Last Week for Strawberries!

One of the sweetest and most delicious signs of spring is strawberries. The small, fresh berries were plentiful at the grand opening of the East Nashville Farmers Market this past Wednesday. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for a stroll around the market with my husband and the dog. After trying (and failing) to get the dog interested in some petting zoo animals, I nabbed some of those delicious strawberries as well as a sage plant for the garden.

Currently its spring and that means time to indulge in some of the first fresh fruits and vegetables. For strawberries, when they are at their peak season it’s best to let their own intense flavor shine. For my pint of berries I decided to riff on strawberry shortcake. I sliced the strawberries and sandwiched them in a biscuit with a dollop of whipped cream to hold it all together.

These delicious little treats can be as easy or intricate to make as you want. I chose to make my own biscuits and whipped cream. However, since the main event is the strawberries using a biscuit mix and ready-made whipped cream would result in a treat just as delicious. Though homemade whipped cream is dead easy to make and really interesting (turn liquid into a solid!). For about a cup of cream, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and any flavoring you like. I used vanilla; other options would be crème de menthe, rose water, grand marnier, or even cocoa powder. Simply add cream, sugar and flavoring to a bowl and using a mixer, whip into soft peaks.

The biscuit provides a crunchy, buttery contrast to the soft, sweetness of the berries. Just a hint of saltiness from the biscuit balances the sweet for those who love the combination of sweet and salty. I found that biting down into one of these sandwiches caused everything to squish out. So every bite must be taken carefully and savored, which is really how these are best eaten. These would be great for mother’s day, a brunch among friends, or perhaps nibbling some leftovers for a midnight snack.

Enjoy!

-Amanda Harvey, Guest Blogger