Crosscut Tout: All-American strawberry shortcake

For maximum freshness, the berries at 20 Anthony's restaurants are brought in daily by lunchtime.
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Shortcake at Anthony's

For maximum freshness, the berries at 20 Anthony's restaurants are brought in daily by lunchtime.

Strawberries are among summer's most perishable fruits, none moreso than the Shuksan and Hood varieties, which have a shelf life of a single day.

To get them onto a shortcake (drop-biscuit, fresh cream), the ripe berries are rushed to 20 Anthony's restaurants around Puget Sound in time for lunch, where they're used as the topping for a heavenly, quintessentially local dessert.

"America's Strawberry Shortcake" is what Sheila Lukens called it in her Silver Palate cookbook when the dish first appeared at Anthony's 18 years ago.

  

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About the Authors & Contributors

Ronald Holden

Ronald Holden

Ronald Holden is a regular Crosscut contributor. His new book, published this month, is titled “HOME GROWN Seattle: 101 True Tales of Local Food & Drink." (Belltown Media. $17.95).