Blog No. 238: Hands, Time Magazine Top Digital Creators, Strawberry Shortcakes

July 11, 2025

Beautiful Hands

Courtesy Sean Alonzo Harris—click image to see more of his photography.

Courtesy Sean Alonzo Harris—click image to see more of his photos.

Time Magazine List of Top Digital Creators

Time Magazine just came out with their first list of Top Digital Creators 2025. I think it is a terrific resource for those of us that might want to learn more about what is going on on TikTok and other social media platforms we are not so accustomed to. Start small, and explore a few of them at a time--it's a good way to keep current and abreast of what is journalism online these days...And for us older generation, you might want to skip down to the leader section first--some (not all) in the entertainment section seem a little inane for my taste...

Strawberry Shortcakes

It is the last hurrah of fresh strawberry season and I am a big fan of strawberry shortcake. So here goes: a great recipe from Alexander Robert of substack's Alexander Bakes

For the shortcakes:
 1 1/2 cups (190g) all purpose flour
 1/4 cup (30g) almond flour
 1/4 cup (35g) medium grind cornmeal
 3 tbsp (38g) granulated sugar
 1 tbsp (9g) baking powder
 1/2 tsp kosher salt
 1/2 cup (114g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
 1 cup buttermilk (or cream)
 Turbinado sugar (or more granulated), for topping (optional)
  For the strawberries:
 2 cups strawberries, halved or quartered
 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  For the whipped cream:
 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
 3 tbsp granulated sugar
 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 400º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the biscuits: Add the all purpose flour, almond flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk together, then add the butter and pinch it into the dry mixture until it’s broken down to the consistency of breadcrumbs (no big chunks).
3. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Stir together just until no dry clumps remain and a soft, wet dough forms. Scoop 1/3 cup portions onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart each— I divided the mixture into 8 biscuits (if you want smaller servings, do 10-12 instead). Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top of each biscuit, then bake them for 18-20 minutes. They won’t gain too much color, but the edges will be golden brown. cool completely.
4. Macerate the strawberries: While the biscuits are baking, add the strawberries and granulated sugar to a small bowl. Stir every 5-10 minutes. The juices will begin releasing and the strawberries will soften slightly.
5. Make the whipped cream: add the cream, sugar, and vanilla bean paste to a large measuring cup. Use a hand blender to whizz the mixture together on high speed, until it turns into a thick whipped cream (you can also just do this in a stand mixer instead, but this way is really fast).
6. Assemble: Pair the biscuits with their twins. Place a bottom biscuit (I use the less cute ones) on a plate and top with a good scoop of whipped cream. Spoon some of the macerated strawberries and their sauce over the whipped cream, then top with another biscuit. Repeat for remaining biscuits and serve immediately!

And another of my favorite fruits is watermelon. Look at this masterpiece, also by AlexBakes. Looks like cubed cucumbers, feta and watermelon with some herbs thrown on top. So gorgeous and creative!

Painting of the Week

Thiese paintings found a good home in a beautiful apartment in Forest Hills, New York.

Charity of the Week: Unicef

About The Author

New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.

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