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Community-run food co-operatives are a brilliant initiative for providing British produce, as long as everyone has an equal share. The Sauce trials a seasonal strawberry tart recipe
Out for supper with friends last week, I saw one of my dining companions visibly tighten as she was asked by her neighbour to share some of her steak. Sharing is a taught concept, and one we all struggle with, particularly when it comes to food. Admit it to yourself. Whether you are at the office or in the playground, one is inflicted with severe inner turmoil when asked by a colleague if they can 'try' what you are eating. Even the most arduous suitor can begin to question his true feelings when asked if he can share his pudding, particularly if his girlfriend declined to have one of her own. Thank goodness Romeo and Juliet never had to share a meal. This is another strong argument for eating British. British food suits the British temperament. Cheese fondues are never going to be ubiquitous. The British are better with units of food. We are a nation of portions. Cottage Pie, Roast Chicken, Toad-in-the-Hole, Victoria Sponge...they can all be served up individually and potentially equally. Barbeques and buffets, always popular concepts, can in reality pose problems if the food-to-consumer ratio has not properly been thought through.
This may be the case with consuming but when it comes to sourcing, growing and buying produce we are in it together. Community-run food co-operatives come in all shapes and sizes including buying clubs, bag or box schemes, stalls or shops, and can provide a variety of different foods such as fruit and vegetables, wholefoods, home-made bread or local meat and dairy produce. Sustain have launched a food co-ops website which enables you to search for your nearest community food co-op and provides a free toolkit with support such as workshops and training days. [click here]. Summer, when there is sun, has to be one of the most condusive times of year for community buying and selling - it is village fete season and strawberry season. British strawberries can be grown with ease in your own or your local school's garden or allotment. Alternatively, a Pick-Your-Own farm is never far away and farm shops will have them in abundance. To find a Pick-Your-Own farm near you [click here] and to find a farm shop near you [click here]. To find out how to grow your own strawberries, if you have not yet done so.. [click here]. Strawberries are synonymous with June - for Wimbledon watchers, for Pimms guzzlers, for Summer Pudding aficionados and for those entrenched in exams - strawberries are high in magnesium, which helps to relax the muscles.
As the World Cup kicks off let's not just watch teams but be a team, united in sourcing and providing British food within our community.
For a selection of British berry recipes [click here]
For British berry-themed children's activities [click here]
For the British Summer Fruits website [click here]
This month The Sauce tests a recipe of glazed strawberry tarts
The Sauce
- How readily available were the ingredients?
Seasonal British berries are available all over the place at the moment. Raspberries are still behind the strawberries, so they are more expensive. I bought them from the local Farmer's Market and the variety of strawberries used was Florence - a nice change from Elsanta. All the other ingredients I bought from Waitrose with ease.
- How easy was it to make and how much time did it take?
The recipe gives a preparation time of 30 minutes. However, it took me a full 30 minutes to get the pastry made and into the muffin tray. The rest of the assembly took around 15 minutes. I made the pastry totally by hand. I would have saved about 10 minutes if I'd used a processor. You also have to allow for chilling and cooking time. It was a bit fiddly putting the pastry into the deep muffin tray then adding the baking beans for blind baking. Once the pastry cases were made it was simple to make them up.
- What was the sum total cost of this meal
£5.06 (it would have been £4.06 if I had only used strawberries). So much cheaper than if I had bought the tarts ready-made.
- How many people did it actually feed?
Five people and they scoffed them.
- What did you do with the leftovers?
There were no left-overs.
- Is there anything you would have done differently?
Next time I make them I'll opt for making slightly wider and more shallow tarts, so that the pastry cases will be less fiddly to prepare.
- What did your guests think of the meal?
They gave it 8 out of 10. Prior to this test, I would have always bought ready-made strawberry tarts because I would have presumed they were too complicated and lengthy to make. This is not the case at all. It is lovely to know that every ingredient was British. As a result they tasted so fresh. Also there was no portion-envy as everyone had an identical sized tart! I will definitely cook these again.
Try the recipe yourself and let us know if you agree with The Sauce by
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