When crafting a new dessert for Bluffton, S.C.-based Palmetto Bluff Club, Executive Pastry Chef Jae Newby loves to take a concept and run with it, making it her own.

Her wood-fired roasted strawberries dish, with berry parfait and meringue, was crafted for a late-summer wine dinner series at the club’s farm, using fresh strawberries, seasonal to South Carolina.

“We used various techniques to create a refreshing dish that plays on different textures, temperatures and flavors,” says Newby.

Club + Resort Chef (C+RC): How would you describe the flavors?  

Jae Newby (JN): This dish is very strawberry-forward. The parfait tastes like ice cream or frozen custard. The brülée meringue is fun and marshmallow-like. The fire-roasted strawberries are sweet and bright with the addition of balsamic vinegar, and the olive oil is fruity and bright.

C+RC: What about this dish makes you most proud?  

JN: The balance of the dish makes me most proud. I’m impressed by how I could translate the Executive Chef’s vision and make it my own, in my own style. It was for a farm wine dinner, yet it is still very elegant.

C+RC: Why do you believe it is a successful dish?  

JN: The dish is well-balanced. The subtle flavors play well together; the strawberries are juicy and tender. It is a well-rounded dish.

C+RC: Why is this the dish you chose to feature above all other dishes?   

JN: I chose this dish over others because it is one of my second wine dinners at the club. It was a fun dish to prepare and plate up. I even took a video of me pouring the olive oil because it was so pretty to plate up.

Roasted Strawberries With Berry Parfait, Italian Meringue
Click here to view the recipe