Background: My series character, Hayley Snow's favorite restaurant in Key West (a real place, my favorite too) is called Seven Fish. Hayley visits and reviews Seven Fish in the opening chapter of the first book in the series, AN APPETITE FOR MURDER. After sampling the sautéed grouper sushi rolls, the yellowtail snapper in a light curry cream sauce, the grilled mahi-mahi with roasted potatoes, the meatloaf, and the banana chicken, Hayley and her dining partner can't stomach the idea of ordering dessert.
Frankly, I think it was a big mistake to miss their strawberry cream pie. I studied it last time I visited the restaurant. It seemed to be mostly whipped cream and berries, all layered into a chocolate graham cracker crust. Here’s my version--hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients for the crust:
Ingredients for the crust:
1 package chocolate graham crackers, crushed to crumbs (about 1 and 1/4 cups)
4 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp sugar
Whir the crackers to fine crumbs--in your food processor is easiest. Stir in the sugar and melted butter and combine well. Press the crumb mixture into a pie pan (mine is 10 inches) and tap it firmly up the sides of the pan into a crust, using your fingers, the back of a spoon, or a water glass. Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 350 and let it cool.
Ingredients for the filling:
1 and 1/2 lb strawberries (I might not make this unless it's close to strawberry season)
2 cups whipping cream
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries, and then set them aside. In one bowl, whip the cream cheese. In another, whip the cream and the vanilla until stiff. Add the sugar and whip that in. Gradually mix the cream cheese with the whipped cream until it's all nicely combined. (You may cut back on the sugar if you prefer the dessert even less sweet--and depending on how ripe your strawberries are.)
In the chocolate crust, alternate two layers of strawberries with layers of whipped cream, ending with the third layer of strawberries, artistically arranged. Chill thoroughly. Serve and sit back to watch your guests swoon. Okay, maybe you aren't having guests for a while, so swoon while you eat it with your pandemic pals!
How are you treating yourselves these days?
How are you treating yourselves these days?
Oh, this sounds delicious! I've never been very successful with berry pies, but I might be able to swing this one!
ReplyDeleteI think you could do it Liz!
DeleteThis looks amazing! And sounds easy enough that even I could make it! YUM!
ReplyDeleteGo for it Annette!
DeleteStrawberries are one of my favorite fruits and this sounds absolutely scrumptious . . . I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for the recipe, Lucy . . . .
ReplyDeleteYou are so welcome Joan!
DeleteI had my first smell of fresh strawberries last week and then my first bite. It was divine.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is the time, I eat them everyday as they are or topped with vanilla yogurt.
I'll keep in note your recipe for when I will receive for dinner. It would not be good for me to eat it all by myself . Thank you.
that's the problem Danielle! It would go down easy, but you'd pay later if you ate the whole thing:)
DeleteI have a June birthday and always requested strawberry shortcake. Your recipe looks good, too.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE strawberry shortcake!
DeleteI agree with Danielle that there is nothing tastier than eating a local strawberry.
ReplyDeleteOur strawberries are just starting to pop up in the FM and stores, so I will be getting some soon.
That pie looks delicious, Lucy. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
You're welcome Grace, we have them in the garden which is pretty amazing!
DeleteI phoned every producer around even if they are not so close. The first who told me their strawberries were ready is 41.5 km (25.8 m) from home. Nothing could keep me from going right away and buy some.
DeleteYou deserve an outing after the last few months of isolation!
DeleteRoberta/Lucy, so easy and yet so yummy!
ReplyDeleteOf course, talking about fresh berries evokes all kinds of great memories of strawberry picking with my tiny little Jonathan (he'll be 38 on Saturday.) His excitement at finding those precious red monsters peeking out from under the leaves on that Pick-Your-Own farm in Simsbury! Who finds the biggest berry? The bucket filled to overflowing and so many pounds of berries, you have to share them with others! Childhood memories, so to speak!
We are soon going to drive down to visit the grandkids in Delaware, and I'm baking up a storm. Although I am definitely nervous, I am very happy that we will see them at last.
So glad you are going to see your family. This time period is really hard...
DeleteThat does make me swoon. And you remind me I need to get over to Cider Hill Farm today to pick up another quart or two of freshly picked berries (they're expensive, but hey, the season is short AND we're in a pandemic).
ReplyDeleteYes Edith, you deserve them!!!
DeleteAnd as you write it well in your series, buying locally is important, especially in the present time.
DeleteFinally, a recipe that sounds like something I'd actually eat!
ReplyDeleteHowever, the problem I've run into is not how am I treating myself, but rather why have I been treating myself so much. I'm sure the one big way being home for 2 1/2 months has affected me is my weight. I spent probably 7 of those weeks doing all the things I had at least cut back on to improve my health or at the very least, my weight.
About 3 weeks ago, I put myself back on the "diet" I was on beforehand. But since I have a physical on Friday, I know that my insurance co-pay is just going to be so the doctor can say, "You fat bastard you!"
So I love the pie but a little too much it seems. Off to go have some yogurt.
Jay, I'm in the same boat. My weight is way up for a non-pregnant state. Sigh. Off to take my fast plotting walk!
DeleteMy doctor didn't give me grief about my weight gain last month, Jay. I actually had good lab results with the exception of potassium, which is low again. That was a win for me. Good luck with your visit.
DeleteJay, same here. I was being super good about my no-sweet resolution: no cookies, no candy, no ice cream, etc., etc. Then came March, the state closed down, two kids came home and I started shotgunning Reeces peanut butter cups while obsessively reading the horrible news.
DeleteI've gotten better - I guess I got used to the new normal, and I stopped reading the NYTimes and the Washington Post at night before going to bed - so I'm cutting back on sweets again. But the damage has definitely been done, and I have my annual physical later this month. I know my doctor is going to say, "Well... you did great last year."
I’ve tried to learn that lesson about not reading the news before bed. It’s really a problem for sleeping after that. Luckily one of my mind savers has been a lot of yoga and some walking to. So I’m hoping to have off set all the cookies
DeleteWe are just starting strawberry season up here on the tundra, the growing season being a couple of weeks late -- it got down into the forties last night. But I think today is the day for a strawberry search. My go to is shortcakes. Easy to make and we don't even care about the whipped cream part. But this pie sounds delightful.
ReplyDeleteBTW, the ciabatta experiments continue. So far so good. In fact the first try was so well received that I made more yesterday! I bet it would be good with strawberries, too.
Ann: Salad with goat cheese and strawberries and ciabatta croutons.
DeleteOh Julia, that is a most excellent suggestion. The ciabatta didn't last long enough for croutons, but I did make some from a mix of whole wheat, rye and white homemade bread. All I need is the strawberries! Off to call a few farm stands to see who's got them.
DeleteFresh strawberries, macerated with a bit of sugar. Vanilla ice cream. Heaven! And pie is also good! And strawberries WITH yogurt, Jay!
ReplyDeleteEverybody over to Flora's house for dessert!
DeleteWe had late frosts, really late, here in southwest Ohio, and the strawberries have not been abundant. I've missed them at the farmers market twice now, and there are only California berries in the big supermarkets. Bah, I'd rather pass altogether. I did make strawberry shortcake a couple weeks ago, but the berries were so disappointing.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I anticipate a fabulous (wild) blackberry season. The bushes (canes, actually) are loaded with berries that should ripen in a couple weeks. I see cobblers and pies in our future, plus preserves galore!
Karen, I'm seeing the same thing in Maine. Loads of flowers and baby berries setting on our blackberry and raspberry canes and high-bush blueberries. This summer is going to be a great season for pies!
DeleteNext year I will have blueberries. Because, blueberry envy!
DeleteEven our few blueberry bushes are loaded. We will see whether the birds and the chipmunks get to them before we do
DeleteThat's what happens here, the birds eat the berries just as they turn blue. Alas. The early bird gets the blueberries!
DeleteKaren...where do you live in south western Ohio? I grew up there in a small town near Dayton.
DeleteSue Ellen, I grew up in Hamilton, but have lived in Cincinnati my entire adult life. Where did you grow up? My oldest son-in-law is from Kettering.
DeleteJudy, we planted a serviceberry tree this spring, and I got two berries! The birds got the rest, quick as a wink.
DeleteI used to have the "bird getting to the fruit before me" problem but that was when I had a fig tree. Alas no more figs in my life.
Deleteoh how we love figs!!
DeleteLike Margaret, I'm a June baby, I started asking for strawberries, Angel food cake and whipped cream when I was a kid, when it was truly a seasonal crop. This recipe looks like a good substitute and will keep the chocolate lovers in the family satisfied. I haven't ventured to the farmers market yet but it may be a choice in the future. Treating myself? We ordered from the local Thai restaurant recently for take out. It was nice but the real treat will be when I can sit on their patio and order the lettuce cups and the appetizer sampler. I have to be very patient waiting for my favorite local apples which are available in late summer then I plan to make a small apple crisp sometime in August.
ReplyDeleteAnother June baby here, Deana - are you a Gemini, or a Cancer? I'm the latter, and I fit the typical description of Cancers; I'm a devoted homebody and I LOVE food.
DeleteThe wineries in Sonoma are open. I’m surprised the restaurant isn’t open for patio service. Here in Santa Clara County the restaurants are open.
DeleteJulia, I am a Gemini, and my daughter is a Cancer. There is a big difference! What day are you?
DeleteI am most definitely a crab. Most definitely a homebody and food is a given. Yes Susan, they are open or opening restaurants, it's the patio space that is the challenge. Some restaurants don't have the flexible for the patio and every one of them have smaller available space so I'm just being patient. Maybe the weekend of June 27 would be a good date to try.
DeleteI love local strawberries, but they don't show up here in the middle of the Canadian prairies until late June. The wild plants at our cottage have blossoms on them, so we'll be able to pick our own (tiny) berries when we're up there in July. Yum!
ReplyDeleteAmanda, I think you and I are on the same gardening and produce schedule. We'll get the gorgeous home grown strawberries (really, the only ones you want, right?) in late June as well. The trick for me is keeping the rhubarb plants producing tender stalks until that time so we can have my fave, strawberry-rhubarb pie!
DeleteWe figured out that strawberries In California taste fine in California. But by the time they get to the East Coast, not worth eating. Our grandchildren haven’t figured that out yet, but they will once we ever get to see them
DeleteThey are not California strawberries! Our season was over six weeks ago. Most that say California are from Arizona and Mexico. We had wonderful strawberries in April.
DeleteDon't you have producers who begin some if their plants under tarpaulin in the spring. It brings the strawberries sooner. That is why I was able to get some last week. Those that don't grow under tarpaulin will be available only next week.
DeleteJulia, cut the rhubarb into bite size chunks and freeze it. You can have rhubarb all year.
DeletePeepers' strawberries aren't quite ready for pickin' yet, but they will be soon! purrs
ReplyDeleteI bet their like catnip!
DeleteLucy, this sounds so delicious. We all love strawberries in my family, so it’s a dessert everyone will enjoy. Thanks for sharing. And, it’s so good to be back here at the blog after my absence. You all are a sight for sore eyes (now, how many of you are familiar with that phrase?).
ReplyDeleteIt's good to have you back, Kathy! And I know that phrase... is it now out of fashion? I can never tell if phrases have become quaint or not.
DeleteJulia, I think it's one of those phrases that's getting lost to our children's and grandchildren's generations. Sometimes I wonder, because she is so observant, if my ten-year-old granddaughter is retaining some of my sayings, maybe storing them away. I hope so. Do your youngest and her friends who is staying with you use some of our "old" sayings?
DeleteThis sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteMark, I've learned - from cooking with some of Lucy's recipes - that anything she writes is fabulous.
DeleteAwww, thanks Julia
DeleteLate to the party again!
ReplyDeleteLucy, that looks so delicious! I could make that with gluten free and dairy free substitutions. Like Whipped Coconut Cream. Gluten free graham crackers or ?
How are we treating ourselves? Getting more sleep. Walking outside before it becomes too warm. Reading good books. Baking.
Diana
Diane, you are absolutely not late to the party. Look, we saved some pie for you! :-)
DeleteJ - thanks! And thanks for saving some pie for me. Did you see my comment yesterday?
DeleteDiana
Following up from my previous reply:
ReplyDeleteWell it looks like I've dodged the disappointed doctor face for another couple of months. The office called around 10am today to let me know that they were still not seeing patients.
Oddly, they said the doctor could do a telephone visit. I said "Well, that doesn't really make any sense since this is supposed to be a physical." So it's now pushed off another 7 weeks.
Edith, you are far more ambitious than me. I don't do a lot of extraneous walking just for the exercise of it all.
Deana, I've had mostly great lab results the last few visits. Only one thing that they were keeping an eye on. And my blood pressure was described one time as being "perfect".
Julia, oh I've never denied myself sweets but I've rationed them out. The "diet" I'm on has me eating lightly during the day and then I can have what I want for dinner (within reason and cutting out fried food except for a monthly fish & chip dinner.)
But chicken tenders and french fries crawled back into the food menu full force during the downtime and I'd have a full lunch to chase a Dunkin' Donuts breakfast sandwich from the morning. And I had a lot of sweets. But I'm back to focusing on a light lunch along with yogurt and protein drink in the morning. Sometimes a Nutrigrain bar as well.
That way I can continue to have my beloved cheeseburgers at night. :D
Jay, that sounds like a very sensible way to do it. I'm terrible at counting calories, so I'm experimenting with intermittent fasting - only eating within an eight hour period. Since I'm not a breakfast eater anyway, and I sleep nine hours a night, I'm not feeling deprived.
DeleteI completely agree with that kind of diet. If you deprive yourself of everything, it’s very very hard not to fall off the wagon at some point
DeleteJay, that does sound sensible. I'm at the point where I have to get my stay-at-home eating under control, and I'm trying to decide the best way to go. I've even considered Nutri-System, but that might be too restrictive. I just don't know right now.
DeleteIt may be sensible but I can't say that I'm totally perfect with it. Originally I was only having a Nutrigrain bar for lunch but by late afternoon I was getting headaches from not having had much to eat. So I switched to having slices of ham and cheese (no bread) and that gave me enough food to get through the day.
DeleteI do cheat on the breakfast sometimes, throw in a donut or a coffee cake but not all the time.
It's always a work in progress but I was down 16 pounds before the pandemic crap started. I'm sure I gained that back which is why I went back to the diet.
Julia, you sleep nine hours a night? WOW, I barely get that much in TWO days.
Lucy, I don't believe in depriving myself of things I like. I just have to learn better portion control because I do like my sweets.
Kathy, I've never done an official diet plan and I have no intention of doing so. I don't like to be told what to eat and since I don't eat vegetables, those plans wouldn't work for me anyway.
And too bad we don’t all live close to each other. We could start a walking club with Grace at the lead!
ReplyDeleteGrace would be a great choice for that!
DeleteThat would be SO wonderful!
DeleteThat sounds fabulous, Lucy, and if Deb decides to make it, I'll be happy to help her eat. It's clear to me, however, that you have many, many more bowls, beaters, food processors, and stand mixers than you will find in my house. And probably a larger dish washer, too. My summer treat at the moment is ripe, red cherries. No prep necessary, except for a rinse, and the only difficulty I have is keeping the kitten from thinking they are balls to bat around.
ReplyDeleteYes, I wondered about the two mixing bowls. I guess I could do the cream cheese, scrape into a clean bowl, then do the whipped cream. Or maybe I need a second bowl for my KitchenAid lol
DeleteGigi, if I am tempted to make it, you will get some! I'll put chocolate graham crackers on my next food order.
I'm most definitely enjoying the cherries. They are always a bit pricey but once or twice is doable.
DeleteGigi, I am certain Debs can sort this out:)
DeleteMaybe we can do one on your stand mixer and the other in a bowl with my hand mixer? Or steal Kayti's stand mixer when she and the fam are off at the lake?
DeleteThat sounds delicious! In the absence of company to do it justice, one could capture the essentials in a smaller scale, perhaps a little tart. I'm remembering something on Snack Girl with a cream cheese filling put inside individual strawberries . . . maybe add a drizzle of chocolate. <3
ReplyDeletethat sounds like an excellent idea. Because you can't freeze this pie
DeleteOoh, this one goes in the "try it" pile. Seems I am always clipping recipes and even more so these days. Good thing I'm not actually making and eating all of them! But who can resist sweet summer strawberries? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteyes I'm a mad clipper too!
DeleteThis sounds fabulous, Roberta. I'm not very tempted by sweets but this I might have to try!
ReplyDeleteWe don't really have strawberry season here, unfortunately. Too hot, too early? But right now we getting our fabulous local blueberries, blackberries, and peaches, so I don't feel too deprived. And I should be able to get decent strawberries at the supermarket.
Deborah. I bet this recipe would be delicious made with peaches!
DeletePeaches would be heavenly, although maybe plain graham crackers, not chocolate?
DeleteThis looks so good. My go-to is strawberry shortcake, but honestly, I could do with just the strawberries and the creamy part . . . and chocolate crust. Mmm.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, a bowl of local strawberries and a chocolate bar. Why make it hard for yourself?
DeleteLOL Julia, you're so smart!
DeleteYUM!! And you know my fabulous secret to coring strawberries with a straw, right? And yes, clipping like MAD!
ReplyDelete