Thursday, November 4, 2010

The first of the season!

I really love this time of the year here in New Zealand where there is an abundance of fresh produce, green asparagus, red strawberries and raspberries and many other delicious fruit and vegetables. Mmmmm I can't get enough and the visit to the Farmers Market on Saturday morning was a real treat and my shopping basket was full.


This was a yummy dessert I made the other night and you may want to try this.

We were watching Marco Pierre White's program the other night and this was one of the recipes that he served, for one of the desserts for his show ~ Marco's Great British Feast.

Eton Mess
{ A public school classic thought to have been invented when a dog sat on a carefully created picnic pudding}

Meringue ( If you do not wish to make your own meringues store bought,
would be fine)
8 egg whites
400gm icing sugar
1 lemon

Mess

1 punnet strawberries
1 punnet of raspberries
20g icing sugar

Vanilla cream

500ml double cream
400g icing sugar
1/2 vanilla pod
1 small tub of vanilla icecream

Garnish 4 sprigs of fresh mint.

Preparation

1. To make the meringue, place the egg whites into a mixing bowl and whisk to stiff peaks.
Add one 1/3 of the icing sugar and whisk thoroughly. Whisk in another 1/3 of the sugar and then finally the last batch and ensure that it has dissolved well. Finally add in half the juice of a lemon. The mixture should have formed soft peaks. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and squeeze onto a baking tray. Bake in the oven on a low heat (around 20C )
Take out when completely dry - this should take 1-2 hours. When cool break up into small chunks.

2. Put half of the strawberries and all of the raspberries into a bowl. Add 20 g of icing sugar and crush to a pulp using a fork. Put to one side.

3. To make the vanilla cream put the double cream into a bowl along with the seeds of the vanilla pod and 400g of icing sugar. Semi whip until it thickens.

4. Chop the remaining strawberries into halves and add into the bowl of vanilla cream.
Add the broken pieces of meringue and fold together.

5. To serve take 4 chilled martini glasses and put 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream into the bottom of each. Add a dessertspoon of the fruit pulp and 2 dessertspoons of the cream and meringue mix.
Garnish with a few mint leaves on each.



Have a happy day
Hugs
Carolyn

44 comments:

  1. I'm off to bed here but you are making me hungry. Fresh produce is wonderful and thanks for the recipe.

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  2. Mmmmmmh, yummy! I'm always looking forward to aspargus and strawberries in spring too. The dessert looks declicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe, dear Carolyn and enjoy all the wonderful fresh produce!
    xoxo,
    Julia

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  3. How is my dear friend Carolyn? Your post is delightful, it makes me hungry. Hope you are doing well. Take care of your self. Blessings, Martha

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  4. Sounds utterly divine! I must try this recipe. Lovely photos of asparagus & strawberries. I'm like you Carolyn I love to visit the local Farmers markets & usually come home with more than I could possibly use.
    ~Dianne~

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  5. You have taken me back to when I was growing up in NZ and we used to pick our own strawberries from a local grower - so yummy.

    It is warm here but foggy....

    Leeann x

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  6. I can't believe the adorableness of your blog! I just found it and am your newest follower! I'd love for you to visit and follow too if you like :)

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  7. It looks so wonderful!!! Thank you for sharing the recipe :-) I have noticed that my cooking improves during Fall and Winter. :-) I thnk I might just copy this fabulous dessert of your.:-)

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  8. Oh my God!!!!! I adore green aspargus and strawberries...
    Enjoy all the wonderful products!!!!
    Kisses,
    Mayte.

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  9. Yum...that dessert looks scrumptious.

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  10. Yummmm. I LOVE aspargus!!

    I want to thank you, sweet friend, from the bottom of my heart for your heartfelt comments. I could "feel" your hug.

    xxoo
    Marsha

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  11. Of course, we are just heading into winter here...and even if we weren't...we probably don't have any local asparagus.... but... we now are able to find imported asparagus quite often.

    Mostly, it is not as good during the fall and winter months...but... the other day it was on sale... half the usual gouging...so I gave some a try. Wow... was I glad I did. It was amazing.... I have no idea where it came from...but, it was great.

    Anything with strawberries is perfect as far as I am concerned. I made strawberry muffins the other day....ooooh..... they were so moist and delicious.....

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  12. Oh, everything looks so incredibly delicious! There's nothing better than seasonally fresh asparagus and strawberries! Unfortunately I'll have to wait another half year for that... Thanks for the recipe - I'll have to try that out soon!

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  13. Hi Carolyn! Those aspargus look divine and I'm sure they taste that way too! Thank you so much for coming over and for your sweet comment! Have a beautiful day!!

    Kristin xoxo

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  14. Mmm-mmm! Thanks for dessert. And happy November to you! My husband loves asparagus. Think I may need to go get some soon. Wishing you all the best. :) Tammy

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  15. Mmm, mmm, mmm... that strawberry dessert looks sooo good! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!
    Have a great weekend coming up!
    xo ~ Jo

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  16. Looks delish! And I am crazy for asparagus, love! XX!

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  17. The differences in seasons from the US always surprises me. Everything is so yummy I want to make a run to the store.
    Thank you for the recipe

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  18. YUM YUM - I love all the new asparagus and fruit appearing here now too.
    The strawberry/raspberry dessert sounds wonderful so I'll make it as a treat for us this weekend!
    I'm trying to lose a little weight but just this once and seeing it's a recipe of yours Carolyn I simply can't resist it!!!!
    See what you do to me - discipline easily flies out the window!
    Take care
    Shane x

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  19. Hi Carolyn.
    Looks delicious.

    I just about bought some asparagus today...wish I had. It's so good for us!

    Have a wonderful season. Wish it were spring here. Cold weather is blowing in and I'm not ready.

    God bless,
    d

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  20. these are all my daughters favorites.

    yummo!

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  21. Hi Carolyn,
    Oh my goodness the dessert sounds delicious!! Now I am hungry!!
    I love asparagus too and yours looks perfect. Such rich green color. And strawberries are another favorite.

    Thank you for sharing the recipe.
    Hope you had a good week. Busy here, but having fun!
    Have a great weekend dear friend.
    Hugs, Celestina Marie

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  22. Oh I remember those days back in MAY....enjoy my friend...I am eating Christmas oranges in this part of the world. xoxoxo

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  23. Oh Carolyn...your asparagus looks so yummy. So nice to have the spring veggies now. The dessert looks lovely. Thanks for sharing the recipe...I have it down on a card now. I will have to try it...it would make a pretty dessert during the holidays.

    Talk soon,
    Hugs, Nancy

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  24. Love Eton Mess and all things reminding us of summer! oh, well, only another 6 months to go...!

    Hugs

    XOXO Lola & Nora:)

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  25. Yummy post, darling!
    Thanks for the recipe!

    xoxox,
    CC

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  26. Everything looks so fresh and delicious! It's hard to get that here right now. We do have some pretty delicious squash though :)

    Have a wonderful weekend, sweetie xoxo

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  27. Looks all yummy, especially the dessert, which is my guilty pleasure. Thanks for sharing us the recipe, Carolyn... That's very sweet of you... Have a lovely day!

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  28. The first of the season... we are far beyond the last of the season ;)
    Have a great weekend, Carolyn. We will be covered by tons of sweet raindrops all weekend long, will send some your way xxxx

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  29. yummy! I love spring produce too. Mind you autumn isn't bad either, we've got a glut of wonderful apples at the moment!

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  30. OMG you make me hungry dear Carolyn...I love asparagus and strawberries! They look so fresh and yummy on these images...

    Have a wonderful weekend my dear friend.

    Cheers: Evi

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  31. Everything looks so yummy, esp the strawberries (ofcourse!)
    Thank you so much for your sweet comment.

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  32. What an interesting blog you have! I love NZ, been there twice, just love it there!
    Thanks for you sweet comment for my blog! : )
    www.pixiedustpaperie.blogspot.com

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  33. Hi Carolyn, mmmmmmh all looks so delicious!!!!
    Tank you for passing and leaving your lovely comment!!!
    Have a nice nice weekend

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  34. We have been pigging out on the asparagus here too Carolyn. Although as we're still on the Biggest Loser diet, I can only do virtual Hollandaise!
    Millie ^_^

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  35. And I smile when I remember we are at opposite ends of the spectrum, weather-wise. It's a little like my subscription to Donna Hay....
    Have a lovely weekend, my good friend!

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  36. oof! i am *VERY* envious of all that lovely asparagus...and fresh ripe BERRIES! i'm also hungry now, and longing for ♥SPRING♥...which is a pity since here in the northern hemisphere spring is 6 months away! still, it's nice to grab a little vicariously from your gorgeous photos! ♥

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  37. LOVE your food pics....thanks so much for stopping by my blog...I love Persis...so happy she asked me to guest blog.....I love yours too!!

    Stop by and say Hello ♥
    I’m the MTV Style Blogger of the Week!!!

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  38. Gorgeous! Mmmmmmmmm, those strawberries look really plump and juicy. And I love asparagus.

    Happy November and happy weekend!

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  39. This post made me hungry. It also reminded that I haven't had green asparagus for I can't remember how long now. But I do love to boil it and deep in a hot spicy soy and vinegar sauce. :)

    Win our Perricone giveaway worth $150

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  40. ooo YUmmy!
    I saw Nigella Lawson make one of these{t.v.} and now I must try it!

    WE picked raspberries with the kids once at a former bosses property , a picnic of sorts. The raspberries where HUGE, larger than those wild ones I found while growing up near our home.

    ah... so happy for you, spring has arrived!
    may i come over :)

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  41. This fresh produce looks absolutely delicious... makes me want to visit New Zealand... and I really want to try that recipe! :) Paris in Pink

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  42. these look delicious!! especially the asparagus...

    rockoomph.blogspot.com

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Thank you so much for visiting Draffin Bears.
It always makes me happy to read your comments
and I look forward to visiting you.


Carolyn xx