Shortcake Experiments

In addition to writing more recently, I’ve also had the chance to try some different types of cooking projects.

It’s been interesting.

For instance, earlier this week, I needed to whip some cream. Always before, I’ve whipped large amounts of cream, using that ever-so-handy tool called an electric hand-mixer.

This time, since I was only trying to do a small amount—say enough for two people—and I didn’t have that mixer ready to hand, I tried using a whisk. The super-miniature cup-of-hot-chocolate-sized whisk, to be precise.

As with all experiments, I had my purpose, hypothesis, materials, and procedure. I wanted to make whipped cream, I guessed that using a whisk would help me reach that goal, I had the cream and whisk ready, and now I just had to whisk the cream. It should have been enough, right?

Probably it would have been enough—if I had been patient enough.

I whisked for several minutes. Someone else whisked for several minutes. I tried whisking again for several more minutes. The cream seemed thicker, maybe a little bubbly, but it still ran like cream when we tilted the bowl. Results: no whipped topping in sight.

That’s when we got the idea or new hypothesis—I did actually; I’ll take the blame—to put the cream in a tub, put the lid on, and shake it.

New results: We got butter!

But still no whipped topping in sight, in the tub, or anywhere else I could find.

So, we stored the butter away for later—and dumped a new batch of cream into that ever-so-handy blender!

This time, after several minutes of beating in the blender, the cream seemed a little thicker, maybe a little bubbly, but still way to runny to count as whipped topping. Same again...

Final results: we just used semi-liquid cream.

And my experiment report?

Conclusion: it’s always helpful to have the right tools for a project.

Alternate conclusion: Strawberry shortcakes still taste good, even if my hypothesis was wrong in all three cases. (But please don’t tell my sister how I cook.)