Luscious local strawberries first. Next, on come the raspberries. Then peaches and pears and cherries, oh yum.

Although we’re still some days away from this season’s first berries, that doesn’t mean we can’t get a head start on a great go-with.

Lynnwood cook and longtime Forum helper-outer Emma Suryan shares the necessary how-to with us and says, “I have been making this sponge cake recipe for many years, and it has yet to fail me. It is really easier to make than it seems. It does take a large mixing bowl for the egg-white mixture, and a medium bowl for the egg-yolk mixture.”

But so what? A small price to pay, no big deal in the washing-dishes category, when you factor in this comment of Emma’s: “This cake is excellent with fresh berries, fruit or whatever you want. It also freezes well.”

And then, since shortcake has been a berry long American tradition – and it would be nothing less than sacrilege at my house to serve local strawberries any other way – let’s have a recipe for that, too.

This one’s as old as – maybe even, gasp – older than I am. It’s taken from that now famous, red, cloth-covered kitchen bible, “The Good Housekeeping Cook Book,” exactly as it appears in my inherited copy, which originally belonged to my much-beloved, forever missed, darling little mother.

Quick-mix sponge cake

6-7eggs

11/4cups sifted cake flour

1 1/2cups sugar, divided

1/2teaspoon salt

1/2teaspoon baking powder

1teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4cup cold water

1teaspoon vanilla

1teaspoon lemon or almond extract

Separate enough eggs to measure 3/4 cup whites and 1/2 cup yolks. (It doesn’t matter if there are too many whites.) Turn the whites into a large bowl, add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.

Sift the flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, salt and baking powder into a medium mixing bowl; add the egg yolks, cold water, vanilla and lemon or almond extract and blend at medium speed of electric mixer for 1 minute or until mixture is lemon colored. Fold the yolk mixture gently into the beaten egg whites with a spatula until completely blended. Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan and bake at 350 degrees 50 to 60 minutes. Turn pan upside down until cool. When cold, remove cake from pan. This cake is excellent with fresh fruit, berries or whatever you want. It also freezes well.

Makes one 10-inch tube cake.

Mama’s cookbook strawberry shortcake

2cups sifted all-purpose flour

3teaspoons baking powder

3/4teaspoon salt

3tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2cup shortening

1egg, beaten

About 1/3 cup milk

4cups sweetened, sliced or crushed strawberries

1/2pint heavy cream

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Sift first 4 ingredients. Cut in shortening with 2 knives or pastry blender, until like corn meal. Next add egg, then enough milk to make a dough that can be easily handled.

For large shortcake: Roll or pat dough into round 1/2 inch thick. Bake in greased 9-inch layer pan, in 450-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until done.

For individual shortcakes: Roll or pat dough 1/2 inch thick and cut into 2- 3-inch rounds. Bake 1 inch apart, on baking sheet, in a hot oven of 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until done.

To serve: Split HOT biscuits; butter them generously, put together with generous filling of berries. Top with rest of berries, then whipped cream. Or pass plain cream. Makes 6 servings.

To make ahead: Make dough, up to point of adding liquids, well in advance of meal; chill. Complete and bake just before serving.

The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Food section.