When the weather heats up, my thoughts turn to languid summers and strawberries and cream and... Eton Mess! The dish was invented by the boys attending Eton College-that bastion of privilege in the lovely village of the same name-and usually served up on parents day or at prize-giving ceremonies.
Why, you may ask, is a former secondary modern school kid waxing lyrically about such an upper class treat? Well, the answer is simple: It is delicious. And with the Prodigal addition of chocolate this wonderful confection becomes extra special. Plus, it's so easy to throw together!
Here's what you need for 6-8 servings.
A pound and a half or more of strawberries, nice and ripe, two cups of whipping cream, a tablespoon of sugar, and a drop of vanilla.
Twelve small meringues, or more if you like lots of crunch. If you have the patience, you can, of course, make them yourself, but I prefer to buy them.
One third cup of Kirsch, white rum, or flavorful spirit (optional)
Two ounces of good quality, semi-sweet chocolate, grated or shaved.
Here's what you do.
Put the cleansed and hulled berries in a bowl, halved or sliced or quartered depending on size of the fruits. Now add the booze if you so desire. As we have a child and I don't want the police on my doorstep I don't, and it works very well without. At this point, resist the desire to add sugar to the bowl. If you do, the strawberries will weep and turn your dessert a gooey pink, and you don't want that. Instead, add a tablespoon of sugar to the cream and beat it to soft peaks. Add a little vanilla if you so desire, especially if you abstain on the Kirsch.
Crush/chop the meringues into rough chunks then add to the strawberries and whipped cream, then "mess" everything gently together. And there you have it: Eton Mess. More of an assembly job than a real recipe.
Serve in tall sundae glasses and top each portion with generous sprinkles of chocolate shavings. The addition of the chocolate is mine but it really works a treat.
Even if you're not strolling the playing fields of Eton with the sun glazing the Thames a shimmering gold, it will certainly feel like it when you taste this wonderful concoction. Evocative of summer and lazy afternoons, Eton Mess is destined to become a family favourite.
6 comments:
Oh yum. Yum, yum, yum. I might have to break my aversion to the kitchen and make one of those.
Hi Denis,
That looks so good!
BTW, ready for your next column, whenever you are. Have Frances send it along. Thanks.
Denis, this looks crazy good. I am 'casually' pocketing the recipe for my next outdoor dinner party this summer. Thanks for sharing! Cheers! Chris (Sir Roddy from AA)
Chris,yes,do try this one, tastes better than it looks!
See you at AA
Denis (Daggers)
Fantastic! Not so long ago, I was waxing nostalgic on my blog, Seen the Elephant, over gooseberry fool-- and the days when I could live in a country that has more kinds of cream than I can name! By the time we got to the comments, I had recalled Eton Mess.
I have the sense it will be easier to persuade non-Brits on the merits of this dessert as strawberries (don't people also use raspberries?) are more familiar than gooseberries back here. I'm fanatical about the goosegog but will admit, in my saner moments, that it's an acquired taste (of sorts).
Until now, I hadn't thought of chocolate shavings. As I also became a chocoholic while in the UK, I suppose this enhancement would make me even more foolish for fools?!
Post a Comment