Mom's Strawberry Sherbert

This dessert is so simple and so good.

Ingredients:
One quart good, ripe strawberries, destemmed and picked over
Three egg whites, stiffly beaten
Juice of one lemon
Simple syrup made with two cups sugar, three cups water -- boiled until well dissolved

Mash and combine berries, lemon juice with simple syrup and briefly continue to boil
Air-cool mixture and put in a freezer tray with the beaten egg whites on top
Place in freezer until almost frozen
Remove to a bowl and beat with (electric) mixer until light and frothy
Return to freezer (in tray) until fully frozen

Enjoy with, say, almond cookies.

Strawberry/Pecan Meringue Pie

This is an old, old Pavlova recipe offered up by a forgotten friend, Sharon Davidson, of Stuyvesant Town (NYC) fame.  It has the meringue on the bottom and has been a popular dessert treat in our house for many years.  This recipe was recently requested by a newer friend, Judy.  So here it is (almost verbatim):

In a (copper) bowl beat until stiff three egg whites, gradually adding one cup of sugar and one teaspoon of good vanilla.  Put 24 Ritz crackers, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 cup of pecans into a blender and pulverize.  Fold this mixture into the egg whites.  Pour into 9 inch greased pie pan and spread into a pie-crust form.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F., then cool on a rack.

Core, clean, slice and lightly sugar one pint (or more) of strawberries. Whip 1/2 pint of heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of (demerara) sugar and a splash of framboise (if available, if not, some good rum).  Fold in the strawberries and fill the cooled pie shell.  Place a few saved strawberries on top to decorate.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Afterwards: My wife now tells me you can substitute more pecans for any or all of the Ritz crackers.