Several months ago I found an article in The Birmingham News by Bob Carlton on our Southern culture's Blue Bottle tree. I have wanted to do one for a long time, but with this and that, the desire was put on the back burner to wait until I had the time. Well, now is the time for this project to begin. I have put it off long enough. They are an increasing rarity as the ancient folk beliefs and customs have fallen from favor.

The south is full of strange superstitions and this is one of them. According to legend, evil spirits, spooks, haunts and wooly boogers just cannot resist crawling into the blue bottles on the tree. It seems they have a great deal of curiosity, so they climb the bottles to see what is inside. Then they are trapped. By morning, when the sun comes out, they are destroyed.

Curious little devils, are they not? It is said that when the wind blows past the tree, you can hear the moans of the ensnared spirits whistling on the breeze. The blue bottle tree is one of our oldest traditions, alongside painting your front door blue, which also helps to keep the spooks, evil spirits or what have you from entering your home. The origins of the tree go back to the ninth century Congo where hand-blown glass was hung on huts and trees as a talisman.

There are really no directions in erecting this quaint structure or "tacky" yard art, just use your imagination. First, select the tree. You want to put it in a place where you can enjoy the sunlight reflecting from the blue bottles. A cedar tree works best because all branches point heavenward. You can use a real tree (that is what I want) or a tree form made from steel and available online, or just build a wooden form. Now that the tree is selected, you need blue bottles, like Milk of Magnesia, Vick's Salve, wine or water bottles to place in a decorative fashion. Collecting the bottles is fun, but when you begin you will see just how scarce they really are. Be sure to wash the bottles and to remove the labels. When hanging the bottles, make sure they are pointed upwards so they will not collect water.

Not many of us are really into trapping evil spirits, but any little bit helps to avoid disaster, a small insurance policy to keep our house haunt free. Mostly, people do it to enjoy this ancient folk art. Maybe it can be a deterrent for telemarketers.

<b>Cold Strawberry Soup</b>

1 qt. strawberries, hulled and quartered

1/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. Grand Marnier

3 c. cold heavy cream

3 C. apple juice, chilled

1/2 c. honey

1 tsp. lemon juice

Strawberry slices for garnish

In a large nonreactive bowl, combine strawberries, sugar and liqueur. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Puree berries with their juices until smooth. Add heavy cream, apple juice, honey and lemon juice to the puree. Chill soup at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Serve in chilled cups garnished with a strawberry slice. Serves 8. —Breakfasts and Brunches

Cook's Note: Grand Marnier may be substituted with Chambord, a raspberry-flavored liqueur or amaretto, an almond-flavored liqueur.

<b>Strawberry Breakfast Pizza</b>

1 7 1/2 oz. pkg. refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)

1 orange

1 8-oz. pkg. light cream cheese, softened

5 tsp. honey, divided

1 pint strawberries, stemmed and halved

Preheat oven to 400º. Stack 2 biscuits on top of each other and then roll out to a 6-inch circle, 1/8 inch thick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, do all others until you have five circle and prick each circle with a fork. Bake until golden, about 6 to 8 minutes, loosen and cool. Finely grate peel from the orange. In a small bowl mix cheese, orange peel and 3 teaspoons of honey until well-blended and set aside. Juice the orange. In a bowl add strawberries, juice and remaining honey and toss. Increase oven temperature to 425º. Spread biscuits with cheese to within half an inch of edges, brown lightly and top with the drained strawberries. Serve warm.

<b>Sweet-Hot Strawberry Barbecue Sauce</b>

2 c. fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/3 c. strawberry preserves

1/3 c. ketchup

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. lemon juice

1 large clove, minced

1 tsp. fresh ginger, chopped

1/2 tsp. cayenne powder

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1 scallion, minced

2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped

Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. It is best if brushed onto grilled pork or chicken near the end of the cooking time, which will prevent the sauce from crystallizing. Very good and different.

<b>Tender Greens with Strawberry Vinaigrette</b>

1 c. strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 small red onion, sliced thinly

2 T. good olive oil

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. balsamic vinegar

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mixed tender greens

Combine strawberries, onion, oil, vinegars, salt and pepper to taste, in a salad bowl and give the dressing an extra stir. Let it sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes to allow the berries and onions to marinate. Before serving, dip a piece of lettuce into the dressing and taste; adjust with salt and pepper if desired. —Tasty, by Roy Finamore