Wednesday, June 13, 2012 • The South Whidbey Record
www.Southwhidbeyrecord.com
Page A15
Strawberries make a fine tribute to the best Dad For a number of years during my childhood, one of my best friends frequently borrowed my dad for some occasion or another. She lived just across the street and spent a lot of her non-school time at our house, and even though I knew she had no dad of her own, it didn’t occur to me until years later what a huge difference it made in her life. And every Father’s Day, she made him a card and brought it over to give him. Her dad had died in a logging accident when she was two and her mother never remarried, so she and her older brother grew up fatherless. I, on the other hand, had been dealt one of the best fathers I’ve ever known, and I didn’t mind sharing him with my friend. Of course, during those years, I wasn’t aware that my father was exceptional; he was just Dad, and as far as I knew then, most kids’ dads were pretty much the same. Dad went to work on weekdays, mowed the lawn and went fishing and/ or hunting on the weekends, fixed things around the house when something broke, checked our report cards and either praised or urged improvement, sat through school plays and piano recitals, took us out for Sunday afternoon drives, read the paper, scolded us when Mom said we needed “a good talking to about our behavior,” took out the garbage, and mostly was just always there. All the other dads I knew were more or less the same, I thought then. Over the years, h o w e v e r, I came to u n d e r stand that there are, indeed, exceptional
WHIDBEY RECIPES
Margaret Walton
people in this world, often point used my mom’s recipe among six custard cups or unrecognized but neverthe- for Dad’s favorite lemon ramekins (1 ¼ cup size). less exceptional, and one meringue pie, so I’ll now Mix butter, almond paste of those was my father. turn to his next favorite and remaining 1/3 cup Yes, he was tall and hand- dessert, which would be sugar in a food processor some, which some of my anything with fresh straw- until well blended. Transfer friends’ dads decidedly berries. We are, hopefully, to a bowl. Add flour; using were not. But it went much coming into strawberry sea- fingertips, work flour into deeper than that. Dad had son. He loved strawberry butter mixture until moist an innate kindness, gentle- shortcake, strawberry tart, clumps form. Sprinkle topness and dignity about him strawberries and ice cream, ping equally over rhubarb/ that I’ve not found in many strawberries straight from strawberries. Place custard cups or men, fathers or not. He was the vine to his mouth. This excruciatingly honest, high- first recipe is what I call a ramekins on a baking ly intelligent, had a wonder- “special occasion” dessert, sheet. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until filling ful sense of humor, and his such as Father’s Day. bubbles and topping is goldpassion for and devotion to en, about 30 min. Serve hot, my mother was legendary with a dollop of ice cream among their wide circle of or whipped cream on top. friends and in our family. Serves 6. Most importantly for me, Is there anything more as I came to realize, is that typical of spring/early sumnever, at any time in my mer than strawberry shortlife, did he make me feel cake? My dad loved it and anything but loved and dear we ate it every weekend to his heart. when strawberries were After the fatherless friend in season. Everyone has of my childhood moved shortcake recipes in abunaway to the other side of the dance; nevertheless, here’s country, I received several one more, one I’ve found letters from her, all of them just a tad different, and that lamenting the loss of the includes the biscuit recipe. dad she’d been borrowing. (It’s all about the cream, you And every Father’s Day, see.) a homemade card would arrive from her for my dad. I began to understand then what an emptiness there 2 cups flour would be if I didn’t have 4 cups sliced fresh 1 T. baking powder that Dad and how much rhubarb (or use 1 pkg., ½ t. salt I relied on his presence in 20 oz. frozen sliced rhubarb, 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, my everyday life. thawed, but it won’t be quite plus a bit additional for Alas, that emptiness is the same) brushing the biscuits with me now; the loss of 3 cups hulled halved strawIn a bowl, sift together his presence in my life has berries (probably about flour, baking powder and been felt every day since he 1 ½ baskets) salt. Add the cream and stir 1 died three years ago peace½ cup plus /3 cup sugar just until mixture forms a fully, just short of his 101st (see instructions) dough. Gather the dough birthday. As we approach 1 ½ T. cornstarch into a ball. On a lightly Father’s Day, he’s even 1 T. fresh lemon juice floured surface, knead the more in my thoughts. How 6 T. unsalted butter, at dough gently six times I’d love to make him one room temp. (I say six because it gives 1/3 cup (packed) almond more lemon meringue pie, you a clue so as to not overhis favorite dessert. paste knead), then pat it out to a If you still have an excep1 cup flour ½-inch thick disk. Using a tional father in your life, Mix rhubarb, strawberlucky you; please don’t ries, ½ cup sugar, corn- 3-inch round cutter dipped hesitate to let him know starch and lemon juice in in flour, cut out as many how you feel, especially on a large bowl. Toss well to rounds as possible and Father’s Day, because the coat. Divide mixture evenly invert the rounds onto a lightly greased baking day will come when you’ll have a cherished memory, but no Dad to call and talk to, share a laugh with and bake a pie for. Why w a i t to s ave m on e y ? Ca l l m e a ny t i m e d ay or n i g h t for a f re e qu o te or to p u rch a s e c a r i n su r a n ce .
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRUMBLE
CREAM BISCUITS
sheet. Gather the “scrap bits,” pat them out and cut out more rounds until you have eight. Brush the tops of the rounds with the additional cream and bake the biscuits in the middle of the oven for 12-15 min., or until pale golden. Transfer them to a rack. Serve as the basis for the shortcake recipe that follows. Makes 8 biscuits.
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE 3 pints strawberries, hulled and quartered lengthwise 1/3 cup sugar, or to taste (depending upon berry sweetness) 1 cup chilled heavy cream 1/3 cup sour cream 1 ½ T. confectioner’s sugar, or to taste 1 t. vanilla 8 biscuits (see recipe
above) In a large bowl, combine the strawberries and sugar and, with a potato masher, gently mash the berries until they release their juice, but don’t mash them to a pulp. Allow mixture to stand at room temp., stirring occasionally, for 1 hr. In a bowl, beat the cream with the sour cream and confectioners’ sugar until it holds a soft shape. Beat in the vanilla. Split the biscuits horizontally with a fork or serrated knife and arrange the bottom halves on 8 plates. Spoon the strawberry mixture over them, top with some of the whipped cream and arrange the biscuit tops on the cream. Serve, with the remaining cream available as desired. Serves 8.
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