Oh Eton Mess!

In some past life I am certain that I was mother to two delightful little boys who attended Eton College, and I would lovingly attend their cricket matches in my stylish, but not always practical, Saturday dress and parasol. Being the doting mummy, I would pack them home-baked treats to nibble in the shade after their exertions on the field. But alas! One afternoon an excitable Labrador became entangled in my delicately sequined dress, causing me to fling my picnic basket aside. I managed to lose a high heel in the scuffle, and unfortunately (and most unintentionally) seemed to disturb the cricket match while in pursuit of the shoe-wielding pup. George and William were most upset by my behaviour (did I mention that I quite unknowingly picked up the cricket ball to bargain with the lab?), and I hadn't the heart to tell them that their délicieux pavlova was now ruined. So I served it anyway, and this is how Eton Mess came to be!


Or perhaps not, but it is a possibility. For those of you who would prefer a more 'accurate' account, Joy of Baking.com has a wonderful webpage on baking history; it makes for interesting and inspiring culinary
reading!

But the moral behind my story (or accurate historical recount as I prefer), is that a delicious dessert need not be complicated or time-consuming. This may very well be the shortest recipe post I have done yet, and at the same time, the most traditional (in my opinion anyway) from the 'How to be truly British' series.



Ingredients
1 meringue base, or small meringue nests
1 tub whipping cream
1tablespoon icing sugar, heaped
1 punnet strawberries

Method
Hull and quarter the strawberries. Whip the cream and icing sugar. Break up the meringue. Mix all together.
Feast!

Yes, I know, a proper Chef de Patisserie would gasp at store bought meringues- oh the horror! But honestly, Eton Mess is not about technical skill or flair, it's about wanting a quick and delicious dessert that sings of summer and happiness and lying outside in the warm sunshine, and all the lovely things in life. So I forbid you from making your own meringues! Unless it is a horrible winter's day, then you may let the warmth of the kitchen trick you into thinking you're outside and try out one of these meringue recipes:
BBC GoodFood Ultimate Meringues
Delia's Meringue Recipe
Just Easy Recipes Meringues