Shortage of Strawberry Shortcake

Photography skillz. I don't have them.

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I haven't found a GREAT version of Strawberry Shortcake in any restaurant since eating Howley's strange version in West Palm Beach, FL a year ago. They served up a pint of sliced strawberries and freshly-made whipped cream on two huge buttermilk biscuits, and yes, it was phenomenal. Since then, I've always had to make my own, which usually didn't end well.

Case in point: I forced a foodie friend of mine to make me a quick strawberry shortcake a couple of weeks ago, the result which is pictured above. It's a terrible photograph, but you get the idea. We used those little pre-made cakes found next to the strawberries in most grocery stores, and just cooked half a pint of strawberries with a bit of sugar. She pressed the mix through a sieve and poured it over the rest of the berries. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't a proud moment in baking history, either.

I'm rather close to embarking on an epic pilgrimage across the South to find "The Best Strawberry Shortcake in the Land" this summer. Partly for the love of the shortcake, and partly for penance.

In the meantime, I've made myself feel better about already breaking my Spring resolution (you know, try to stick to seasonal produce) with this little gem:

(1) The term "artificial flavor" or "artificial flavoring" means anysubstance, the function of which is to impart flavor, which is notderived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetablejuice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plantmaterial, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentationproducts thereof. Artificial flavor includes the substances listed in172.515(b) and 182.60 of this chapter except where these are derivedfrom natural sources

This is for those who consume McD's strawberry milkshakes, or Fruit Roll-ups, or strawberry-flavored candies. Have fun with those artificial flavors, 'k?