Strawberry Kabobs with Orange Lavender Glaze

There’s not much better in the whole world than strawberries in June freshly picked early in the morning with little droplets of dew still clinging to the crimson fruit. If you can’t grow them yourself, go to a local u-pick farm. Try to find one that doesn’t use pesticides. Strawberries are on the dirty dozen list (with approximately 59 different pesticide residues detected). Then pick as many as you can afford. Clean them by gently brushing off the dirt (never soak strawberries). You can make all sorts of things from strawberries to preserve them, but we freeze most of ours. After they are cleaned and hulled, put them in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to gallon size zip top bags. If you are lucky they will last until next spring. Ours never last past September! The same day that you pick your strawberries, plan to grill out and make these delicious fruit kabobs.

1 qt strawberries, cleaned and hulled
2 apricots halved
1 bananas, peeled and sliced 1” thick
2 plums halved

Presoak six wooden skewers in a pan of water for about ½ hour. Slide the fruit on the skewers, alternating the type of fruit. Brush the kabobs with the Orange Lavender Glaze. Wait 5 to 10 minutes and brush the fruit with the glaze again. Grill the fruit approximately 3 minutes and flip. Grill 3 more minutes. Brush a final time with the glaze and serve.

Orange Lavender Glaze:
1 1/2 tsp. dried lavender blossoms, finely minced
1/2 cup honey, warmed
Zest from 2 oranges
Juice from 3 oranges

Mix the ingredients well. Allow flavors to combine about ½ hr. Brush on fruit liberally. Depending on the sweetness of your oranges you can use less honey. Make sure to mince the lavender very finely.