And if you indulge beneath a strawberry moon, what could be better?
Last night, we got a double treat from the skies. First, a brilliant sunset. Then, a beautiful moon rise, the strawberry moon of June that this year was a brilliant red, in part, sadly, from the haze we are still experiencing from the wildfires in Canada. The moon has been red (when we could see it, still lots of clouds and rain) for over a week as we experience the side effects of this natural disaster.
First, check to see if you have gas!
There were four of us for dinner last night, and we decided to barbecue and dusted off the gas grill. While I usually use my charcoal Weber, we just wanted to quickly cook some veggies and shrimp, so we fired it up. About two-thirds of the way through cooking, and before we even started the asparagus, we ran out of gas. Didn’t even think to check the gauge, which is really had to see. Thus, quick dinner on the grill wasn’t quite so quick.
Dining outside
Husband replaced the gas tank, and dinner was only a little bit late. The reward for our patience was strawberry shortcake for dessert, so there were no complaints and it was a beautiful night to sit outside and enjoy the air, for once not raining.
Strawberries herald the season
I often think that summer begins when the strawberries come in regardless of what date is on the calendar. It’s not just the start of berry season, but we start nurturing thoughts of outdoor gatherings and get togethers over food. After a long winter and rainy spring, it’s time to be outside as much as possible, eating and enjoying the garden and beautiful sunny weather – at least that is the illusion. With the rains we’ve had this year, it’s been a little challenging to find this time.
Strawberry supper
I was talking with my cousin Chris the other day about the first strawberries. He commented that when strawberries come in, a “strawberry supper” for so many of us is just that, strawberry shortcake, the entire meal, especially if we’ve just picked a big boxful. Everyone seems to love it. When I catered for large events, the two most popular desserts were strawberry shortcake and apple crisp. Hardly anyone didn’t eat dessert if those were served.
Wild strawberries
When my mom made strawberry shortcake, it was only when the wild strawberries came in. She would send us kids out to pick early in the morning before the birds could eat them all. They were extremely flavorful, but very small, and it took a long time to pick. The rewards for our efforts were great. Although I have some wild strawberries on my property here, I never get to them before the birds, so it’s the farmstand for me, or I’ll pick with one of my grandkids at a PYO site.
Simple is best
She kept it simple. Slice and sweeten the strawberries with a little sugar and let them macerate. Ladle over some biscuits, plenty of juice to soak in, and top with whipped cream. This is how I usually make it, but I’ll add a twist or two. Sometimes, just some vanilla extract or vanilla paste, which is how I served it last night. One of my favorites is Grand Marnier and the zest of an orange. To the strawberries, you can add some rhubarb you have cooked until soft for a completely different taste. Some people like adding a thick balsamic vinegar to the berries, and others like fresh mint or basil. You can also jazz up the cream if you like with different extracts, or even cheeses such as mascarpone or sour cream. So many possibilities, or just serve it up traditionally.
A happy discovery
For the biscuits I used half white whole wheat flour (King Arthur now calls it Golden Wheat Whole Wheat Flour, why I don’t know!), and half unbleached white. This is in no way health food, but I love the interest and flavor the whole grain adds to the dish. I had to make a quadruple batch for a lunch I was helping to cook for the local seniors, and decided on two double batches, which worked out well. However, I ran out of milk after the first two batches and substituted unsweetened soy for the second round. Those biscuits turned out flakier and browned more evenly, so that’s the way the recipe will read now!
Freeze now, enjoy later
Strawberries, as other berries, freeze easily. Just toss them on a baking sheet and freeze, then pack in baggies. They will stay separate if you do this, so you can take out only what you need for desserts and smoothies. So nutritious and delicious. One of my favorite breakfasts all winter is a berry bowl. I put frozen blueberries or blackberries in a bowl along with a couple of tablespoons of old-fashioned oats. Pop it in the microwave for a minute, then add some nuts and maybe a half banana, and a couple of ounces each of plain yogurt, soy milk, and unsweetened pomegranate juice. You can feel the energy in your body after you eat this!
Strawberry Shortcake
The biscuits:
- 1 ½ cups unbleached white flour
- 1 ¼ cups King Arthur golden wheat flour
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ cup organic sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 ½ sticks (12 tbsp.) butter or vegan butter, chilled
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk, soured with 1 tsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract or paste
The strawberries:
- Strawberries, sliced
- Sugar to your taste
- A splash of vanilla extract or paste
First, the strawberries. Slice them, and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sugar. You know how much you like, and it will depend on how sweet the strawberries are. So sweeten, taste, and let them sit while you finish everything else. The longer the better, so the juices come out of the strawberries and make a lovely syrup.
Add the vinegar to the soy milk and set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 F. (220 C.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, soda, sugar, and salt. Mix it up well, a whisk works well.
Grate the chilled butter into the mixture, then use a pastry blender to combine well. It will be like coarse beach sand.
Add the milk and vanilla and gently combine. When almost mixed, turn out onto a floured surface and gently bring it together with your floured hands, folding over on itself several times, just until combined with no flour pockets. Roll out to about ¾ inch thick (2 cm). Using a floured 2 ½” inch (6 cm) biscuit cutter, slice straight down to cut out each biscuit and place on the sheet, touching each other. This makes a dozen if you carefully and gently re-roll the dough once. Any extras freeze nicely.
Brush the top with a bit more milk. Pop in the oven, and after five minutes reduce the heat to 400 F. (200) Bake for 15 minutes longer, or until nicely browned. Let cool.
To assemble, slice your cakes and add a nice scoop of strawberries with plenty of the juice. Top and add whipped cream of choice, or even ice cream.
Chantilly Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. superfine sugar
Use a local cream that is not ultra-pasteurized. It will be fresher and taste better. Also, it will whip up faster than grocery store cream, so keep an eye on that or you’ll end up with butter.
Start whipping and slowly add the sugar in a little stream. When whipped to where you want it, add the vanilla.
Vegan alternative: Use the same technique using coconut cream; you will just have to beat it longer.
Remember the jumprope rhyme when you were a kid: Strawberry shortcake with cream on top, tell me the name of my sweetheart….A B C D…Does anyone jumprope any more? I know, I’m dating myself.
Everything seems to be happening in the garden all at once! The perfect time for a garden party.
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Thank you, Dorothy, for your lovely ideas! I love strawberries!
Joanna
They are the first berry, and thus are the most anticipated each season.
Oh lawdy! Such gorgeous pix and it looks like someone may be getting ready for the Fourth of July with this very patriotic cake plating! Delicious, D! Strawberry shortcake, cream on top….. 🎶🥰
Funny, when I looked at it I though of the Fourth as well! Definitely not intentional.
it’s the beautiful blue & white plate ….. or maybe just the great minds of the sisterhood!
The latter I’m sure!
I totally agree, Sis!
When we jumped rope we said: “Strawberry shortcake, Huckleberry Finn, When I call your birthday, Jump on in. Jan, Feb, Mar…”
Those rhymes are so ingrained in our brains, aren’t they? We sang the so often, and we didn’t tire of them.
Love the photos and the recipe. We have a couple of June birthdays in the family and one of them has always called for strawberry shortcake or root beer floats!
It’s perfect for a birthday. My husband’s birthday is June 16, and it has served as his cake as well.
My husband would agree with your cousin that strawberry shortcake for dinner would be awfully good! Looks so delicious! We’ve also run out of propane at the most unopportune times. I now have a backup propane tank!
Thanks Jan, I’m really glad we had one on hand!
I will be right over! The strawberries are thinking about ripening here. And lots of whipped cream please. 🍓🙂
You got it! Extra juice too!
Yessssssss!
❤️🍓❤️
That looks fabulous. What a treat!
Thank you, it really is a seasonal treat!
I think Strawberry Shortcake for breakfast, lunch, OR dinner is a grand idea!
Absolutely!
Boy oh boy, strawberries at the beginning, apples at the end. What a way to punctuate the seasons! Two of my favorites are strawberry short cake and apple crisp. I make my biscuits using my mother’s old recipe, which calls for Crisco. Not exactly healthy, but as you noted… 😉
Yep, it’s not health food!
But so good!
Every drop!
Strawberry Shortcake under a Strawberry Moon. How festive, Dorothy. Sounds Strawberrylicious! 🍃🍓🍃🍓🍃🍓🍃
Beautiful flowers AND strawberry shortcake – now, that’s a post. 🙂 We have strawberry plants, but the chippies usually help themselves to a bite here and there so we eat a few while we’re gardening but never have enough for a dessert. I ate a couple of really tasty ones while I was outside working today. I think I’ll add some things to my grocery list, because now all I can think about is strawberry shortcake. 🙂
Once it is planted in your head….
Oh, yum! Sweet juicy strawberries, whipped cream, and biscuits. Isn’t that called heaven, Dorothy? I’m sure everyone was delighted.
It was very quiet while it was consumed except for the occasional ahhhh.
Your strawberry shortcake sounds divine, and yes, of course makes me want some! The photograph of your garden is beautiful.
Thanks Suz! Everything is happening all at once in the garden!
Looks lovely
Thank you! It was the taste of summer on a plate.
Mmmm Strawberries and cream. I haven’t had your Strawberry Shortcake but I’m sure it is gorgeous. Now that you have added the recipe I shall find out. Thanks. I love the first Strawberries of summer :))
It’s a treat we wait for all year, isn’t it? So delicious.
I love strawberry shortcake. I agree that it is a great way to celebrate friendship — and make new ones!
It definitely brings people together! It’s the time of year for all types of strawberry suppers.
yummy
It was well enjoyed!
I bet Dorothy
Not surprising that you are posting a strawberry recipe, too! How come the biscuits are called biscuits if they’re not baked twice?
Thanks for the question Stefan! The name would definitely suggest “twice baked” and probably eons ago they were or they wouldn’t have gotten the name. I was curious, so I looked it up at Grammarphobia: The British cooking writer Elizabeth David has suggested that the American use of “biscuit” may have been influenced by a similar usage in Scotland and Guernsey, where the term can refer to soft biscuits like scones. It may be that Scottish immigrants brought the usage to America.
“It is interesting that these soft biscuits (such as scones) are common to Scotland and Guernsey, and that the term biscuit as applied to a soft product was retained in these places, and in America, whereas in England it has completely died out,” she writes in English Bread and Yeast Cookery (1977).
One of the few things I twice bake is biscotti, which is definitely a cookie in the US, but firmly a biscuit in the UK!
yummy post from beginning to end!
Thank you so much!
You’re spoiling me!🍓🍰🍓☕️☕️ WHY?
Because that’s what I do! I have a piece saved for you!
After a challenging week, your treat is a big honor! 🍓🍰☕️☕️☕️☕️
Challenging week indeed!
Thank you!
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Hearts out to you for this week! With great coffee!☕️☕️☕️☕️
Always!
Nothing beats a meal outside, strawberry shortcake and a strawberry moon. Cheers to summer!
It’s finally here! Thanks for stopping by!
Absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious.
Thank you! It was really tasty.
Strawberry season and you’ve done it justice!!
Ah, thanks! It’s a marvelous season!
Ah, what you have called biscuits we call scones. These sounds delicious, Dorothy 🍓🥞
When we make scones, they are similar to our biscuits but they usually include eggs. Biscuits rely on the baking powder and soda for lift.
Yes, it’s the same process
Thank you for your delicious strawberry ideas Dorothy! Wild strawberries are the best, but as you said a pain to clean and slice. Your flowers are beautiful too!
Thank you, it’s all wonderful right now!
Ooh yes, strawberries are soooo perfectly summer! I love shortcake made with biscuits, much better than the spongy yellow cakes that people seem to love here in the South. Your backyard garden is looking gorgeous! When is the party? 😉
Whenever you show up!
Strawberry shortcake is my favorite!
You are certainly not alone, Cecilia! It’s the favorite of so many.
There’s nothing like Strawberry Shortcake–it’s such a great dessert for this time of year!
It sets the season going for me that’s for sure!
Yes, we love strawberries at our house!
Nothing better this time of year! And then, we’ll have blueberries!
What a lovely evening! So delicious 😋 I wanted to see the strawberry moon too but I forgot 😅
Because of the wildfires in Canada, the moon was really the color of strawberries unfortunately.
Oh, I’m surprised to see your reply! I have tried several times to leave the comment but it kept failing, so I thought was not published 🥺
I’m sorry for the fires! I’m sure it was a sight!
It’s pretty clear today, but last week the haze was terrible and there were air quality alerts for those with asthma, etc. Such a disaster.
Oh, I should bookmark this for next years strawberry moon 🙂
Don’t you just love that an entire full moon every year was/is named after strawberries?
Love it!
I’ve never really liked anything except the food “strawberry”, since most of them are excessively sweet. However, this seems good though!
I don’t like overly sweet desserts, and using a real biscuit rather than those sweet cake-like things some folks use, really keeps this a pleasant treat.