By Mother's Day. The family came to the house and Kayla and Devon cooked brunch again — their tradition now, started two years ago during COVID. The shrimp and grits are still not as good as mine (the shrimp were overcooked by approximately five seconds, which is an improvement over last year's ten seconds, so the trajectory is correct). The biscuits were good — actually good, not just grandson-in-law good. Devon is learning. The man who once cooked jar-sauce spaghetti is now making biscuits from scratch. That is the power of proximity to Henderson women. We improve the men around us through food and expectation.
Amara gave me a card. She is four in September, so the card was more controlled chaos than last year — recognizable shapes, a flower that might also be a spider, and the words "I LUV GAH GAH" written by her own hand (with Carolyn's spelling guidance, I suspect, but the penmanship is all Amara: bold, uneven, fully committed). It's going in the recipe box. The box is running out of room. I may need a second box. Or I may need to accept that love takes up space and stop trying to contain it.
Patricia called from Jacksonville. She's doing well — Wayne's health is stable, Brittany is thriving as a pharmacist in Orlando, Darnell and Keisha are settled. Alexis is in Montana right now, travel-nursing, and she sent me a photo of herself next to a mountain with the caption "Missing your greens, Granny." I sent her back a photo of the collard greens on the stove with the caption "They don't travel." She will be home for Christmas. She always comes home for Christmas. The greens will be waiting.
Made strawberry shortcake on the porch. The annual tradition. Biscuits, strawberries, real whipped cream. The juice running down my chin. Five minutes of pure spring.
Now go on and feed somebody.
The strawberry shortcake on the porch is the part I look forward to all year — but biscuits and strawberries alone are only two-thirds of the equation. The cream is where it becomes something worth slowing down for. I’ve been making a mock Devonshire cream for years now, because real clotted cream requires patience I save for other things, and this version is so close it’ll make you forgive the difference entirely. If Amara’s card is going in the recipe box, this cream is the reason the recipe box exists.
Easy Mock Devonshire Cream
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 tablespoon sour cream (optional, for tang)
Instructions
- Soften and beat. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add sugar and vanilla. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the cream cheese and beat until fully incorporated and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream if using and mix briefly to combine.
- Stream in the cream. With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the cold heavy whipping cream. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture thickens and holds soft, billowy peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overbeat.
- Taste and adjust. Taste the cream and add a pinch more powdered sugar if you prefer it sweeter. The texture should be thick and spreadable — richer than whipped cream, softer than butter.
- Serve or chill. Serve immediately spooned generously over warm biscuits and fresh strawberries, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Give it a gentle stir before serving if made ahead.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 20g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 90mg