The fourth is almost upon us, and that means that many Americans are getting ready for barbecues, picnics, and pool parties.
Our July 4th celebrations have become less and less traditional over the past few years, but I still enjoy standing in solidarity with the traditional celebrants when I see the amazing pies on Instagram.
Food (and increasingly, shopping) dominates nearly all of our holidays, and I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Developing a culture and heritage centered around food can be beneficial, especially when it encourages people to slow down, take the time to prepare food, and enjoy the company of others. Notwithstanding, the essence of most holidays commonly extend beyond our annual eating rituals, and it's still important to remind ourselves why we celebrate.
The people I meet and the work I've been doing through my internship have been making me think a lot more about my family's immigration to the states - the risks they took, the sacrifices they made, the struggles they overcome. Why did they all take this leap? Was it all worth it?
Our country isn't perfect, and there's a lot of bashing around, from ourselves and from outsiders. There are many, many things that are yet to be improved, but we're still so lucky to live here. There's a lot of people who'd do anything to live where we live, and there's a lot of people who risk their lives everyday trying to get here...food for thought.
But anyways, back to these shortcakes -
I'll still be baking something pie-like (peach galette!), but these shortcakes would be a great addition to anyone's celebrations, too! The recipe is from Now-Forager, one of my favorite pastry blogs. Teresa Floyd, the photographer, writer, and pastry chef behind it all, graces the internet world with the most beautiful photos (I adore the soft, natural lighting) and carefully crafted recipes that work. Though I follow many great bloggers who aren't professionals, I have a different kind of appreciation, respect, and value for the bloggers who have gone through the meticulous training of culinary school and the restaurant biz, and Teresa is no exception. If you want to find another pastry chef who straddles the line between blogging and the professional world, I highly recommend Meg, of Hint of Vanilla (I've fallen in love with her photography, creative recipes, and love for the outdoors!).
(scroll down for my minor modifications to Teresa's recipe)
The modifications I made to Teresa's recipe (which you can find here):
- Strawberries: completely omitted the additional sugar since these strawberries were out of this world sweet
- Flours: used all-purpose exclusively, no cake flour
- Heavy cream: substituted with full fat coconut milk (solid portion scooped out and reserved)
- Whipped cream: substituted with coconut cream (reserved solid portion from the coconut milk)
Lastly - Happy Birthday, Mom :)!
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