SAVOUR & SIP
ELISHA EATS berry best A summer fruit that needs no introduction. But have we been taking it for granted? Elisha Young (aka @elisha.eats on Instagram) suggests getting your hands dirty to make the most of this season’s strawberries The
D o I really need to tell you how delicious strawberries are? It feels a little patronising given everyone loves them – even picky eaters. There’s nothing more British than enjoying strawberries and cream in the sun while watching Wimbledon. Still, a gentle reminder can’t hurt given we’re at the peak of the strawberry season right now. Go to any greengrocer or fresh produce section in Cambridge and you’ll be greeted by piles of vivid red fruit that’s soft, juicy and intensely sweet. Looking for the best of the locally grown harvest? For the first time ever, the Flourish Produce farm is growing its own strawberries commercially, which should be ripe and ready to purchase from the farm shop in Hildersham by the time this column is published. Varieties include christine, marshmello and malwina. And if the kids are already restless and bored from the summer holidays, why not take them to a pick-your-own-fruit farm? They will get to eat fresh, sun-warmed strawberries straight off the plant, and it means you can choose the best ones for yourself. My suggestions are Lidgate Farm in Isleham, near Ely, as well as Park Farm in Pidley or Bury Lane Farm Shop in Royston. Once you’ve managed to get hold of some strawberries, it’s tempting to eat them straight from the punnet with no adornment – something I am definitely guilty of. But here’s my recipe for a simple and endlessly customisable dessert that looks (and tastes) impressive, despite how quick it is to throw together. The three main components are ripe strawberries, biscuits of your choice and something creamy. Assembly is easy – cut strawberries into medium chunks, then add caster sugar to taste (depending on how sweet your fruit is) and leave in a bowl to macerate while you crush up your biscuits. It looks fanciest layered in a glass of some kind, but a small bowl or ramekin works, too.
C’EST PARFAIT A simple dessert made using British strawberries,
crushed McVitie’s
biscuits and full-fat Greek yoghurt
on Mill Road that makes an excellent date-night spot and boasts a seriously reasonable set-price menu. I can’t tell you exactly what form your strawberries will take since the menu changes every day and makes use of local, seasonal ingredients – but when I ate there, I was served a light, billowy pavlova piled with fluffy whipped cream and extravagantly juicy strawberries. The perfect summer dessert. Or turn towards the Chez Amélie residency at Cambridge Cookery, where you can find chef Regis Crepy turning out beautifully crafted fruit tarts made with love and careful attention to detail. Expect thin, crisp pastry that’s shatteringly flaky, paired with a rich, smooth custard and topped with fresh berries that have been glazed and set into a gently wobbling jelly. It’s mouth-watering stuff and definitely worth seeking out.
For my own version, I included strawberries macerated in a teaspoon of caster sugar, crushed-up digestive biscuits and unsweetened Greek yoghurt, garnished with chopped pistachios for crunch. For a breakfast spin, use oat biscuits with plain yoghurt and no added sugar. Or try custard creams paired with custard. What about Lotus biscuits with cinnamon and some sweetened, lightly whipped cream? Or perhaps almond biscuits, whipped ricotta and a generous drizzle of honey? But if you’re in the mood to have your strawberries even more jazzed up, make your way to Fancett’s – a small bistro
Here’s my recipe for a simple and endlessly customisable dessert
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