Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients

2 cups              Flour, self-rising

1 /4 cup           Sugar

1 /8 tsp.           Salt

1 /2 cup           Shortening

3 /4 cup           Buttermilk

3 Tbl.               Milk

3 Tbl.               Sugar

 

Strawberries for Shortcake

2 pints             Strawberries, cleaned

1 cup               Sugar

1 Tbsp             Lemon juice, fresh

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all dry ingredients. Add shortening and use a pastry cutter or fork to blend in the shortening. The mixture should look like course breadcrumbs. Knead in the buttermilk; the mixture will be slightly sticky. Adding more flour will result in a dense biscuit. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to 1 /2 inch thickness. Cut out biscuits and place on a baking sheet. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the milk and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake 14-16 minutes, or until golden brown. Top shortcakes with strawberries and whipped cream. Yield: 8 servings

Strawberries for Shortcake

Divide the strawberries, puree one half in the blender and refrigerate. Slice the other half of the strawberries and combine with the sugar and lemon juice. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Add the pureed berries to the sliced berries and serve. Yield: 8 servings

Recent Recipes

Grilled Tripletail with Lump Crab and Chive Beurre Blanc

Tripletail has always been my favorite Gulf fish. The old-timers used to say, "If you can see a tripletail, you can catch a tripletail." They have this peculiar habit of floating near the surface around buoys, crab traps, and other floating objects, often lying on their sides and appearing almost lifeless. This behavior makes them easy to spot and, if you're quick with your cast, easy to hook. The meat is mild, white, and flaky—perfect for grilling. Pairing it with lump crab and a chive beurre blanc elevates this dish to something truly special.

Read more

Potato Gratin

Potatoes are the one vegetable I could never give up. Fried, roasted, mashed, or scalloped—doesn’t matter, they’re always on the table in one form or another. This gratin is my favorite way to make them feel a little more special. It’s rich, creamy, and just decadent enough to make it feel like you’re putting in some extra effort. There’s a good bit of cheese in this recipe, but that’s exactly how it should be. The combination of sharp white Cheddar, gruyere, and Parmesan gives it the perfect balance of nuttiness, creaminess, and tang. And using Yukon gold potatoes instead of russets makes a big difference. They have just the right amount of starch to get creamy without getting mushy. This dish is a showstopper on the holiday table, but I’d eat it on a random Tuesday without hesitation.

Read more

Orange Cranberry Muffins

These muffins are like Christmas morning in a bite—bright, citrusy orange paired with tart, bursting cranberries. The combination feels like something you'd find in a festive basket dropped off by a thoughtful neighbor. Perfect for Christmas gift giving or to have on hand for guests throughout the holiday.

Read more