Why strawberries are somewhat my everything

My first introduction to strawberries was in the third grade, while reading “Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief.” Those of us who have a more than fond appreciation for Greek mythology can trace our roots back to this series. 

In this book, Percy Jackson, a half-mortal, half-god 12-year-old must leave his safe-haven camp (known as Camp Half-Blood) and venture into the perilous mortal world of Brooklyn, N.Y., undetected. 

He gets there in a van belonging to the Delphi Strawberry Service, which acts not only as a front for the camp, but also a source of revenue. 

I was 9 when I read that book. 

My second (memorable) run-in with strawberries came during the winter of my senior year of high school, when listening to the song “Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles. The song was played for me by a friend, who was totally captivated by it. 

For the first 20 or so seconds I didn’t understand her fascination with it. And then there is an upswell of guitars, drums, pianos and synthesizers, all of which quickly die out as John Lennon begins to sing. 

The song has a melancholy undertone. The lyrics are about growing up, and reflecting on the life you’ve begun to live. I too became infatuated with this song, the intimacy of the lyrics, the layers of editing done to instruments (people have written essays about it), and the strong pull and nostalgic feeling I got from it. I was 17. 

Between those nine years of strawberry-related stories were all my years of saying that I like strawberries because they grow in the summer and that, because I was born in the summer, I must like strawberries. 

Flawless logic on my end. Mythology and birthdays aside, strawberries remain my favorite fruit. This is a fruit that I crave all year, but I know they’ll taste best when they’re ready. It’s the ice cream flavor that gets me strange looks from my friends because they think it’s such a boring flavor. It’s the scent I look for in every Chapstick I’ve ever bought since I’ve had the money to do so. 

Strawberries are somewhat my everything. But I’m not the only person who has this mindset. While strawberries are technically not a fruit, since their seeds grow on the outside, they are ranked by multiple health and wellness magazines as being among the top fruits (fruits!) to eat in the summer. 

Aside from a juicy texture and sweet flavor, strawberries have numerous health benefits. They are a great source of vitamin C and K, provide a healthy dose of fiber and potassium, and are said to help regulate blood sugar levels for diabetics. 

An all-around great fruit. 

And for those with batches of strawberries slowly going bad and lacking a recipe to turn them into something great, I asked one of the hosts of America’s Test Kitchen, Julia Collin Davison  (who is my cousin), for a recipe that wasn’t for jam or jelly. 

The recipe she gave me is for strawberry scones, a delicacy I’ve had a few times before. I can confidently say that these scones are killer. 

She said you can use fresh or older strawberries for this, as long as the older strawberries have been frozen and slightly thawed beforehand. I asked her about how the recipe came to be and why it’s a hit. She sent me the text that was published with the recipe:

“We used a food processor to quickly cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients. The machine’s whirling blade prevents the butter from overheating. We added the wet ingredients to the butter and flour mixture in a mixing bowl and stirred by hand with a spatula. If blended in the food processor, the batter would easily become overmixed and the scones would be tough. 

“For a tangy, rich flavor that’s not too heavy, we combined buttermilk with the heavy cream. 

“To prevent the fresh berries from breaking apart and turning the batter pink, we gently stirred them into the batter. 

“The result? The Strawberry Scones were moist and tender—and loaded with fresh strawberries. Serve with a dollop of clotted cream (and a cup of tea, of course) for an elegant afternoon snack. 

“For tender scones, avoid overhandling the dough.” 

Strawberry scones

Makes eight scones

From Julia Collin Davison, America’s Test Kitchen

Two large eggs; 1 tablespoon of heavy cream plus an additional quarter  cup; ¼ cup buttermilk; 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract; 2 cups of all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting your work surface; 1 cup of sugar plus 1 additional tablespoon ; 2 teaspoons of baking powder; ¼ teaspoon of table salt; 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 cup of fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped

Move your oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Beat one egg with 1 tablespoon of cream in small bowl. Set aside. Whisk the second egg, the quarter cup of cream, the buttermilk and the vanilla together in a medium bowl.

In a food processor, pulse the flour,  1 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt until blended. Add the butter and pulse it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal (about 10 1-second pulses). 

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in center. Add the buttermilk mixture and stir until the batter forms moist clumps. Carefully stir in the strawberries.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead gently until the dough comes together and is smooth, about 10 seconds. 

Pat the dough into a 7-inch circle that is about 1 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into eight wedges. 

Using a pastry brush, dust away the excess flour from the wedges. Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet; brush their tops with the egg and cream glaze, and sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the tops.

Bake the scones until they are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached (about 15 minutes). 

Transfer the scones to a wire rack. Serve them warm or at room temperature. The cooled scones can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days.