Recapturing Easter Dinner Past?

First off, I don't remember Easter dinners. I remember getting up really early on Easter morning to attend Sunrise Service in Waller Park. I remember patent leather Mary Janes and ruffly white socks. Easter egg dying, Easter egg hunting, malted balls and even the anticipation of waking to find an Easter basket at the foot of my bed, I remember, but I don't remember Easter dinner. So there may be something "false" in my blog title. What I was trying to recapture was my mother's shortbread biscuits.

Country Living is my favorite magazine. When I received my April issue in the mail, I set it aside to savor it for that special moment: peace and quiet and no husband watching DVR'd episodes of CSI whatever city those crime fighters are in. The moment came - no obligation, husband at work, the dog has been fed his breakfast, the birds are chirping and the coffee is brewed. CL where art thou? Thumbing slowly through the pages, I come across an article titled Virginia Willis's Easter Dinner. Oh my, lavender infused ham, sweet potatoes with fennel, asparagus with tangerines .... how heavenly, how Easter-y. Then my eyes became fixated on Turbinado Shortcakes. I wasn't concerned about turbinado (later found out it's raw sugar), the word "shortcake" had my direct attention. The recipe looked easy, a little fancy - orange zest, sea salt and let's not forget turbinado sugar. Maybe not exactly how mom use to make shortbread for strawberry short cake but hey, I am a 21st Century woman, time for a little orange zest in my life!

That's it, I will make Mrs. Willis's Turbinado Shortcakes for Easter dessert. This morning as I was cutting up my butter to make the dough, I noticed the recipe called for fine sea salt. Fine sea salt? I have sea salt that's course and it's also Kosher, would it be Kosher to use this salt? Don't take a chance, use Morton's instead ... I always loved the little girl with the umbrella on the label. Baking powder. Baking powder has a cute label, too, old fashion, makes you want to bake ..... what's this? My baking powder is as hard as a rock. How long does baking powder stay productive? How long have I had this can? When was the last time I even baked? What is happening?

Several hours later, while feeding my dog Caleb a Turbinado Shortcake brick, I ponder the thought that cooking and baking was slipping by me like eye sight without contacts and working in the garden without Advil. After all, I am now considered a Senior Citizen in some circles. While Caleb was nuzzling my hand in search of a shortbread crumb (I think he appreciated the orange zest) another thought crossed my mine. My mother made everything from scratch. Not because it was the "cool" thing to do but out of necessity and I am sure, love. All of our cookies, cakes and yes, biscuits were made in the kitchen of Mrs. Delores Grocott. My mother didn't let her baking powder get hard, she used the stuff! A true fact. The first time we had a bag of store bought cookies in our home was when I was 10. The last baby had finally been born (hi Lisa, if you are reading this) and while my mother was at the hospital resting from child birth, a bag of Chips Ahoy cookies made it's way into our home .... via, a visiting uncle.

So, what's the moral of this story? I don't have one. What I did walk away with, after this Turbinado Shortcake experience is .... use ALL ingredients listed, no substitutes and make sure your baking additives are fresh. If you don't want to make the investment in fancy do-dads like turbinado sugar that will probably get hard before the baking powder or soda does, next time you are in the market, reach for a bag of Chip Ahoy's.

Happy Easter *=)