Very Strawberry Shortcake

Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 475°F. Macerate the strawberries by combining the strawberries, 1/2 cup of the sugar, water, and orange zest in a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the strawberries have softened and given up their juices and mixture is chilled, about 1 hour. While the strawberries are chilling, make the Totally-from-Scratch Biscuits with the following exception: after brushing the tops of the biscuits with butter, sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar before baking. Bake as instructed. When the biscuits are done, using oven mitts or pot holders, remove them from the oven and transfer to wire racks to cool. The shortcakes can be served warm or at room temperature. To assemble the shortcakes: Using a knife or fork, split the biscuits in half horizontally and place the bottom halves on each of 8 plates. Spoon 1/2 cup of the macerated strawberries on each bottom half. Top each serving with 3 tablespoons of Real Whipped Cream. Lean a biscuit top against each bottom and serve. YIELD: 8 servings