Strawberry season is upon us! And to many Pennsylvanians, that means strawberry shortcake — one of my favorite treats growing up.
A British import to the New World, strawberry shortcake recipes go back hundreds of years in the United Kingdom and not just with strawberries, countless other fruits and berries were made into shortcakes, including peaches and blueberries.
When I was younger, my grandfather and restaurant’s namesake, Elwood Andreas, would take my siblings and I to the local strawberry farm, Seeshultz’s, to pick strawberries. We’d eat many as we picked, but we’d also save some for when we got back home.
When we got back home, my grandmother, Norma Andreas, would make us strawberry shortcake and we would eat until we were stuffed. She used to make a big biscuit — almost as big as a plate. She would split the biscuit in half and pour the strawberries in, put the top on and put even more strawberries on top of that. Then she would cut it like a cake.
I make my strawberry shortcake just like she did, with pork fat in the biscuits, but I make them in individual portions. It is truly a delicious treat that reminds me of home every time I eat it!