OK, I promise I’ll be hitting the pavement next week on my journey with Traveling Tuna from some of our amazing restaurants on this peninsula.

One word – strawberries – yummy! It’s one of my most favorite fruits. Maine has the sweetest berries around. I'm making strawberry shortcake with homemade whipped cream.

First, as a lot of you know, I’m not much of a baker. I went looking for some really good biscuits. Found them, of course, at Pinkham’s. You just don't know what you'll find at Pinkham's … they aren’t just about seafood and meats. They have a huge variety of pretty much everything and you can fill your shopping list in a heartbeat.

My twinners went strawberry picking in Bowdoinham, not sure of the name, but woohoo, they are top notch. Let’s start building our shortcakes. First off I wash and cut up my strawberries (I’m going to say two quarts) and put them in a big bowl. Add half a cup of sugar and I always add half a cup of juice, any kind of juice, pineapple, orange, or cranberry … remember make it your own. Mix it all up and set aside. Now, with two cups of heavy whipping cream, pour in a mixing bowl, two tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon of vanilla extract. Get your egg beaters out and mix on medium in the sink because at first it can get messy. This is what I do. I taste and if it needs a little more vanilla or sugar add gradually, mix until stiff like whipped cream. Don’t over mix or you’ll have butter, lol. Cut your biscuit in half, load it with butter and grill. While the biscuits are hot, pile your strawberries unto the bottom half, add whipped cream, put on your top biscuit then more whipped cream, then add a little more strawberries. I garnish with fresh mint I grow on my deck. Boom, it’s so tasty and such a treat.

I encourage people from away to make sure and order strawberry shortcake for your dessert after your dinner. It’s only one of many Maine foods that are 100 percent the best.

Our town is packed full of people from away. Please everyone be patient and kind. Tourism is such a big part of our livelihood. We all, in some way, depend on a busy summer to get through a long, quiet winter.

I want to say Happy Birthday to the good ole U.S.A., greatest country in the world. Please be careful with fireworks and remember, lots of animals are frightened by them. Thank you for keeping that in mind.