Every summer, without fail, our family goes to the New Gloucester Strawberry Festival. We make sure to eat a light dinner, so our bellies can handle the humongous desserts that the volunteers at the festival so lovingly create.
CP#2 waiting in line. Does he look excited or what?
The line to choose a dessert gets a little longer each year, but oh, the end result is worth the wait! Visitors can choose a “super” that consists of fresh strawberries, whipped cream, Hodgman’s Vanilla Custard, and a homemade biscuit. Or you can opt out on the biscuit and go for a strawberry sundae. If you’re looking for something lighter, fresh strawberries and whipped cream are also on the menu.
Colored popsicle sticks indicate the dessert of your choice.
While nothing can fully replicate what the volunteers do here, you can create a similar dessert at home. For the super strawberry shortcake, we recommend trying our favorite buttermilk biscuit recipe. The whipped cream is also easy to make. Purchase a pint of heavy cream from your local farm or market. Pour the cream into a mixing bowl, and if you choose, add a half-teaspoon of vanilla or a teaspoon of sugar, (depending on how sweet you want the cream). Mix with a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid® until large peaks form.
The ladies at the festival told us they mash fresh strawberries in a bowl to make the topping. And for the ice cream or custard? Maine has so many incredible choices. Why not have fun trying a few different options? Or if you have an ice cream maker at home, you could always make your own.
Our short strawberry season is a time to savor. Why not indulge in a delicious dessert?
PS: A few of our favorite Maine ice cream options: here, here and here.