Recipe: Ruby Red Berries, a Tale of Caramel Sauce and Shortcake

As we plunge headlong into the throes of summer and watch June fade away from the sanctuary of our patios, decks and porches, I couldn’t let the month pass by without dipping inn-to my favorite, ruby red fruit: the strawberry.

Served in homes and inns across the world, strawberries aren’t just luscious and tantalizing, they’re packed with vitamin C, antioxidants AND they’re low in calories. A member of the rose family, strawberries are also the first fruit to ripen in spring and the only fruit to flaunt its seeds on the outside. You have to admire such brazenness from a tender, delicate berry.

While a plethora of history, legends and lore exists surrounding strawberries, much of it is as entertaining and weird as it is mysterious. These five tidbits are among my favorites:

• Looking to enchant a mate? Break a double strawberry in half (if you’re lucky enough to find one) and share it with a member of the opposite sex. Choose wisely though, because soon enough, the two of you will fall hopelessly in love with one another.
• Happen to own a herd of cattle in the nether regions of Bavaria and looking to ensure healthy calves are born, as well as an abundance of milk? Tie a small basket of wild strawberries to the horns of your cattle as an offering to the elves. It is believed that the elves, being passionately fond of strawberries themselves, will accept your offering and in return make all your bovine wishes come true.
• Longing to go medieval with your art and stone carvings? As with other craftsmen of their time, medieval stone masons were thought to have carved strawberry designs on alters and pillars throughout churches and cathedrals as a means of symbolizing perfection and righteousness, as artists of the era also included strawberries to depict these virtues in paintings of the Virgin Mary.
• Like a touch of the supernatural with your history? Anne Boleyn, who would become Queen Consort of England as King Henry the VIII’s 2nd wife, is rumored to have had a strawberry-shaped birthmark on her neck, which some claimed proved she was a witch. Her supposed powers, however, where not strong enough, as they couldn’t prevent her from losing her head.
• It seems American Indians were already eating strawberries, crushed and mixed with cornmeal, when the Colonists arrived. Trying to duplicate the Indians’ bread, the Colonists developed their own version of this recipe and strawberry shortcake was soon created. (Remember, this is only a legend.)

Since strawberries have been documented to be in existence since the mid to late 200’s A.D., and since the earliest European shortcake recipe can be traced back to approximately 1594, it’s nearly impossible to tell when the first, true strawberry shortcake dessert may have been created.

By the 1900’s however, strawberry shortcake (the dessert) had become so popular, well-known and embraced by the American public, it’s no wonder that in 1977, when famed American Greetings card artist Muriel Fahrion created Strawberry Shortcake (the character) while working in the company’s juvenile & humorous greeting card department, the idea and concept soared, giving rise to an entire line of books, clothing, dolls, toys and accessories within 2 years time.

(In case you are curious, Strawberry Shortcake dolls really do smell like the heavenly scents they portray. Allow me to introduce Angel Cake, whose hair may look a little worse for wear since joining our household in December 2007, but by golly, she still smells delicious.)

When making strawberry shortcake for guests, I prefer these easy-to-make, scone-like biscuits to the spongecake variety of shortcake. Between absorbing the juice from the strawberries and holding up to the homemade caramel sauce poured on top, these scone-like biscuits withstand the liquid and look good/taste great while doing so.

If you’re interested in making these scone-like biscuits yourself, the technique is very simple. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 & 1/2 baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, blending all ingredients thoroughly. Cut in 4 tablespoons of softened butter and mix with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the flour mixture resembles coarse meal.

In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together 1 egg and 4 & 1/2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream. Add to the flour mixture from above, stirring gently until dough just begins to hold together. Drop 6 generous spoonfuls of dough onto a greased baking sheet and bake approximately 10 minutes or until biscuits appear lightly golden on top.

After biscuits have cooled to the touch, split or cut each one in half horizontally. Place bottom half of biscuit on a serving plate and top with strawberries, juice and all. Cover with top half of biscuit. To serve, add a dollop of whipped cream or try your hand at the easy, homemade caramel sauce, pictured more clearly, below.

Homemade caramel sauce: in a small saucepan, stir together 2 tablespoons butter, 6 tablespoons light brown sugar and 2/3 cup heavy cream over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and spoon immediately over biscuits.

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Tagged as: caramel sauce recipe, homemade caramel sauce, shortcake recipe, strawberry facts and lore, strawberry shortcake, strawberry shortcake recipe