the flank steak across the grain into thin strips. Pour the dressing over the spinach and toss to coat. Divide among four plates, top with some steak, the cheese and strawberries, and serve with your favorite red wine! Serves four.

Spring Greens, Grilled Chicken and Herbed Goat Cheese Dressing
Created by Alyson Browett and Christine Neubeiser

Another great meal for the warmer weather. But be careful! This dressing is completely addictive. Pair this with a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio for a wonderful meal.

2 cups herbs, roughly chopped (basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, whatever!)
1 small clove garlic, roughly chopped
½ shallot, roughly chopped
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 oz. goat cheese
8 cups watercress, arugula, spring mix, or spinach (the spiciness of the watercress or arugula works well)
½ pint strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
1 medium jicama, peeled and cut into small strips or cubes
1 ripe avocado, cubed
1 – 1 ½ lbs. chicken thighs (can use breast, but I prefer the juiciness of the thighs)

Preheat the grill or a grill or sauté pan. In a blender, combine the herbs, garlic, shallot and olive oil. Pulse until combined, then puree until liquid. If you still have "chunks," keep blending or pass through a sieve to remove any stringy herb remnants. Reserve ¼ cup of the herb oil as a chicken marinade. Coat the chicken in a dish or plastic bag and let sit a few minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, whisk the goat cheese into the remainder of the herb oil until smooth. Set aside. Grill the chicken thighs, watching for flare-ups if on a gas or charcoal grill, until an internal temperature of 165° is reached (about 15-20 minutes). Let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes. In a large salad bowl, combine the greens and the dressing, tossing to coat. Divide the greens among four plates and top with the strawberries, jicama and avocado. Slice the chicken into pieces and divide among the salad. Drizzle with any remaining dressing and dig in! Serves four.

Strawberry Trifle
Created by Jason Reaves, Pastry Chef, Market Salamander

Using tall wine glasses layer the following starting at the bottom of the glass:

Vanilla Pudding (recipe follows)
Fresh Strawberries (slices)
Lavender Croutons (recipe follows)
Strawberry Infusion Syrup (recipe follows)
Whipped Chantilly Cream (recipe follows)

Repeat one more layer of each item, then top with half a strawberry and a lavender blossom for garnish. Enjoy!

Strawberry Infusion Syrup (make a day ahead)
8 oz. water
6 tablespoons sugar
8 oz. strawberries (chopped small)

Boil the water and sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved. Pour over the strawberries while still hot. Cover and chill overnight. Strain out the strawberries, keeping only the syrup that remains.

Lavender-Honey Croutons
2 cups flour
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
0.5 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lavender leaves
¾ cup milk
Scant 1 cup sugar
Scant ½ cup butter
2 each eggs
¼ cup butter
¼ cup wildflower honey

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a pot, combine the milk and lavender leaves over medium heat. Heat to a simmer, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs until light and fluffy. Alternately add the flour and milk mixtures into the whipped butter mixture until just blended. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 325°F until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cake, about 30-40 minutes. When the cake is cool, cut into 1" squares. Melt ¼ cup butter and ¼ cup of wildflower honey together. Toss the cake squares in the honey-butter mixture and spread on a sheet pan. Bake in a 350°F oven until lightly toasted.

Vanilla Pudding
16 oz. milk
7 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 ½ tablespoons egg yolks
½ tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon vanilla paste (available at Market Salamander)

Combine 10 oz of the milk and 2 tablespoons of the sugar together with the vanilla paste in a pot over medium heat. In a bowl combine the cornstarch, remaining milk, and sugar, and whisk in the yolks. Temper the hot milk into the yolks by adding a little at a time, and return everything to the pot and whisk constantly over medium heat until the pudding thickens and boils. Boil the pudding for one minute. Strain into a bowl placed in an ice bath, whisk every now and then until the pudding is cool. Cover tightly and chill until ready to serve.

Chantilly Cream
8 oz. whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar

Whip the cream and sugar together to soft peaks.