Nov 28

Nov 28 Mess Call

Temperatures plummeting. Sunny days and clear nights. A full moon. Log burner on the go.

C O M F O R T F O O D

Eton Mess with a twist. Now… I know I am parking my tank on Anne-Marie’s lawn, as the origins of Eton Mess are on the Cricket field. I’ll take the risk.

Actually - no one really knows where this delicious desert came from.

So the popular legend goes, there was a cricket match going on at Eton College (against Harrow) in the 1920’s and an overexcited labrador sat on a basket of food containing a Strawberry Pavlova. The players enjoyed it regardless.

However….

It was already mentioned in documents some thirty years earlier. Albeit still with a cricketing connection.

Why a Mess?

Some say it’s because it looks a mess. Or is it derived from the Latin word ‘Missum’ meaning a portion of food? (nah.) Or because it was served in the military Mess setting. I prefer the Labrador story.

Byron monitors Eton Mess consumption - Photo © Rob Jones

There’s no secret to the recipe. And as usual, no quantities. Add and subtract what you like/don’t like.

Buy some meringues - or make some if you can be bothered. Break them up into a dish. (Get a Labrador to sit on them if you have one available. Pick off the hairs before serving.)

Mix it with some Crème Fraîche. Slice in some tasty Strawberries. That could be it… but ..

My twist…. cook up some Fruits of the Forest mix, add a dash of port, and a couple of spoonsful of Strawberry Jam. Spoon the hot mix over the pudding just before serving.