Strawberry Shortcake

Yesterday was mom's birthday, so in honor of her, I present her favorite comfort food dessert of all time:  Strawberry Shortcake.  Being of southern stock, my mom's favorite strawberry shortcake isn't angel food cake or those little round sponge cakes that are soft and very sweet, with berries and whip cream from a can.  Her favorite, and the recipe she always made for us, was the real deal.  A biscuit like shortcake with a hint of sweetness, and berries macerated with sugar and a bit of lemon juice, topped off with hand whipped heavy cream.  What I enjoy most about this recipe, is that the wonderful sweetness of the berries predominates the palate, while the shortcake adds a firm, slightly savory base to absorb the juices, and has the perfect texture to hold everything together.  Likewise the whipped cream is unsweetened, and the buttery richness completes the flavor and helps subdue any tartness.  Happy Birthday mom, and I promise to make this for you on your next visit.

Shortcakes:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t salt
1T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
3T sugar
1/2 Cup of butter (1 stick) or shortening.  *a blend of both can be used, and is my preference.
2 t vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk

Strawberries:
3 quarts of fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
1/2 to 2/3 cup of sugar depending on the sweetness of the berries and your preference
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup of heavy whipping cream for topping

Preheat oven to 425*F.
Whisk together the dry ingredients and cut in the cold butter or shortening.  Whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla, then add to dry ingredients all at once.  Fold wet into dry briefly, then turn out on a floured work surface.  Knead a few times until you get a ball, then roll out or press to a disk of about 1/2 in thickness.  Use a sharp biscuit cutter to cut out your cakes, and place them on an non-greased cookie sheet or sheet pan.  Brush tops with egg white and lightly sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for around 12 minutes, or until you see the edges begin to brown.

In a bowl, add sugar to sliced berries, add lemon juice, and stir together.  remove a cup of the berries, and mash them with a fork, or in the blender, and pour it back in with the rest of the berries.  Cover bowl, and place in refrigerator to macerate for an hour.

Whip heavy cream to a light peak.

Split open the cooled shortcakes with a fork, spoon berries on bottom half, and top with whipped cream.  Cover with other half, and add more berries and whipped cream on top and serve.

Makes about ten servings.