Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Written mail...and a recipe for the Strawberry Shortcake!

This morning I wrapped a bundle of parcels ready to be posted to Hawaii, Germany, Kansas USA, and Sydney, then headed off to the Post Office to send them all on their merry way - knowing that within 7-9 days they will all be in the hands of their intended recipients.


What a small world this has become. I remember back in the late 60's when I would wait for months to receive a small parcel from my Japanese penpal.
News took time then, letters were written on paper (by hand!) with a pencil or pen...each glorious page of a longed for letter was relished with glee. Those days passed so quickly with the advent of email and the internet.
I have a friend back in Esperance who still does not have a computer, and I miss chatting with her and stitching together at Friday sewing group. We have caught up with a couple of phone calls, but I know how much she'd love a handwritten letter, so next week when I post off a birthday present to her I'm going to add a newsy tome written on pretty notepaper. And if I'm lucky, she'll write back. :-)
Do you write letters still?
~~~~~

Strawberry Shortcake

I've had some requests for the recipe of the Strawberry Shortcake I made yesterday.
This recipe has been used in our home for so many years now that the recipe itself (cut from a magazine) bears the stains of flour, butter, strawberries and orange rind through over-use!
The recipe was sent in to the magazine by a reader, it was her original recipe. I do not recall her name, but if she is by some chance reading this blog and recognises this recipe as her own, THANKYOU for sending it in to the magazine all those years ago! It's our family favourite!

125g butter
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup (110g) plain flour
3/4 cup (110g) self raising flour
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
1 medium green apple (grated)
grated rind of 1 orange
250g (1 punnet) strawberries, sliced thinly
2 teaspoons sugar extra

Grease a 20cm springform tin. Preheat oven to 180C (375F).

Beat butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy.
Stir in sifted flours in 2 batches. Mix well.
Cover dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Press 1/2 the dough into the base of the greased springform tin. Spread the dough with jam.
Sprinkle the grated apple and the orange rind over the jam. Top with the sliced strawberries.
Use the remaining dough to cover the strawberries. Press down, and sprinkle with the extra sugar.
Bake for 50 minutes or until lightly browned.
Serve with cream or ice-creamfor dessert, and eat the rest next day cold from the fridge if it lasts that long!!

Now, I'm off to make a cushion for a friend's birthday...and then there is another friend with a birthday coming up who needs a gift...and, oh, there's something secret I'm working on too! No hints, sorry! ;-)

Have a lovely day, and perhaps write a letter to someone special - or pop a card in the mail to someone you haven't seen for a while. It's something so simple, but blesses the socks off the receiver. :-)
Hugs
Jenny
xxxx

23 comments:

Sarah - Kala said...

I'm waiting patiently, but very excitedly!!!!

I love to write letters and I love getting them. I've sent several since being in Hawaii. I'm sure your friend will cherish a letter from you.

Teresa said...

Thanks so much Jenny for the strawberry shortcake recipe..it looks so good... and strawberries are delicious at the moment. Hope you are all well xx

Allie said...

There are going to be some mighty happy folks all over the world thanks to you, Jenny!
I don't remember having a penpal - I always wanted one. I have lots now, lol. And for such an impatient person as I am, email is a blessing. I also have trouble reading my own writing [arthritis] but can type well, so it's easier than trying to make my writing legible.
And no, I didn't miss the "something secret". I'm going to form a gang and we're going to come peek at your secret notebook.

Fee said...

Oooh yummy recipe. Can I borrow it to put on The Recipe Roundabout Blog - pretty please?!!
Love,
Fee

Jossie said...

I love hand written mail but I don't like writing. So I'll have to do with email which is fun really. I met so many wonderful people through the WWW.
Jossie

Pat / Silver Thimble Quilt Co. said...

Thanks for the recipe I will be trying this one tonight!!!

You are so right about letters and cards. I am sitting down right now and sending some cards to some friends who are struggling.. They mean so much for sure.

Pat

Janice said...

Thanks for the recipe. I'll have to find some nice strawberries and try it out.

Nothing beats getting a real letter in the post, but it is all too rare these days.

Saule said...

Dear Jenny,

Your blog is so warm and interesting that I read it a few days and finished yesterday late at night. I read it so slowly because my English is not very good (maybe I also write with the mistakes...). You are wonderful woman and fantastic creator! Especially I love your stiched little roses (in Shabby Rose BOM). I'm from Lithuania; I'm the quilter and I like to crochet, but now I'm going to start stiching because of your little pretty roses...Thank you very much for those hours that I spend with you, reading your blog. And I'll watch and read your blog with pleasure in the future.
Have a good day!
Saule

Abby and Stephanie said...

I always loved going to the mailbox because it was exciting to receive a letter. We are in an "instant gratification" society now I think. I miss those handwritten letters. I still write notes on pretty cards on occasion.

Crispy said...

I haven't written a letter in years though I hand write messages when I send cards. The internet is just too easy and with quick response.

Crispy

Jocelyn said...

I love to write letters. And I did the same thing you did, with penpals, back eons ago. I still write to a few dear friends.
Congrats on your winning one of Terri's prizes :-) You and Allie and Vicki! Woo-hoo...........

Myra said...

I haven't written a letter in ages... Used to write to my cousin in Holland when I was young...before computers. 8-)
Your recipe sounds and looks scrumptious Jenny! Will have to go out and get some strawberries and give it a go sometime... 8-)

Joy said...

Mmmmmm, thanks for the recipe Jenny!!! I've got some strawbs in the fridge at the moment ... now I know what to do with them :o).
Hugs,
Joy :o)

Sew Useful Designs said...

Hi Jenny! :-)

Guess what I went out and bought today?!!! A wonderful magazine wtih this fantastic new designer project inside! giggle! congratulations once again, darling!

I love hand-written letters and still do write to a few people with my fair hand. One friend in England, in particular, loves a handwritten letter. I also keep a diary, and it's good to keep up the writing skills... my hand tends to seize up otherwise! I wonder what our grandchildren's generation will be like? Will they write at ALL?!!!!!

Your cake looks so gorgeous... will you save me a slice?!!! he he he....

Hugs!
Vikki xoxoxo

Marianne said...

Hi,
Just found your nice blog!
What a beautiful things you make,georgous!
Would like to start quilting/stitchery too....don't know where to start yet,so I'm trying to get inspired on the internet :-)

Yes,I love to write and have several penpals all over the world!
Could " use " more though...*LOL*

Greetz from the Netherlands,Marianne

Loralynn said...

I used to have a pen pal when I was young. Also, my Husband (then boyfriend) was in the service when we were dating, so I wrote probably a letter every three days to him. I used pretty paper and would spray a bit of my perfume on it! It must have done the trick because 24 years later we are still together and happy!! I think it is a shame that writing letters is becoming a lost art, they are such wonderful things!

ozjane said...

thanks for that I have a punnet of strawberries that I must use..so have printed it.

Kris Meares - Tag Along Teddies said...

Hey Jenny! Ohhhh!! How well I know the pain of a large postal bill!! I keep joking with my helpful post office guy (Raymond - I'm there so often we're on first name basis!!) that I really should have earned shares in Australia Post by now or should receive a frequent-poster discount. Don't think Australia Post would agree! And I think I'll have to try out your strawberry shortcake recipe next time I can get nice strawberries cheap - looks yummy! Thanks for sharing - Bear Hugs! KRIS

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the recipe..
Just found your nice blog!
What a beautiful things you make,georgous!...

Julie Burmeister said...

Thankyou for sharing the delicious strawberry shortcake recipe, made it on Friday, all gone by Saturday, will definitely be a family favourite now, many thanks, love your blog. Julie

Jan said...

Hi Jenny would love to do mug hug, I love your work and you are so wonderful to share it all with us

Tara K said...

Okay, first off, the strawberry shortcake looks absolutely delicous! .. I have a question though. Being from the USA we use cups instead of grams .. measuring by volume instead of weight, but that's ok, I have a scale and can compensate (you supplied alternate measurements for everything but the butter). My question is - what is a "punnet". ? Is that like a pint or quart?

Jenny of Elefantz said...

A punnet is 250g (1/2 pound).
Hugs
Jenny