24 June 2008

Strawberry Shortcake Canadian Style

Strawberry Shortcake Canadian Style

As Canada Day draws nearer and celebrations are being planned country wide the question comes to mind about Canadian cuisine. I am often asked what I would consider to be typically Canadian fare.

We are asked by Jennifer of the Domestic Goddess to submit a dessert recipe that we feel goes back to our Canadian roots for the yearly Mmmm ..Canada event.

So what is Canadian?

Italian, French, Greek, Chinese and other cuisines are easily defineable. What all of the above cuisines have in common is that when they are preparing these regional dishes the cooks used ingredients that are available to them in their own country or region to create their every day foods. A cuisine is built on foods we eat on a day to day basis at home or what is available to us in restaurants. This is also true of Canadian cuisine. We use ingredients that we find in our local farmers markets but also depend heavily on our ethnic roots from province to province. Canada was built on its British and French roots which means you could be chomping down on Tart de Sucre in Quebec, Nanaimo Bars in British Columbia or Butter Tarts in Ontario.


Canada is a melting pot of diverse cultures that has heavily influenced our day to day foods in a big way from the Eastern shores of the Maritime Provinces to the Pacific Ocean on the West Coast. Living in British Columbia we have what we call West Coast cuisine which is essentially just utilizing the freshest local ingredients available ...just as they do in every province and territory across the country. If you asked a Canadian in Halifax, Nova Scotia or Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to define what they eat on a daily basis you would have two different answers. Ask your neighbour what they had for dinner last night and see what the ethnic influences are. Like everyone else we use what's in our backyard and cook with what's around us."

So what is the first thing that came to my mind when I was asked to make a Canadian dessert.....Strawberry Shortcake!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a Canadian version made with cake and not biscuits like our American counterparts. Where exactly the difference originated I have no idea but I do remember reading about it years ago (most likely in Canadian Living Magazine) about this fact. In Canada, as a general rule, we are given a British based short"cake" and in the States they make a biscuit out of "short"ening. Is it "short" or is it "cake"...who cares...both versions are delicious.

As a child strawberries became synonomous with the "Strawberry Social" fundraisers we attended in elementary school. Parents, teachers, brothers, sisters all together smoozing over strawberries and whipped cream on tender buttery cakes. The teachers would bake the cakes and the kids would spend the afternnoon hulling and slicing berries. Part of the strawberries appeal as always is that it's arrival marks the beginning of summer!!!!!!!!!!! Strawberry shortcake brings memories of lazy summer days, warm sunshine and childhood pursuits.

This is the simple, buttery cake I remember from my childhood.

**Deer Lake Strawberry Shortcake**

7 cups strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups whipping cream

Cake:

2-1/2 cups cake and pastry flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
3-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3/4 cup very soft butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk, butter and vanilla; beat at low speed just to blend. Beat at medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes, scraping down side and bottom of bowl twice. Add eggs, beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.Grease and flour a 9-inch square cake pan; line with waxed paper. Spread batter evenly in pan; Bake in 350 F for 45 - 55 minutes or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack. (Cake can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month).Slice berries and combine with sugar; let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Whip cream. Slice cake into 2 layers. Reserve 2 cups berry mixture for topping. Spoon remaining berry mixture over bottom layer, spread with about 1/3 of the whipped cream. Top with second layer, cut side down. Ice sides and top with remaining cream. Spoon reserved berries over each serving.

Serves 16

You might also enjoy from the More Than Burnt Toast Archives:

Canada Day Cake
Strawberry Lemon Shortcake
Strawberries and Cream Cheese Tart
Wild Blueberry Bundt Cake - Newfoundland


You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison. Best Blogger Tips

35 comments:

  1. Isnt this a great event. Your cake is lucious. I cant wait to see the roundups.

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  2. That is very interesting what you said about Canadian cuisine..SA is as diverse when it comes to its cuisine.
    As for the Shortcake.......truly a celebration dish!

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  3. Your shortcake is beautiful, Val! When I was little my mother used to make us birthday cakes like this - golden cake filled with strawberries and whipped cream. I loved them!

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  4. this looks delicious, Val.

    As for Greek cuisine, don't forget all the regional variations of the same dish, which makes Greek cuisine seem less definable - we start to split it up in the same way: Cretan, Cypriot, Cycladic, Macedonian, etc, and we've been known to disagree with each other!

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  5. Delicious looking! A great way to serve strawberries!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  6. This is one of my favourite desserts, thanks for sharing! Your blog is fantastic, I enjoy reading it.

    PS - I have tagged you in my blog.

    Happy Canada Day!

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  7. This is one of my favourite desserts, thanks for sharing! Your blog is fantastic, I enjoy reading it.

    PS - I have tagged you in my blog.

    Happy Canada Day!

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  8. This is my favourite dessert! Your blog is fantastic, I am enjoying reading it.

    I have tagged you in my blog.

    PS - Happy Canada Day!

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  9. Well, I think of poutin when I think of Canadian food. I had no idea strawberry shortcake is your apple pie! :D

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  10. I loved starwberry shortcake as a child and I'd still order it if offered up on a menu.

    The long weekend's coming up and I'd have this for brekkie!

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  11. Wow, what a great picture. This looks delicious

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  12. Oooh yum. This looks so decadent.

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  13. Oh Yum! That cake looks simply fantastic Val!!

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  14. Oh strawberry shortcake...we stand on guard for thee.

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  15. Well both being Canadian I guess it is not surprising that we'd think alike. I was reading this Mmmm Canada event and the first thing that came to mind was bbq burgers, potato salad and strawberry shortcake. Yours looks so great.

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  16. Val, this is a great event. It will give us the chance to learn more about Canadian cuisine. I never thought of this before and thought that most of its cuisine is based on British cooking. Your cake looks delicious.

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  17. Great post!

    Whether it's "short" or "cake" makes no difference to me - strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite treats no matter how it is prepared.

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  18. I love strawberry shortcake! Looks delicious!
    Shari@Whisk: a food blog

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  19. YUM!! I would love to visit Canada one day and experience the food there.

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  20. That cake looks tall, tender and delicious!

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  21. i'm liking canadian style! i don't discriminate against any strawberry shortcakes--whether biscuit or cake, i'll eat it up. :)

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  22. AnonymousJune 25, 2008

    I forgive you for using sponge cake. Now can I have a plateful? :-)

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  23. It is definitely shortcake time of year

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  24. Yummy Val! Canadians do have Style!!!! He, he let's all go to your house for a tea cup and a strawberry shortcake :D

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  25. Val, I have an award for you.

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  26. This is so interesting, Val. Our local bakery in NYC, when I was growing up, showcased your "Canadian" version of strawberry shortcake, rather than the more typical States type, with a biscuit type cake.

    Your cake looks absolutely wonderful.

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  27. This looks so delicious - and perfect for the summer, too!

    Thanks so much for joining in on Mmm...Canada!

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  28. I love strawberrie shortcake! It is defnitly a summer staple!

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  29. Strawberry shortcake always screams summer to me, this looks and shouts SUMMER!!

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  30. oh my gosh! This makes my mouth water just looking at it!

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  31. I love strawberry shortcake in any cake/biscuit form. My dad often makes it with angel food cake and that maybe my favorite.
    Just so you know: my meme is up! I must be the last one.

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  32. That strawberry shortcake looks so good!

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  33. I never knew that biscuit version was particularly American and the cake version was particularly Canadian!

    As a kid, I always had the cake version. My husband always had the biscuit version. (Go figure, his parents grew up in the United States...)

    We too have been indulging ourselves with strawberry shortcake - the kind made with biscuits. But really, it's just a vehicle for the strawberries and cream, isn't it? Mmm... strawberries!

    -Elizabeth

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  34. AnonymousJuly 02, 2008

    I just love...LOVE....strawberry shortcake - and yours looks just beautiful :)

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  35. Fruit desserts are my all time favourite, your strawberry shortcakes look divine.

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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