This is one of many strawberry posts you’ll see the next few days on the blog. Consider yourself warned.

I have a weakness for strawberries this time of year. I go to the farmers’ market every Saturday morning and each week, the berries look more attractive. I like to buy the ones that you can pop into your mouth like candy. The best ones explode with sweetness and tartness. They’re slightly warm from the sun and humidity, but that’s okay. It makes the juice even sweeter.

A couple weeks ago, my boyfriend and I went strawberry picking at Eckert’s and I got a bunch of the aforementioned berries. I made jam with four pounds of them but I still had some leftover. I decided to make bourbon strawberry shortcakes with the rest.

The strawberries in this recipe get a big boost from bourbon. It balances their sweetness and adds a rich, smoky flavor that normally you don’t get unless you roast strawberries in the oven. It also makes them even more soft and tender, so you can scoop them out and layer them over cake.

My other favorite part of this recipe is the mascarpone honey whipped cream. I was skeptical of using mascarpone because I thought the whipped cream would taste fine without it, and I hate buying one ingredient when I just need to use a little of it. But the good news is, the mascarpone adds a layer to the whipped cream AND it can be easily used in other recipes. It’s even good spread on toast in the morning with a little jam on top.

If you’re looking for a quick, delicious spring and early summer dessert that makes the most of seasonal berries, check out this recipe. Here’s a song to get you started on your bourbon strawberry shortcake journey.