Strawberry Season

Dinner tonight!

 The warm wet spring weather has been good for local strawberry farmers. Strawberries are available earlier than usual in our region and the ones I bought today at a local farm stand were huge, juicy and sweet. There is no comparison between imported strawberries and those that are grown locally.

These berries are field-ripened and will last only a day or two. Imported strawberries are much cheaper but local field strawberries are worth every penny. 

Mom and Dad were between 7 or 8 and 13 years old during World War 2. Food was rationed and Mom's family grew vegetables, had bees and raised sheep. As doctors, her parents were sometimes paid for their services with farm produce, locally caught fish, chicken and other foods. Mom said that dinner sometimes was one food that was abundant at that particular time of year. She particularly liked supper meals that featured all-you-could-eat corn on the cob. Who says we have to have a balanced plate every time we eat?

With that in mind, I decided that strawberry shortcake would be the main course and dessert tonight. Freshly baked buttermilk biscuits and whipped cream complemented the berries perfectly. 

I avoid ultra-processed foods (UPFs) ubiquitous in our modern society. I check labels carefully and try to choose food without processed oils, sweeteners, preservatives and other additives. We enjoy digestive biscuits with our tea and I found a simple recipe that is better than any store-bought version. I will print out the recipe below in case this webpage vanishes.

Tea Biscuits

Preheat oven to 350 F.

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cold milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional but delicious)

Combine flour, baking powder and butter in a food processor and process until the mixture looks like crumbs. Add sugar and pulse until it is blended. 

Place the mixture in a bowl and add the milk and vanilla.

Mix with a spoon and your hands until a ball of dough forms. Roll out to a 1/8" thickness and cut in rounds with a cookie cutter. Place on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 15- 20 minutes. They need to be nicely browned so they stay crisp when cooled.