“Real love baby.” — That’s the name of the playlist that underscored our baking adventure. It could also be the subtitle to this recipe. And it absolutely is what I have for the two ladies who baked this recipe with me.
Over the past three and a half years, my husband Jordan and I have lived in four different states. California, Illinois, Texas, and Minnesota. Each stint in the journey has been full of both adventure and challenge. It goes without saying that moving is really hard. Not living in a given place for very long can complicate relationship building. It’s difficult to invest in new friendships when you know the day you’re leaving. It’s hard for others to want to invest in you, too. Moving across the country can also be disorienting. No matter how much I look forward to the next destination, I’ve always felt a deep sadness for leaving the old place behind. I’d gotten used to calling it “home.”
Of course, there are incredible benefits to moving around. We’ve seen beautiful parts of the country, tried new foods, and met really interesting people. We’ve also grown incredibly close to one another, because on many nights, we were all the other had. Especially during the pandemic when lockdowns were in place.
We came here to Minneapolis in August 2020, during a particularly difficult season of our lives. My health was in disarray and I was recovering from stomach surgery. Jordan was struggling with stresses of his own. We were both exhausted from the toll of living in lockdown and all of the effort it takes to drive your stuff 2,000 miles in a 20-foot truck. During those early days, we found ourselves nearly passing out in bed each night and together asking how we would find energy to get up in the morning.
By some miracle, the move to Minneapolis was unlike any of our previous moves, because the moment we pulled up, there were people waiting to welcome us.
Those people include Jordan’s incredible parents, Tom and Michelle. They not only flew to Texas last minute to help us pack up while I was recovering in bed, but they helped us unpack on the other side and let us stay with them. We simply would not have made it here without their help. And living close to them has been a true gift.
Madeline and Sam, two of our dearest couple friends who had only moved to Minneapolis a few weeks prior, showed up on our second night here to unpack boxes and bring us homemade sweet potato enchiladas. Their willingness to help us spoke volumes of love and care. And their friendship, weekly dinners and walks with their dog Piper, have made this town feel like home so much quicker than before. Madeline and I were once roommates in Chicago, we’ve stood in each other’s wedding, and are true kindred spirits. It’s dreamy to be back in the same city.
Kailey and I went on a very long walk shortly after we arrived. I was still taking very small steps, trying to ease the pain of moving around, and she patiently inched her way around a lake park with me. We were in the same friendship circle in college, but it wasn’t until moving here that our kinship totally solidified. It has been a pure delight to know her on a deeper level. She too is a kindred spirit — it feels like I’ve known her for a much longer time. We have uncanny similarities and can talk for hours and hours without realizing how much time has past. She is pure joy.
The occasion for this strawberry shortcake cobbler was to have both Madeline and Kailey officially meet. Jordan and I will be making yet another move in September to go back to Chicago. It is a dream of mine that these two women, who I think of so highly, would become friends. And what better way to get to know someone than make a dessert with them! (And drink a glass of rosé.)
We divided and conquered. Kailey took charge of making the shortcake dough, which consisted of flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, and heavy cream. She also graciously purchased some cookie dough cutters for me on her way over — I had none!
Madeline commandeered the three cartons of strawberries, washing and slicing them over the sink. Both of these women are excellent cooks, so I just acted as finder-of-ingredients and available sub. The strawberries are mixed with some cornstarch, sugar, and lime juice to liven things up.
Once assembled, the cobbler is supposed to take about 25-30 minutes to bake. However, we found that it took about 35-40 minutes to achieve the results that we’re told to look for (strawberry juices bubbling and golden-topped shortcakes). Kailey made the astute point that generally speaking, “Alison is optimistic about time.”
The afternoon flew by as we chatted about our lives, funny stories from our weddings, and our visions for the future. These women have made this home so very special. The cobbler was really good, but not as good as these pals.
Note, there were a few bites leftover so I saved them for the next day. The shortcakes became way too dry and the strawberries seemed to lose some of their flavor. Therefore, this cobbler is best eaten right out of the oven.
36 recipes cooked, 189 to go.
