Bloomin' Beautiful
THE dessert of choice for a traditional hot Christmas dinner was always plum pudding – a mixture of flour, sugar, dried fruit, spices and usually some sort of spirits.
It is generally made several months before the event so the flavours permeate through. On Christmas Day you pour brandy, whisky or some such over the pudding, then set it on fire just before you dish it up. It is then served with custard and cream – absolutely delicious.
This dish originates in places like England where it is cold at Christmas.
But because many places in Australia are hot on Christmas Day, the dessert of choice is often quite different. Strawberries and cream or ice cream cool you down.
As this is the time of year when strawberries are at their peak, it’s easy to obtain lovely fresh ones from your local supermarket.
The garden strawberry, as we know it today, is a cross between two wild strawberry varieties and is grown all over the world. Oddly enough, it is part of the Rosaceae family although it looks nothing like a rosehip.
Its flowers, however, do look somewhat like those of a single rose, albeit much, much smaller.
We have often talked about the fact that many of us have strange relatives – and the plant kingdom is no different.
Why is it called a strawberry? Legend says this is because it is often grown surrounded by a straw mulch, which helps to keep the ground around it clean and stops the fruit being covered in dirt.
You can also grow strawberries in a
strawberry pot with little holes for each plant. These look attractive and allow the plants to hang down to keep them clean.
Because strawberries ripen and go off very quickly, they are best picked every day as soon as they show a good red colour. They won’t ripen any more after picking, so get your timing right.
You will also probably have to beat the birds, snails and possums to the fruit.
Paul and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year and lots of nice food.
