The Big Glut Recipe - JUNE

Eton Mess

What better on a June evening than this traditional English dessert? Various tales of its origin exist, including one of a Labrador who sat on the strawberries and cream. More factually it was served in the 1930’s in Eton College’s “sock shop” or tuck shop, made with strawberries or bananas. Meringues were a later and perfect addition. You may wish to add a little splash of port, Kirsch or cointreau, whatever, when you mix the mess together.

Ingredients: 

• One large punnet of strawberries 
• A little dash of sugar 
• Dash of port if desired 
• 6 merangues broken up 
• Double cream softly whipped 

Method:
Wash the strawberries, cut off the tops and slice in half or thick slices if large.

Dust them with some icing sugar and chill. Whip the cream lightly and chill as well. 

Crush the meringues into a mix of chunky bits and crumbs. 

After an hour or two of chilling, toss the cream, strawberries and meringues together and pile the mess into a glass bowl to serve. 

Options – make a strawberry puree with more strawberries, add a little more liqueur to taste and chill ready to serve. Add some other fruit such as blueberries, bananas, passion fruit, whatever your taste and heart desires. 

Serves four.