Rite of Spring

We picked our first substantial colander of fresh strawberries today. It's raining and chilly, but who cares? There are perfect berries right out of the back yard bed, macerating in a layer of sugar and about a tablespoon of dry red wine.

The shortcakes are crisp and layered - warm from the oven and ready for splitting. They smell buttery and sweet and there is steam seeping from the flaky layers.

The cream is sweetened and whipped ... but not too much. It must drape itself loosely when plopped into place. It's the Lindquist law ... probably voted on over many a Springtime supper table and passed on from one generation to the next until it is no longer questioned, just taken for Gospel.

Works for me!

Shortcakes

Ingredients:

2 c. flour

2 ½ tbsp. sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

⅓ c. cold butter, cut into small lumps

¾ c. cold milk

Making the Shortcakes:

1. Measure the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
2. Cut the butter lumps into the dry mix until the mixture resembles meal.
3. Add the cold milk and mix briskly to make a lump of dough.
4. Knead the dough 20 times, gathering any loose flour into the dough ball.
5. Lightly dust a cold surface with flour and roll the dough out to ½ inch thickness. Cut three inch circles of dough.
6. Preheat the oven to 450° F.
7. Place the shortcakes on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until golden and crisped.
8. Split the warm shortcakes and butter them lightly, top with prepared berries and plop whipped cream atop.
9. Serve immediately.