What happens when you flood a pandowdy (an old-fashioned dessert that has a broken, "dowdy" pie crust covering a mound of fresh fruit) with lots of cream? Things get swampy and downright glorious, especially when the pandowdy is loaded with sweet, juicy strawberries and the cream is perfumed with vanilla. Some of the cream sinks down into the filling and some pools on top with the strawberry juices. It's best served in bowls so you can spoon up every last bit of the juicy strawberries and cream. <br /> <br />The inspiration for this swampy beauty comes from my <a href="https://food52.com/recipes/22951-perfect-peach-blueberry-pandowdy">Perfect Peach-Blueberry Pandowdy</a> and Amanda Hesser's <a href="https://food52.com/recipes/13158-raspberry-swamp-pie">Swamp Pie</a>. <br /> <br />Here are some variations so you can make this all summer long, using whatever fruit you have on hand: <br /> <br />Strawberry-rhubarb: Use 1 1/2 pounds strawberries, 1 pound rhubarb (cut into 1/2-inch pieces), and 1 cup sugar (1/2 cup light brown + 1/2 cup granulated). <br /> <br />Mixed berry: Use an equal amount of berries--any combination of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. <br /> <br />Stone fruit: Use an equal amount of fruit (peaches, plums, nectarines, etc.). Reduce tapioca to 2 tablespoons.

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