Crumbly whole wheat biscuits, filled with a voluptuous Chantilly cream and juicy roasted strawberries. Just when you think summer is almost over, life can still surprise you with beautiful organically grown strawberries like the ones we used in this scrumptious dessert.

Song of the day: Miracles (Someone Special) - Coldplay & Big Sean

The question people ask us more often is How did you guys meet. Good question, indeed. One that, when we answer with the story, bring smiles and fuzzy feelings, and exclamations like That is so romantic!

Canada 2007

I came here to Canada, I tell them, but not to meet him, I didn't even know he existed. I came here to meet Stefanie, who had been my pen pal since high school. It was the summer of 2007, with Stefanie we were "virtual" friends" writing back and forth real letters and cards to each other for the last 23 years. What triggered my decision to finally come and meet her in Canada was a time in my life where everything that I was, and that I thought I had, was suddenly starting to shatter. I needed a timeout, an escape. When she offered me to take a break from everything and finally come to Canada to meet her, it seemed like the best thing to do. She attracted me with pictures of mountains, bright skies and warm days, walks, good eats, big laughs and meaningful conversations.

Roasted strawberry shortcakes-strawberries

A luggage full of hope

I arrived with a luggage full of hope, an eagerness to experience, and a shy smile on my face. In the end, what my friend Stefanie had offered, became real. A week spent at a cottage in the mountains, a helicopter ride over jade lakes. Morning walks, lounging on the deck with my first Caesar cocktail, veggies and dip, cold beers, and profound conversations. Eventually, Rome and my worries started to fade away. And just when I thought summer couldn't get any better, a day before leaving this Country, she introduced me to her cousin, Loreto. He will tell you that I played hard to get, that I didn't even acknowledge him. Sure, my heart was bleeding a little and my sight was a bit blurred. However, I can tell you that the hug he gave me to wish me goodbye gave me the butterflies and I felt safe, in those arms, if just for mere seconds.

What I felt was so strong, that not long after I was back home, I sent my friend a card to give him, and that card became the beginning of another story and one that would bring me a year later back to Canada to start 'Our love story'.

Roasted organic strawberries

The beautiful organic strawberries I used in these Roasted Strawberry Shortcakes appeared, almost at the end of summer, in the booth of Sparrow's Nest Organics at our local Farmers Market. They arrived, unexpected, and for that all the more appreciated, like Loreto arrived in my life back then. To remind me to always keep my eyes and heart open for the beautiful gifts life can give you.

On the food side of things, these Roasted Strawberry Shortcakes are a gift, and a reminder to take expectation out of the equation and be pleasantly surprised at what can transpire. "A dessert that brings a smile to your face and excitement in your heart, with all that satisfaction in your stomach!" We shared our gift with friends amongst great conversation and lots of laughter in the serene setting of our backyard. That's life!

Enjoy!