Mrs Beeton and pine-apple: Episode 2

The Best of Mrs Beeton’s Easy Entertaining, updated in 2007 London

"The Best of Mrs Beeton's Easy Entertaining contains a selection of reliable, delicious recipes, fully updated, that will encourage beginners, while inspiring those who are practised cooks." The Editors.

Desserts: Pineapple Buttermilk Whip

400ml/14 fl oz unsweetened pineapple or orange juice; 15ml/1 tblsp gelatine; 150ml/¼ pint buttermilk

Place 60ml/4 tblsp of the fruit juice in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatine on to the liquid. Set aside for 15 minutes until the gelatine is spongy. Stand the bowl over a saucepan of hot water and stir continuously the gelatine until it has dissolved completely.

Combine the gelatine mixture with the remaining fruit juice. Pour a little of the mixture into each of 4 stemmed glasses.

Chill the rest of the mixture for about 1 hour. When it is on the point of setting, whisk in the buttermilk until frothy. Spoon into the glasses and chill.

Desserts: Pineapple and Kirsch Salad

2 small pineapples; 100g / 4 oz black grapes; 1 banana; 1 pear; 15ml / 1 tblsp lemon juice; 30 – 45 / 2 – 3 tblsp kirsch; sugar

Cut the pineapples in half lengthways. Cut out the core from each, then scoop out the flesh, using first a knife, then a spoon, but taking care to keep the pineapple shells intact. Discard the core, and working over a bowl to catch the juice, chop the flesh.

Add the pineapple flesh to the bowl. Halve the grapes and remove the pips. Add to the pineapple mixture. Peel and slice the banana; peel, core, and slice the pear. Put the lemon juice in a shallow bowl, add the pear and banana slices and toss both fruits before adding to the pineapple and grapes.

Mix all the fruit together, pout the kirsch over and sweeten to taste with the sugar. Pile the fruit back into the pineapple shells and chill until required.

Serves four.

And for an anachronistic touch I thought I'd go with a Pacific look!! Anne