“From the SCCC Kitchen” offers Daily Gazette readers tastes from Schenectady County Community College’s nationally accredited American Culinary Federation culinary arts program. Recipes selected by SCCC instructors can easily be prepared at home. In the eighth of a summer-long batch of recipes offered by technical specialist (and certified executive chef) Christopher Tanner, a fruit double-header is on the schedule: Strawberry and Peach Shortcake is a tasty and colorful dessert for August. Tanner offers more cooking tips at his blog, “Gastronomical Inspirations” at cheftanner.com.

Strawberries and peaches go together like Bogart and Bacall.

Christopher Tanner knows more about the culinary couple than cinematic couple Humphrey and Lauren.

“Peaches have kind of a subtle, soft, sweet flavor to them,” he said, “whereas strawberries have a more assertive, acidic sweet flavor. So they balance each other.”

Sort of like Bacall and Bogart, respectively. The fruits make Tanner’s Strawberry and Peach Shortcake a big star — the chef likes the tangy taste the peaches bring to the dish.

“Everyone has strawberry shortcake,” he said. “It’s nice to see something different and have the flavors contrast. I’ve got the almonds on there, too, which gives a nice texture contrast as well, so it’s got a little bit of a bite to it.”

To have — or have not — whipped cream with the red and yellow fruits is up to the home chef. Tanner likes creamy fluff on top of the peaches and strawberries. So he’s included a quick way to make whipped cream in his recipe. No sauce is necessary. Peaches and berries get the big sleep with a quarter-cup of sugar — through a 30-minute maceration, the sugar will begin to break down the fruits and natural juice will be formed.

Such a classy dessert might be found in exotic locales such as Casablanca, even Key Largo. But Tanner says it is perfect for home refrigerators and dinner tables.

STRAWBERRY AND PEACH SHORTCAKE

3 peaches, peeled and sliced thin

1 pint strawberries, cored and sliced thin

1⁄4 cup sugar

For whipped cream:

1⁄2 cup heavy cream

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoon sugar

4 pre-baked biscuits (may be store-bought from local grocery store)

1⁄4 cup sliced almonds

In a medium bowl, mix sliced peaches, strawberries and sugar, and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes.

If preparing your own whipped cream, place all ingredients for whipped cream into a medium bowl and whip vigorously (do not stir) until the mixture begins to thicken — until the point when the whip is pulled out and peaks begin to form. If you do not wish to make your own whipped cream, store-bought whipped cream also will work.

Place the bottom portion of each biscuit onto a plate and them divide the fruit mixture into four parts; place the biscuit tops on top of each plate and top each biscuit with whipped cream and sliced almonds.

Serves 4.