Q: Where is the best place to get good strawberries in South Florida? - Bob Schwinn, Toronto, Canada
A: That's an easy one. Go to the Redlands, about 20 miles south of Miami, to Burr's Strawberry Farm, to pick your own. While you're there, pick up lots of other fresh vegetables in season from the many U-Pick 'em places or roadside stands. There's even an Amish ourpost there, selling fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables and delicious homemade cakes.
Q: Why are flamingos pink? - Ron Gabriau, Houston Texas
Q: How do you tell if asparagus is fresh? - Bea Bibb, Tallahassee, Florida
Q: How do you prepare stone crabs? - Dick Hart, Brooklyn, N.Y.
A: Pink flamingos (which are not native to Florida despite their association with the Sunshine State), get their pink color from the pink shellfish they eat.
A: Try to bend it - if the asparagus snaps, it's fresh. Break off the tough part where it snaps.
A: Stone crabs, made popular by Joe's Stone Crabs, a landmark restaurant in Miami Beach which first marketed these delicious delicassies (once considered garbage food), are very simple to prepare. Buy them at a reputable store. They're already cooked. Serve with drawn butter.