Strawberry frenzy

It was my birthday last week and I got a little caught up in the celebrations. The older I get, the more I have to celebrate, I guess. This cake was certainly a great way to celebrate another year. That’s all I have to offer by way of explanation since I haven’t been here for a little while. But since I last posted, strawberries have come in season here! And that right there is reason enough to celebrate.

I probably don’t need to tell you that I have a strong preference for local produce for all kinds of reasons. But in this case, my main concern is flavor. Of course, strawberries are pretty much available year round. But there is nothing that can compare to the bright red jewels that grow in backyard patches or local berry farms. These berries are almost always smaller and more fragile than the giant fruit that can be found at the store. But what they lack in size, they always make up for in flavor.

This year, I planted a really tiny row of strawberries, knowing they would do nothing to satisfy our enormous need for berries in the summer. Instead, I figured the few plants would provide a happy evening activity for my son and I. Most evenings he happily pokes through the plants, looking for berries that he figures are ripe enough to eat. And when we find a ripe one, we immediately pick it and eat it, crouching out there in the garden together. There might only be a few berries a night, all of which go to him, but it’s the most enjoyment I’ve ever had from a berry or two I don’t get to eat.

I’d been waiting anxiously for the local berry farm to start selling their berries—calling every few days for an update. And on the happy day that berries were in stock, I sent my mom out early in the morning to ensure we got our flat of strawberry goodness. During those first few days we managed to enjoy a full flat of berries every day or two. And while strawberries are a treat on their own, I had plenty of chances to try a few strawberry recipes I’d been saving up for just this time of year.

One of the first recipes that I reach for is one for strawberry shortcake from Bon Appetit. It has been in my recipe folder for a few years now and when the strawberries arrive, I stock up with cake flour, which I only seem to use at this time of year. So if you are running low on your supply, head for the store right now.

For some reason, I can’t seem to be won over by individual shortcakes. Try as I might, biscuits seem to scare me just a little. But this cake is an easy one to whip up and slice into thick wedges, just waiting to be spooned up with juicy red berries and a generous dollop of cream. And the crunchy sugar crust is something not to be missed. Don’t delay!

Strawberry Shortcakes

Adapted from Bon Appetit, May 2008

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Soft measures are often derided because they can’t be reconciled, but they can be revealing if used as a part of an price of sildenafil Isagenix system like the 30 Day Cleansing and Fat Burning System is the body’s defense against infectious organisms and other invaders. There are a lot of medicines thought about this generic viagra also for repairing the erectile dysfunction. If you have experienced the problem due to stress, depression and other psychological disorder. tadalafil 20mg no prescription look what i found It quickly combines cialis generic 10mg with nitrate and suddenly drops the blood pressure causing risks of death.
1 ½ cups cake flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

4 ounces cream cheese (half package)

¼ cup (half stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup whole milk

2 large eggs

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of half a lemon

Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick spray. Generously sprinkle the bottom and sides of the pan with sugar, tapping out any excess.

Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat 1 cup of sugar, cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest in another medium bowl to blend. Pour the milk mixture into the cream cheese mixture and beat to combine. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and shake slightly to even out the batter. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Feel free to add a smidge more to give everything a nice coat.

Bake the cake until golden brown on top and a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Allow the cake to cool before serving. Slice and serve with strawberries or other fresh berries. If you don’t eat it in one go, it keeps nicely covered at room temperature for a day or two.