Today it's Sunday so I thought it would be a nice change to make a pudding.

Found some rhubarb in the freezer and also some raspberries.  This seemed like a good combination.  However, when thawed, the 'squashed raspberries' turned out to be 'beetroot soup', so that was a lucky escape!  

Then saw half a pineapple in the fridge and wondered if rhubarb and pineapple would make a good combination.  Somehow I wasn't too sure, so looked it up on the 'net.

Some sites advised against it, such as : http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2006/feb/24/foodanddrink.features112, whereas, other ones had recipes combining these ingredients, see: http://low-cholesterol.food.com/recipe/stewed-rhubarb-with-pineapple-224744 and http://www.theimpatientchef.com/desserts/rhubarb-pineapple-crumble/.

I wonder if the advice not to combine rhubarb and pineapple more refers to advice which was given, see this interesting page: http://www.thepoisongarden.co.uk/atoz/rheum_x_hybridum.htm

Have decided to make two crumbles - one pineapple, one rhubarb, this saving any problems!

Crumble recipe:
4 oz sugar, 5 oz butter, 7 oz sr flour, some wheatgern and bran.  Serves 6.

Another idea is to make the excess raspberries, plus their juice, into a jelly using gelatine (vegetarian or otherwise) and a little icing sugar.

Also I love making what the children used to call PINK PUDDING - because of it's gorgeous colour.  It needs two bowls which is rather a fag but it's worth it to enjoy the putting; sooner rather than later as it doesn't keep.

1/2 lb raspberries
2 egg whites, whisked
2 oz sugar
4 fl oz double cream, whipped
1 carton natural yoghurt

Mix all the ingredients together, serves 4 - 6 people.

Pears - and Crumbles

A friend very kindly gave us some pears this week, windfalls - wonderful! But what I have learned is that windfall pears are about 50% likely to be soggy and rotten, so no point in storing them.  
We've been cutting them up and eating them - and have made a lovely crumble, using pears, apples, pineapple and a satsuma. It was a wonderful flavour, not identified as any of the fruits mentioned above - just nice.  
I've also frozen a batch, just to see how they are when defrosted, although I fear they may be discoloured, so might cook them with something colourful to hide this, perhaps blackberries or blackcurrants.

16 September: Today we had a yummy crumble - it was apple with a few raspberries.  It was a Delia Smith recipe but I don't put any sugar with the fruit, that way its slight tartness balances well with the sweet topping of 3 oz butter  - 7 oz flour  - 4 oz sugar rubbed together very gently and spread on top of the chopped raw apple and raspberries.  Then cook and enjoy. Bon Apetite!