serves four

2 quarts ripe strawberries apple juice or white cranberry juice, as needed
1 lemon wedge
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Wash and de-stem the strawberries. Place them in a blender. (The Vita-Prep is by far the best brand; it creates perfectly smooth purées.) Depending on how juicy the strawberries are, add in small amounts of either apple or cranberry juice until you achieve a “heavy cream” consistency. Next, add some drops of lemon juice to brighten up the strawberry flavor, and add sugar if the strawberries are too tart.

Whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff. Place a dollop of whipped cream in the center of each bowl of strawberries. Serve immediately.