The Strawberries Are Coming!
There are two things I look forward to, more than anything, with the coming of summer: caprese salad with creamy mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and fresh basil from my herb garden, and strawberry shortcake. When I was younger, I so anticipated the strawberries, absolutely my most favorite fruit in the world, which we only got in the summer. My mom would make sweetened biscuits, top them with strawberries and Cool Whip, and my brothers and I would devour this sweet treat. This dessert always reminds me of my childhood.
Now, with global food shipping, you can strawberries any time of the year, if you’re willing to pay for them. But those winter strawberries, with their white, tasteless core and Frankenstein-like size, are nothing compared to the sweet, juicy, red berries you can get in season. And, rumor has it, they’re starting to pop up in St Louis, the precious few pints available after the heavy spring rains getting snatched up within minutes of the opening of the markets. My schedule hasn’t allowed me to fight the crowds for these jewels, but tomorrow I’ll be heading to my local Wednesday market to procure the first fresh berries of the season. See what I’ll do with them, after the jump.
Garden Fresh Organic StrawberriesStrawberry harvest is in full swing, and as the bounty reaches epic proportions in my garden, I am always looking for new recipes that do not ruin the naturally sweet flavor of the fruit. Mostly, we snack on strawberries straight from the plants, but occasionally I am motivated to make a delectable dessert to savor. Old fashioned, organic strawberry shortcake has become an early summer favorite 
