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 in my family!
One of my earliest childhood summer memories is of strawberry shortcake; however, it was always made with spongy, store-bought shortcake. I never much cared for the soft, fluffy shortcake, but I thoroughly enjoyed the strawberries and cream. When I made the shift to organic eating and later wanted to provide my children with the same strawberry summer pleasure, I could not find an organic readymade shortcake in the local coop. In my searches for a recipe, I discovered that traditional strawberry shortcake is not made with an airy cake but sweet biscuits. The first time I tried strawberry shortcake made with biscuits, the taste reminded me of a time when people milked their own cows and had small family farms. I felt like I was sitting in a midwestern farm house eating a treat made by my great grandmother.
This recipe, modified from Simply Recipes, is far from vegan, as the rich cream and buttery biscuits complement this summer fruit. To make this recipe organic, use all organically grown, natural ingredients, especially the strawberries and dairy products. Strawberries receive the most pesticides of any crop grown in America, and 90% of commercially grown strawberries test above safe levels of pesticide contamination. In addition, pesticides are concentrated in dairy products, as well as growth hormones and antibiotics.