Strawberry season inspires sweet simplicity

The beauty of a ripe strawberry is that it requires so little intervention to make it special. With south Louisiana’s strawberry harvest now fully underway, it’s time to grab a flat and enjoy the bounty.

“We’re entering the peak of the season,” says Ponchatoula farmer Eric Morrow at last week’s Thursday Red Stick Farmers Market.

After a cold, wet winter and spring, farmers like Morrow have been delayed in getting their berries into the hands of consumers. But, then again, we’ve been spoiled. Advancements in strawberry farming in the last decade made it possible for local strawberries to hit the market in winter. This year, Mother Nature prevailed, and the season feels likes old times with berries emerging in full force later in the spring.

I bought a half flat from Morrow, eating many of them unadorned and turning the balance into strawberry sorbet, strawberry sauce for ice cream and strawberry shortcake with help from Dillard’s teacakes, also sold at the Red Stick Farmers Market. The market will host its annual Strawberry Jam on Saturday, April 26.

Strawberry Shortcake with Teacakes and Fresh Whipped Cream

Serves four

2 pints strawberries, washed, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons, granulated sugar
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teacakes, sliced in half, or 8 small slices of pound cake
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Place strawberries in a bowl and combine with 3 tablespoons sugar. Let the berries macerate, or make their own sugary liquid, by setting them aside for three or more hours. Just before assembling cakes, make whipped cream by mixing heavy cream with an electric mixer or by hand until it begins to stiffen. Blend in remaining sugar and vanilla extract. Do not overmix. To assemble, place one-half teacake on plate, top with about a cup of berries, a dollop of whipped cream and other half teacake. Garnish with drizzles of berry juice and fresh mint.