Strawberry Shortcake Time

It’s Strawberry Time!

If you’ve had a chance to visit any of the outdoor markets lately, you’ve seen them. Piles of bright red berries, gleaming in the sunlight, just waiting to be taken home and devoured! There are a variety of strawberries here in Sicily, from the impossibly tiny fragoline to the gigantic fragolone, and every size in between. Although strawberries are a wonderfully healthy, low-calorie treat when eaten plain, I look forward to strawberry season for another reason: Strawberry Shortcake!

The strawberry shortcake I grew up eating was assembled using those little yellow sponge cake cups that can be found right next to the strawberries in almost any grocery store in the United States. As a child, I thought those little pre-packaged treats were wonderful topped with strawberries and whipped cream. But after tasting homemade strawberry shortcake for the first time several years ago, I walked away from the little yellow cakes and I’ve never looked back!

I’ve been experimenting lately with my old shortcake recipe and I’ve come up with a new one that generously serves four people. If you have a large family, double the recipe. Shortcake is best eaten warm from the oven and since this recipe is fairly quick and easy, you can prepare it right before you want to eat it.

These shortcakes are simply butter-rich, slightly sweet drop biscuits (very close to a scone). And although they may not taste like dessert if you eat them on their own, they are the perfect accompaniment to the sweet strawberries and syrup.

For best results, make sure your butter is very cold and work quickly. Also, be sure to let the strawberry and sugar mixture macerate while you proceed with the recipe as the berries need time to release their tasty juices! For easy clean-up, try lining your baking sheet with parchment paper.

Strawberry Shortcake

4 C. fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced
4 – 6 T. sugar (adjust to suit your own taste)
1 ½ C. all-purpose flour
1 ½ t. baking soda
4 T. sugar
1/3 C. butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 C. cold milk
1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
whipped cream (I prefer the real thing)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the strawberries and sugar. Set aside while you prepare the shortcakes.
   
3. In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and sugar.
   
4. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips and working quickly, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
   
5. Add milk and vanilla all at once to flour mixture and stir until just combined.
   
6. Using a large spoon, drop mixture into four equal piles on an ungreased baking sheet.
   
7. Bake 12 – 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
   
8. Remove biscuits to a rack and let cool for a few minutes.
   
9. To serve, split a biscuit in two, spoon ¼ of the berry mixture over the bottom half (make sure you include lots of the juice), top with whipped cream and the other half of the biscuit.

More Ways With Strawberries

Last week, I asked for some strawberry recipe contributions to be included in this post. Thanks to everyone who responded, I received some really great ideas!

First I’ll start out with a drink recipe given by my friend Ruby. I’ll just let her tell you in her own words how to make this yummy-sounding Strawberry Margarita! Take it away, Rubes!

Well first off you need a good Osterizer blender (much like the one your Aunt Kathy gave us for our wedding)!

This is a 2 drink recipe that Ron and I use…wedge of lime and coarse salt to rim the glass!

2 cups of crushed ice
6 cut, fresh strawberries (minus stems)
1/2 shot of lime juice
pinch of coarse salt (optional)
pinch of sugar (optional, depends on how sweet you want it)
1 1/2 shots of tequila (good tequila)
1/2 shot of triple sec

1. Rub lime on the edges of two margarita glasses and dip in salt (optional)
2. Blend all ingredients to a fine puree.
3. Divide drink mixture between the two glasses
4. Garnish with a strawberry and you have achieved total yumminess!

From:
http://pinchmysalt.wordpress.com/2007/05/16/its-strawberry-time/
Strawberry Shortcake Time