The First Strawberries

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

One of our first goals for our community garden plot was a nice plush patch of strawberries, something we could return to every few days for a brimming handful or two.  Four seasons in, and we’ve finally done it.  The strawberries have filled in nicely, despite the “I’m just rotating the soil” massacre of 2010.  There is just enough room for some perennial herbs (chives and garlic chives) and some bush beans.  A scan of the flowers and reddening fruit, and I’m guessing it will be a very good year.

Technically, these aren’t our first strawberries of the season; we ate that meager handful, just washed and sliced, over the weekend.  But, this was our first real bounty, and I wanted to acknowledge that somehow.  Moreover, my parents were coming to dinner, and strawberries are my mother’s favorite.  Now, I am not very creative when it comes to desserts, but I thought that I could manage something special just this once.

The spelt flour biscuits are vegan, following Erin Mckenna’s instructions.  They were topped with some maple sugar for some sweetness.  (I tossed the strawberries with the maple sugar as well.)  More unusual, and a first for me, I infused the whipped cream with lavender.  Hours before whipping, I brought the cream to a simmer with two teaspoons of dried lavender flours before allowing it to cool again.  Adding it to the whipped cream kept the lavender flavor and floral perfume rather subtle, exactly as it should be.