A Summer of Strawberry Cake (May)

MAPLE BALSAMIC ROASTED STRAWBERRY CAKE

Maple Balsamic Roasted Strawberry Cake

I’ve always associated strawberry cake with summer. I guess it makes sense because strawberries grow in the summer but it goes beyond that. Maybe it’s because my mom only baked strawberry shortcake every few years— usually reserved for my dad’s birthday in May or Father’s Day in June.

It is a bit more labor intensive than many other cakes but I’d happily core strawberries and make fresh whipped cream throughout the summer for shortcake.

Although I imagine eating strawberry shortcake weekly isn’t too healthy. How about monthly? That sounds reasonable, no?

Speaking of monthly cake, this post kicks off my Summer of Strawberry Cake series where I’ll post a new strawberry cake recipe every month from now until August.

Maple Balsamic Roasted Strawberry Cake

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The Implosion of My Mushroom-Averse Mind

MAPLE BALSAMIC STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH HAVARTI + WALNUTS + SPINACH

 

 

Maple Balsamic Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Havarti, Walnuts and Spinach

 

I’ve never liked mushrooms.  Combine the unappealing idea of eating fungi along with a rubbery texture and “earthy” taste (i.e. a polite way of saying they taste like dirt) and now you know why I never particularly dug these decomposers.

Did I think they looked cool?  Of course.  I always liked the shape as you can probably tell by the drawing below.

Cartoon Toadstool
This is the cartoon toadstool character I created when I was 10 or 11 years old. Am I aware the name Señor El Toadstool makes no sense? Yes. And before you ask, yes I was a weird kid.

I always found mushrooms to posses an unusually alluring aesthetic.  Some sort of odd combination of funkiness and beauty.

C’mon, a naturally growing circle of mushrooms is called a fairy ring so I can’t be the only person with mixed feelings about these fascinating organisms 

Recently I’ve tried to be a little more open minded and have done some experimentation with mushrooms.  Culinary experimentation only, thank you.

In July, I had some sesame flavored enoki mushrooms in ramen.  In September, I made an apple-goat cheese risotto with both dried porcini and fresh mushrooms.  And just last week I posted the recipe for my cremini mushroom mac ‘n cheese.

But mushrooms were never the main component of any of these dishes.  It was time to cast the humble mushroom in the lead role.

And boy, was I surprised. Read more