As if there isn't enough doom and gloom in the newspapers and on TV, it seems that Wimbledon could be facing a strawberry crisis this year. Notice I use the word 'could' and the article says 'may', not 'will' and 'is most definitely'; we live in an age of terrible scare-mongering, even about overpriced strawberries at a tennis tournament.
I like to strike while the iron is hot, make hay while the sun shines and lemonade when life gives me lemons (and go overboard on clichés once in a while), so when I had a very strong urge to make a cake this week, I decided to make an Early Wimbledon Cake with all the strawberries and cream I could find in the fridge. Not because I believe everything I read in the paper, but because sweet, slightly lemony sponge filled and topped with lots of whipped cream and ripe strawberries is a very good way to satisfy that urge. And it tasted better than any measly and expensive - and maybe soon to get a lot more measly and expensive - portion of strawberries and cream would ever taste at Wimbledon.
Local strawberries here are wonderfu this year - all the better to sit at home and watch Wimbledon with! Great looking cake.
Posted by: Jane | May 19, 2011 at 16:54
Fear not! A strawberry farmer on Radio 2 at lunchtime said they were having a great year, it will just be their late varieties that will be ready in June. It's a good excuse for a cake though.
Posted by: Carie | May 19, 2011 at 16:55
And , while you're enjoying a slice or two , your children can demonstrate their tennis moves for you . All without having to leave the garden .
Posted by: SmitoniusAndSonata | May 19, 2011 at 19:19
Once again, I want to compliment you on your truly delightful posts. You keep me yearning for another trip to the UK, but at the same time offer me lots of creative inspiration that I can carry on here in New York.
Amazon USA Version won't be offering your newest knitting book until this summer. I know that I will have to remain patient. Perhaps one of my favorite yarn shops, Purl, will have some advance copies. Or even better, perhaps you'll be traveling over here before year's end?
Meanwhile, many thanks for all your generosity!
Posted by: Frances | May 20, 2011 at 03:18
I would love a taste of that cake Jane! It looks delicious.
I received my package from Amazon UK today also, what a delight! I am savoring each page of your book.
Thank you!
Posted by: Ruthanne | May 20, 2011 at 06:31
I thought there was a bumper harvest this year because of the warm weather.
Thanks for another excuse to make a cake.
Posted by: Sue | May 20, 2011 at 07:00
This is the exact cake requested by my 11 year old daughter for her birthday party tomorrow - I hope that there will be plenty left for me!
Posted by: kira | May 20, 2011 at 12:06
Your cake looks lovely. I've gone back to baking recently thanks to the fact that now I have a fully functioning cooker again. I've returned to your Cherry Cake book and made the shortbread from it (well it would have been rude not to what with me being Scottish and all!). First time my shortbread has ever worked out (normally I could make dry stane dykes with my shortbread biscuits they are so hard), even the kids are eating it, so thank you for the recipe Jane!! Dawn x
Posted by: D A Nelson | May 20, 2011 at 12:34
I received your wonderful knitting book this morning and have already started making the wave scarf from it, while deciding on the colour scheme for tea cosies. My knitted items go to Didsbury Oxfam and these projects are sure to be snapped up there. I hope you approve and thank you for inspiration from both book and blog.
Posted by: Wendy Wager | May 20, 2011 at 12:37
Hi Jane, I've just returned home to Australia from Kazakhstan, where strawberries are 400 Tenge ($2.75 US) a kilo. They're small and un-GM and absolutely delicious! There are also beautiful wild tulips (but it was an early spring so we only got the tail end), and lots of Russian. A very you-ish place!
Helen :)
Posted by: Helen | May 21, 2011 at 09:46