Strawberry shortcake though delicious does not tempt me on a dessert menu.  I had a friend once tell me never to order strawberry shortcake off a menu.  They said it is a way restaurants get rid of fruit, especially fruit that is going bad.  I myself don’t believe this, however,  I personally wouldn’t order a strawberry shortcake at a restaurant.  It’s like going to a restaurant and ordering grilled cheese.  Why?  Strawberry shortcake is that dessert at the BBQ everyone just looks at and passes by.  Hoping that there will be a cobbler a little further down the line.  Blueberry one perhaps.

I did this Strawberry Shortcake just simply to try out the Cinnamon and Basil Ice Cream.  I was looking through a vinegar cookbook and they had a recipe for cinnamon basil vinegar.  Which in itself sounds pretty appetizing and I thought cinnamon and basil sounded like an interesting combo.  I love basil ice cream and thought back to the vinegar recipe, which brought me to the cinnamon sugar folded into the ice cream.  Which is actually a little trick I learned from my good friend Michael Laiskonis.  After I spun the basil ice cream I folded in the cinnamon sugar giving it a cinnamon crunch texture with the basil.  I have to tell you, I like it…. a lot.  Do not confuse this with Cinnamon Basil.  There is such a thing.

The strawberries I picked up from the farmers market in Union Square and are tossed in a little sugar with zest of lemon and orange.  A couple things of whip cream on the plate, ice cream between shortcake and called it a day.  Sat on the couch and watched SpongeBob.  My favorite type of dessert, simple yet amazing and full of flavor.