Roasting strawberries helps to remove some of the water and concentrates the berry flavors.

Jessica Webster | AnnArbor.com

And this year, thanks to a very welcome new cookbook and the encouragement of some friends, I’m also eating fresh strawberries in a ridiculously delicious homemade ice cream.

Pity my mother, her ilk, and their culinary epiphany in the 1950s. Enthralled with the freedom the new convenience foods allowed, when shopping for groceries they’d scoff at the produce section, as they merrily stacked canned vegetables, tasting of tin, and sugary fruit cocktail into their carts. “Instant Potatoes” and “Minute Rice” - wham, bam - slam dunks tossed into the mix with abandon; these staples, alongside the Spam, would keep well into the Cold War.

Mary Bilyeu | Contributor

These tidbits weren't sufficient to contribute to a meal; the bread was quite firm, in fact, and wouldn't have been edible as it was.

But each of these forlorn ingredients contributed beautifully to my dessert.

I thought about creating something novel and innovative, but ultimately I gave in to my favorite — bread pudding. It's classic, and I love it. I had everything I needed to make it. And so, I did.

Sweet and spicy, with hints of tartness and color sprinkled throughout, this is a stellar springtime dessert.

This is Das Brandenburger Tor in Berlin, known in English as the Brandenburg Gate. Photo by Thomas Wolf, released for public use via Wikimedia Commons.

Obama is in Germany today, meeting with the German president and chancellor. He gives a speech at the Brandenburg Gate almost 50 years after John F. Kennedy gave his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech there. The last time Obama was in Germany, 2008, he addressed a huge, euphoric crowd. Today’s official reception is grand, but the public reception is lukewarm, reflecting concerns about drones, NSA spying and other matters.

Germans also are an important audience for OurValues.org. The column has an American focus, but the international readership of OurValues.org demonstrates that it really is a small world after all. We also have many readers from Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, India, Philippines, China, Netherlands, France, and Sweden.

Over 1,300 columns have appeared on OurValues.org. One of the most popular posts featured Germany and its role as a model of a post-nuclear world. Here is it, in edited form:

IS GERMANY A MODEL FOR A POST-NUCLEAR WORLD?

Would you be willing to sacrifice your lifestyle if it meant we could end the use of nuclear energy? Six of ten Germans are willing to do so, based on a new poll. A majority (57%) say they want Germany to close all nuclear power plants in less than five years. Is a nuclear-free Germany a model of our future?

Along with a change in lifestyle, Germany plans to shift to 50% renewable energy by 2050. That’s an ambitious goal, and even if it’s attained, where would the other half come from? Natural gas is one source, but coal is another—and coal is the real enemy, says environmentalist George Monbiot. The human and ecological costs are far greater than the risks of nuclear energy, he argues.

Germany’s neighbor—the Czech Republic—is delighted with Germany’s plans to cut nuclear, looking to profit by selling them energy from coal-fired plants. Czech companies don’t face pressure to close their nuclear plants, and politicians are in favor of increasing the use of coal as an energy source, according to business reports.

This all goes to show that the German model illustrates the limits of a nation-specific energy policy. One nation bans nuclear energy and its citizens are willing to take a hit to their lifestyle. Another nation invests in nuclear and coal-fired energy. It’s the same thing when you decide to not use pesticides on your lawn, but your neighbor asks for a double dose.

The energy dilemma we’ve discussed all week goes beyond national boundaries. It requires a multi-national policy. And, that takes a level of cooperation that we have not seen before.

What do you think of Germany’s model?

Is it a model that you could support?

Or, is it futile given that other nations will do the opposite?

Dr. Wayne E. Baker is a sociologist on the faculty of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Baker blogs daily at Our Values and can be reached at ourvaluesproject@gmail.com or on Facebook.

Flickr photo by Nick Farnhill

Michigan is a destination for visitors from all over, and many want to bring their four-legged friends with them on their travels. It's no surprise — pets are a big part of our lives, and wanting them to share in the fun is natural.

I recall many years when Gretchen was able to tag along on trips to the Traverse City area.

In fact, I get a lot emails and phone calls from folks across the nation inquiring on pet-friendly restaurants in the area — but I cringe when I have to tell them that there are none. For many, they say that may make or break their decision to come here and spend time (and money!).

But one piece of proposed legislation may enable restaurant patrons to bring their dogs when they dine.

Lorrie Shaw | Contributor

Have you captured your pet taking advantage of all that the outdoors has to offer? Why not submit a favorite photo of your pet?

Any pet or animal in the family is welcome in the slideshow we feature each Friday.

Crews dig through boxes of gardening books scattered on U.S. 23 after a semi overturned Monday afternoon.

Courtesy of Michigan State Police

A picture released Tuesday morning by state police reveals the type of thorny challenges cleanup crews faced Monday evening when a semi truck filled with gardening books overturned on southbound U.S. 23 near Brighton.