As May rolls into June, England hits peak summer. All those muddy football players yield to natty cricketers and immaculately coiffured green wickets . Gardens fill with flowers. At Wimbledon and a thousand other places, the air is filled with the thwack of racket on balls. Nothing captures the ambience like a well-turned bowl of strawberries and cream, that near quintessential accompaniment to a day out at the tennis or the Derby. Ok there’s one rival, but we’ll be doing that next week
People have been eating strawberries as a summer dessert since at least the sixteenth century. However the big ones we take for granted today didn’t really come about until the middle of the eighteenth, [1] as a result of a wheeze by an enterprising Frenchman called Amédée-François Frézier . Frankly we found all the botany and genetics in the Wiki article a little cognitively challenging: suffice to say he crossed a North American version with one from the southern continent to produce that plump juicy berry which not only tastes good, but is admirable to look at. And our recommendation to go with them? Cream, single or maybe double. Not ice cream, not clotted, not that funny squirty stuff that comes out of tins from some of our cheaper supermarkets. And certainly no sugar. Just good, old fashioned cowsmilk cream. Gottit?
Now for the really important question: what to drink? Our Intelligent researchers came up with the following list, each perfectly tailored to a different aspect of your dish. Bowl. Whatever.
Sauternes – A classic French dessert wine with honeyed sweetness that complements the creaminess.
Coteaux du Layon – A Loire Valley wine with citrus and honey notes, perfect for the richness of cream.
Pinot Noir Rosé – Light and fruity, with strawberry and peach notes that enhance the fresh berries.
Demi-Sec Champagne – The bubbles and brioche flavors contrast beautifully with the sweetness of strawberries.
Riesling (Spätlese) – A German Riesling with floral and orchard fruit notes that highlight the strawberries.
Prosecco – Slightly sweeter than Champagne, making it a great match for ripe strawberries and cream.And much, much cheaper!
Gewürztraminer – Aromatic and floral, with lychee and ginger notes that pair well with strawberries.
And with the end of that list, may we wish you another happy Friday night feast.
#strawberries #cream #summer #wine #garden #tennis #cricket #wimbledon
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