Farr on food: Pineberries and cream?

Jun 30 2010 With Terry J Farr Of Friends Restaurant In Pinner,

WIMBLEDON means two things to me: the probability of rain, and expensive strawberries. This is not news, but I just came across something that may be old news. If it is, then I missed it first time round.

I read that there is a new summer fruit called the 'pineberry'. Yes, I did check the date of the story, and no, it was not the first day of April.

Pineberries are grown in glasshouses and start off green, gradually turning paler as they ripen.

I have yet to see this strange fruit, which is said to have been discovered in South America and cultivated by Dutch farmers.

It is white and studded with red seeds, the reverse of normal strawberries, and combines the shape and texture of a strawberry with a flavour and smell closer to that of a pineapple.

My greengrocer is on the lookout in the market for them, but I feel he is slightly sceptical about my request.

So, until I find some, I will content myself with some royal sovereigns (one of my favourite varieties), which make a good old-fashioned Strawberry Romanoff, a dish created in the 19th century by Antonin Carême for Czar Alexander in Russia.

This is a more modern version.

Strawberry Romanoff

Ingredients (serves 4)

* 500g ripe strawberries

* 75ml freshly squeezed orange juice

* 75ml Cointreau in 200ml double cream

* 150g Mascarpone

* 2tbsp sifted icing sugar

* 1/2tsp vanilla extract

Method 1) Wash the strawberries, pat them dry and remove their hulls.

2) Place in a bowl, add the orange juice and liqueur, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for a few hours, turning them gently once or twice.

3) Just before serving, gently whip the double cream, Mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla until it just starts to thicken.

4) Toss the strawberries and cream together until they have a marbled effect.

5) Serve with crisp biscuits, such as langues de chat.