Tart is a treat at annual strawberry fest.

Byline: Joe Bonwich

June 22--A strawberry festival held in early June is one of the year's biggest events at the Charless House, a senior residence in south St. Louis. And as food service director, Charmaine Barrale has the job of making a whole lot of strawberry treats. But she has a little secret: "I'm highly allergic to strawberries." Nonetheless, she's managed to develop strawberry recipes that the residents love -- along with rewriting a piece of the strawberry festival's 138-year history.

"We'd been doing the same thing over and over because it was tradition," Barrale says. "We'd been making only strawberry shortcake forever and a day. We only just …