HOULTON, Maine — Downtown Houlton was the place to be Thursday afternoon, June 30, for all those with a sweet tooth thanks to the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber held its annual Strawberry Shortcake Sale in Market Square. A major fundraiser for the chamber, the popular event did not disappoint again this year.
Jane Torres, executive director for the chamber, said she had to stop taking pre-sale orders on Wednesday because of how many dishes had already been sold. A total of 360 dishes were ordered for delivery.
“Some of the delivery orders were for as many as 50 strawberry shortcakes,” Torres said.
That left about 120 dishes available for walk-up orders and just 15 minutes into its sale, which started at noon, the chamber had already sold half that number.
Volunteers Mimi Weston (right) and Olivia Cyr assemble strawberry shortcakes for the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce’s annual sale in Market Square Thursday afternoon. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
Last year, the chamber ran out of supplies several times, prompting quick trips to the store. That event resulted in 480 dishes being sold, which is the same number organizers expected to sell Thursday.
Assembled on site by a group of volunteers, the tasty treats feature all of the best local ingredients. The strawberries come from Frank Cox of Golden Ridge Farm in Sherman, the biscuits are baked locally and the whipped cream is Torres’ secret family recipe that includes plenty of Houlton Farms Dairy cream.
“It’s overwhelming at times,” she said of assembling so many dishes in just a two-hour window. “The turnout has been absolutely amazing.”
