Grant Wood's Strawberry Shortcake

• 1 qt. ripe strawberries, washed and hulled
• 1/2 to 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 Tbsp. lard
• 3/4 cup milk
• butter

Directions

Place strawberries in a bowl and bruise and chop with a silver spoon. Cover with sugar to suit and let stand at room temperature to bring out the juice. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; cut in shortening.

Add milk and mix lightly, the less the better. Spread out in a greased pie tin with a spoon. Bake in a hot oven 425 degrees F until done (12-20 minutes). Carefully break biscuit dough into 2 layers, using a fork to separate it. Lay top layer onto one side (remove with pancake turner, if necessary). Butter the bottom layer with fresh butter and cover with about 1/2 the crushed strawberries. Butter the top layer and replace. Top the cake with more strawberries. Cut into huge slices and serve with loads of rich country cream.. (This and coffee make a complete meal.)

Grant Wood was an Iowa artist best known for his painting of American Gothic (the couple with the pitchfork), which is in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.

By Robin from Washington, IA