Sunday, September 1, 2019

Hurricanes and Whipped Cream Peach Shortcake @LucyBurdette



LUCY BURDETTE:  I really hate hurricane season. I hate wondering and waiting for the next storm to form, and then worrying to see which way it wanders, and then worrying about the people in its path. I hate the anxiety both while it’s happening and for the sometimes long recovery time afterwards. I suspect all of us were traumatized by the terrible storms in the last decade, Katrina, Michael, Irma, Irene, Sandy, I could go on and on. And some folks have yet to recover from what they suffered during one of those storms. And now we are watching another one...

So what does peach shortcake have to do with any of that? Nothing at all really, but I hoped it might make the time go by a little more quickly to make these and enjoy with a few friends. I had some whipped cream left over in my refrigerator from a fancy chicken salad I made earlier this week--whipped cream not whipping cream. I had the urge for a peach shortcake because the peaches are so heavenly this year. This recipe from Alice Medrich promised quick and easy biscuits. Her recipe used heavy cream and milk. I simply substituted my whipped cream for those ingredients.

Peach shortcake

1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder (I use low-sodium)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whipped cream
Sugar for sprinkling

4 large peaches
More whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with 3 layers of parchment paper—the oven is hot and the bottoms can burn otherwise. 

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the whipped cream. Using a soft spatula, gently push the flour mixture into the whipped cream, mixing until its moistened. If it still looks loose and dry, you can add more whipped cream or a little milk. 

Divide into four balls, settle these on the parchment paper, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 14 minutes or so, turning the sheet halfway through. Watch to be sure the bottoms don’t burn.

While these are baking, peel and slice the peaches into a second bowl. Sprinkle a tablespoon or so of sugar and mix. When the biscuits are done and cool enough to eat, split them in half, pile peaches on top, and garnish with more whipped cream.

Have you suffered through a hurricane? Are you in the path of this one? Please check in and let us know how you're doing!

52 comments:

  1. Haven't suffered through a hurricane, but do tornadoes count? I spent my childhood in my grandmother's storm cellar, where, coincidentally, she kept the jars of fruit -- peaches and pears -- she canned every year. I think more along the lines of peach cobbler than peach shortcake, but yours looks delish.

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    1. But peach cobbler is divine also, and tornadoes, that would be terrifying

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  2. Thanks for this recipe, Lucy! Collecting them to use up peaches right now....

    My youngest brother and his wife are in Florida and I worry every time a new hurricane forms. He assures me that they are prepared--have a whole house generator, no large trees near the house, etc. But that's what sisters do, we worry! Come to think of it, his wife would love this recipe, too!

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    1. It’s very hard not to worry, especially as they get stronger and stronger these days

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  3. I am glad you appear to be out of the path Lucy, if you’re in the Keys right now. Knowing so many are in danger is hard to sit with. Yes I have been through a hurricane many, many years ago, when as a child, I lived in Trinidad. I don’t remember too much other than my mother driving through deep water where the river had overflowed. The rest of these experiences are as an adult up here in NE when we get touched but usually not too bruised or broken. I must try your shortcake recipe as the last time I made it for the grand-horrors, the 14yrold told me they were dryer than he liked. He was lucky not to get the pan over his head.

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    1. Snort. Tell the 14 year old to show you how it's done right.

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    2. The grand horrors! That’s very funny. I’m afraid the kids would not like these biscuits—they’re kind of like Bisquick drop biscuits only with a better texture. The idea for this was to make it fast and easy and it was

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  4. I've only been in Bob and Gloria in the last 40 years, with no damage done. What was funny with Gloria was that my company sent us home - this was 1985 and most of us were youngish. Two male colleagues in their twenties agreed not to go home but to - go windsurfing! I couldn't believe it. Both survived.

    I was grateful Dorian skirted Puerto Rico, where my son lives and where so many haven't yet recovered from Maria. And hope the damage is not great elsewhere. Peach cobbler looks fabulous, Lucy. No butter in it?

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    1. Ah, I remember Gloria. I was in high school then and working part time at a Little Ceasar's pizza place. The entire town in CT lost power--except for the tiny strip where Little C's was located! We were all called in to work. I remember stepping over tree limbs, skirting around down power lines on my walk to work, and, remarkably, lines out the door for mediocre pizza! But I do worry about people in storms. I hope everyone stays safe for this one.
      -Melanie

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    2. No butter Edith! I was in Gloria also, when I was a psychology intern in New Haven. I slept through it. I could never do that now, much too anxious these days!

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  5. Trying to keep track of where this hurricane is going, and it seems to be passing Florida now and going further up the coast to Georgia and the Carolinas. I'm glad my Florida friends have escaped this one, but now I'm worried about friends in the newly predicted areas of impact. The peach shortcake sounds delicious, Lucy, and it might be a comfort in waiting to see what will happen.

    Ann, yes, tornadoes count. I grew up with the threat of those, too, and we still have to pay attention when those sirens go off. When I was a sophomore at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky (1974), my parents had come for a visit and taken me out for supper. After they left to return home, an hour or so away, the news about mass tornado activity started coming in on the news. I was much relieved when I heard from my parents that they were home safely. The dorm residents at the university spent the night in the tunnels under the dorms. It was one of the worst tornado events our state had, because of the multiple tornadoes.

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    1. That sounds absolutely terrifying! Lucky you had those tunnels to hide in

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  6. Hurricane season. Bleah. We've had a few here in Houston. Carla back in '62 I think. We took the train to Ft Worth and stayed at my aunt's. In '74 or so one hit Louisiana while we were living in Metairie. We drove north to Nachitoches where one of my sisters was going to school. No damage to our homes in either of those storms. Since we returned to Houston we've had Ike and Harvey. We've been darned lucky to have escaped flooding and wind damage. And we stayed in place for those two storms. We were in Charleston last October when a hurricane popped up and it chased us north and west on our way back home. So, nuts to hurricane season.

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    1. My parents were both on Galveston Island when a hurricane hit in 1943. Because of the war advance warnings weren't being broadcast. After riding that one out, my parents always left for higher ground for future storms. So that is why we weren't around for Carla.

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  7. Luckily I have never lived through a hurricane and my thoughts and prayers go out to all who have and are. I live on quite a high hill; the wind could take down trees and cause devastation that way but it would have to be some flood to get here. Peach shortcake sound like a wonderful idea. I've been thinking of peach pie but the shortcake would be a lot less work and just as delicious.

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    1. That was my thinking about pie versus shortcake, plus of course I had to use up the whipped cream

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  8. Wow! A post a day early! I can understand why in case there is no power tomorrow on Sunday. I remember seeing thunder when I was a kid. I do not think I lived through a hurricane, though.
    The peaches look yummy!

    Hope you and your family are safe.

    Diana

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    1. Thank you Diana! Actually, I can’t claim credit for posting early, blogger took off on its own

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  9. I'm sorry about the hurricane watch - I remember from when i lived not he east coast. Also, thanks for the recipe - peaches are my fave fruit.

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  10. Ahh....so scary. I was just in Vero Beach and Orlando..and the atmosphere was apocalyptic. Take care, although I know you are. PEACHES. I am on a huge peach kick, so this looks lovely!

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    1. Poor Hank, a book tour does not go well with hurricane preparations. That’s probably the only thing on everybody’s mind. So glad you got to meet our friend CoraLee anyway

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  11. Peach shortcake . . . yum! Thanks for the recipe . . . .

    We find ourselves in the paths of hurricanes [or superstorms] every now and then. So far, they’re not predicting Dorian to bring any severe weather here, but hurricanes do have a habit of being unpredictable.

    Take care and stay safe . . . .

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  12. Shalom Reds and fans. I am staying up passed my bedtime. One of my good friends is making preserves from peaches. When I was in the 2 nd grade, Hurricane Donna visited us in Brooklyn, NY. I don’t know why the opened the school in the first place but the rain started coming down hard and the winds were blowing dangerously by late morning. Parents were given the option of picking up their kids early or letting them ride out the storm at school. The school building was certainly sturdy enough. I didn’t realize or think about it at the time but looking it up online just now, I see that my mother would have been at home in the last few days of her pregnancy with my younger brother Peter as well as Donald my almost four-year-old brother. My dad would have been at work. Therefore, my best friend Howie’s mother, Millie, came to pick us both up. I’m not sure now, if they would allow a proxy to stand in for a parent in today’s world. First, we had to find an unlocked exit which would allow us out of the building and then we had to walk in a driving and drenching rain the half-mile walk home. In other parts of the city, children had to be brought home in boats because the water rose so high. I think it was the first time that I had ever seen an adult scared of anything.

    Many years later, I was travelling from northern Michigan home to New York. We were on a small plane. I think it was the only time that I was on a propeller plane rather than a jet. We hit turbulence. I mean fearful turbulence. It was in the morning at the crack of dawn and sitting in front of us were two salesmen who clearly had not been to bed after a night of carousing. They were very happy drunk and squealed with joy every time the plane bounced like a roller coaster and they tried to keep their coffee in their cups. Years later, I realized that Gordon Lightfoot’s song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” was written about a ship in that storm. Although, perhaps it was not the storm that sunk the ship. I’ve been able to avoid small propeller planes, since then.

    I hate losing power whatever the cause. We lose power more often than is reasonable. The worst was 5 days without power. The local Starbucks had power but you should have seen people fighting for outlets to charge up their toys.

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    1. Oh how I hate turbulence on planes, and that experience sounds horrifying! Wasn’t that Gordon Lightfoot song song about Lake superior? My sibs and I started to sing it this summer when we were up in the UP

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  13. Hello everyone. Thank you for your messages of concern. As of 2 AM EDT 1Sep, it appears that Dorian will miss Tampa. This is in contrast to Irma in 2017 whose eye passed directly over my house. I have been in many hurricanes, but so far the damage has been minimal. This is a very good thing as Tampa is considered to be one of the top 5 cities most vulnerable to hurricane damage.

    When I bought my house in 1999 I sought maps of evacuation zones to be sure I was safer than average. At the moment though we are experiencing the downside of supersaturated soil on the property. The water pipes are clogged, all the faucets are either leaking or have very low pressure. The plumber is coming and I have crossed fingers that I won't have to sell the first born child to pay his bill. Deep breath.

    Yes Hank it does get bizarre pre Hurricane season. We saw someone who had filled his grocery cart with ice, taking many many bags. I ask you, how much is enough and how valuable is YOUR food over someone else's food? sorry rant over. ps. buy extra toilet paper at the beginning of the season. You won't regret this decision.

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    1. Will be baking the peach delight when things get a bit settled. It looks wonderful.

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    2. Irma was a horror CoraLee! During Irene, JOHN had just had surgery, and they let him out of the hospital I think too early. I think they didn’t want to have patients to take care of during the storm. Anyway, I evacuated with him and the two pets to stay with some friends and have company. After that we didn’t have electricity for eight days. He was not allowed to pick anything up,. I can still remember going to the grocery store to get ice across the state, and people looking at JOHN with evil in their eyes as I was hoisting these huge sacks of ice that were really too big for me. We will never forget that hurricane

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  14. I don't have hurricane season here in California. We do have the occasional earthquake and the past two years has had some deadly firestorms. Please stay safe wherever you are.

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    1. I'd say your mudslides and earthquakes and fires and droughts and... More than make up for no hurricanes!

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    2. I am with Halle, earthquakes and fires absolutely terrify me!

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  15. I lived through several hurricanes in Massachusetts. When I was very young there were a few terrifying ones such as Carol and Diane especially. Our roads were torn up as were the two culverts that allowed us to cross the brook at different locations and get out of the woods and to school, work, and shopping. My father kept smudge pots lit, so drivers would see there was no way to get across. I remember being frightened by the giant pines falling around us but enjoyed playing on them after it was all over. Back then people always kept the pantry stocked, so usually there was no rush to the stores. We might run out of fresh milk but always had a stash of powdered and canned. Yuck, but they worked. Back in school we'd find out who had to move, because their house was destroyed, and neighbors would help each other with roof repairs, etc. People were good to each other.

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    1. Reine, what evocative memories... Thanks for sharing.

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    2. Ditto Reine, Those were different times with neighbors really helping neighbors!

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  16. That peach shortcake looks fantastic. And right now it's the end of New England peach season and the last of our fabulous local peaches are in my local fruit market. Such a short season but glorious.

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    1. I hate it so much when the peaches run out. JOHN got home yesterday and saw that I had come with another bushel . I know we will eat them and if we don’t eat them fresh, I’ll cut them up and freeze them and have a little bit to remember their glory

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  17. And... wishing everyone a safe week.

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  18. One of the good parts of living in Western NY is the last of natural disasters, although the lake shore flooding has changed that a bit. Mostly all we have to worry about is a blizzard or an ice storm, and with global warming, we are seeing much of those. I moved here after living on the left side/wrong side of the San Andreas fault. Before that I was a resident of Tornado Alley. It is nice to get up each morning and see the pictures haven't moved during the night and that all the glass ware is still on the shelf and the roof is still on top of the house.

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  19. I grew up with hurricanes as we lived on the Gulf Coast. In fact, David Squires, the first one I remember was Hurricane Donna, which hit us in Gulfport, MS and then went out into the Atlantic and up to New York! My grandparents lived on the beach highway in Biloxi when Camille hit, but they had minimal damage, which was miraculous. Now I have lived in LA (Lower Alabama) for over 35 years and have endured days of no power and broken limbs and such with a number of storms, but nothing catastrophic, thank God. Parts of New Orleans are still recovering from Katrina after almost 15 years, and the panhandle of Florida after Michael last year looks like a war zone. I have been very lucky. It has become a joke with some friends that as long as we have chocolate and Ginger Snaps in our hurricane box, we'll be ok, but a Category 4 or 5 storm is very dangerous and nothing to take lightly. I hope the "cone of uncertainty" will take the storm further to the east and out to sea. Prayers for safety for all in its path!

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    1. I know we all hope that Mary! The truth is the news cycle moves on and the rest of the world doesn't see how much damage is left. And how people sometimes never recover from a hit like that...

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  20. Hurricanes in Jersey as a child, forest fires and earthquakes in California, tornadoes in Ohio and Georgia, hurricanes in Georgia (Ivan) and Bob on Cape Cod. And the NOLA storm of all storms. It's always something.

    Peach shortcake looks wonderful!

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  21. Peach shortcake sounds divine.

    Best of luck to all in the path of this storm. I wish hurricanes weren't getting so much stronger these days. My husband made a film series on natural phenomenon in the late 90's, and he can tell you why this is happening now. It has to do with the warmer water.

    Believe it or not, Hurricane Ike, which devastated the Gulf coast of Texas, made it all the way to Cincinnati in 2008 as a Category 1. We had winds of 75-90 mph, and this area lost thousands of trees, and power was out for two weeks. Ours was only out for a couple days, but Steve had our gas generator going, with electric going to two neighbors' homes. Which he left in place after our power came back. That was lucky. Especially since our closest neighbor was on oxygen. None of us lost any refrigeration, thanks to Steve.

    The craziest part of that storm was watching the trees whipping dangerously around our heavily wooded front yard. We were upstairs, and watched while two frantic deer dashed back and forth, clearly trying to find safety. That was terrifying, and we were helpless to assist.

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    1. that must have been so terrifying--and only increased your own anxiety!

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    2. Ike was something else. That was the first hurricane I rode out. It flooded Galveston Island and several barrier islands. A friend's beach house totally disappeared. I don't remember much flooding in Houston, but there were many power outtages. We were an island of power in my neighborhood. You could see where it ended: one street over, extension cords were snaking across the street to houses without power. Happily, neighbors still help neighbors.

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  22. Lucy, your shortcake looks divine. Sadly, our peach season is over, but I might see what I can get at Trader Joe's.

    I live in Texas tornado country. In fact, in 1919, a tornado cut a swath right through the center of our town--you can see the path because the houses were rebuilt in brick rather than wood siding.

    But weirdly, my only encounter with a hurricane was in England. I was driving from Devon to Bedford when the tail-end of hurricane Lili whipped across southern England with 90 mile an hour winds. Five people were killed. I have driven in heavy rainstorms in Texas, but that night was the worst drive of my life. The rain was in impenetrable sheets, the wind was blowing cars off the motorway, and the visibility was only a couple of feet. I still shudder just thinking of it.

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    1. Debs, my oldest daughter was living in London then, and they left the country mere hours before the worst of the storm hit. If they had waited just half an hour longer the flight they'd have taken would have been canceled.

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  23. We lived through Hurricane Sandy. We were out of power for three weeks, but we survived. The recipe looks delicious. Thank you for sharing! I hope all of you stay safe.

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  24. Nope, all I've experienced are earthquakes. Growing up in Southern California, I lived through plenty of them. Not so much, here in Oregon. Best of luck and safety to those in the path.

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