The Cost of Berries
On Thursday, I made a Summer Pudding. It's a simple thing; just a pudding basin lined with bread, filled with a quick fruit/sugar compote. (I have linked to the Delia Smith recipe, as mine only differed fractionally. I made a 1 1/2 quart pudding, whereas she does a 1 1/2 pint one, plus I used 1lb blackberries, 12oz redcurrants, and 8oz strawberries, rather than her fruit choices. A little more sugar, and bread too to cope with the larger quantities.)
Now this is a traditional refreshing summer treat, quite tart, but lovely and sweet too, made by many people all over the country. However, I would not attempt this if the fruit did not come from the garden, for one reason.
Cost.
What is up with supermarket prices for berries?? Strawberries aren't too bad, a 1lb punnet cost me £1.80, mind you that was 1/2 price. But redcurrants, and more over, blackberries and raspberries are ever so dear. 120g of Blackberries, ie. 1/4 lb, costs £2! Redcurrants are about the same. At that rate my pudding would've had £8 worth of blackberries, £6 worth of redcurrants, and £1.80 of strawberries.... That's £16, before you've added the sugar and bread!!
Alright, my pudding was rather large, and would probably serve 10, but even so.... Those fruits aren't that hard to cultivate, I think the problem must lie in keeping them fresh. Their shelf life isn't fantastic. I suppose you could buy frozen berries, you can get a mixerd summer fruit 1lb bag for ~£2, 2 of those with a couple of peaches thrown in would work, and cost about £5. But the fruit needs to be fresh really...
Oh well, I hope Britains home gardeners keep up the good work, otherwise these sort of traditional treats are going to be priced out of reach...
Now this is a traditional refreshing summer treat, quite tart, but lovely and sweet too, made by many people all over the country. However, I would not attempt this if the fruit did not come from the garden, for one reason.
Cost.
What is up with supermarket prices for berries?? Strawberries aren't too bad, a 1lb punnet cost me £1.80, mind you that was 1/2 price. But redcurrants, and more over, blackberries and raspberries are ever so dear. 120g of Blackberries, ie. 1/4 lb, costs £2! Redcurrants are about the same. At that rate my pudding would've had £8 worth of blackberries, £6 worth of redcurrants, and £1.80 of strawberries.... That's £16, before you've added the sugar and bread!!
Alright, my pudding was rather large, and would probably serve 10, but even so.... Those fruits aren't that hard to cultivate, I think the problem must lie in keeping them fresh. Their shelf life isn't fantastic. I suppose you could buy frozen berries, you can get a mixerd summer fruit 1lb bag for ~£2, 2 of those with a couple of peaches thrown in would work, and cost about £5. But the fruit needs to be fresh really...
Oh well, I hope Britains home gardeners keep up the good work, otherwise these sort of traditional treats are going to be priced out of reach...
posted by Orbling at
17:21
4 Comments:
Well, summer pudding actually has hardly any fat whatsoever. As the only fat that exists in it, is what little fat is used in the bread (almost none), and the greasing of the bowl - only a thin smear. The fruit is not at all fatty, and no fat is added at all. So it is a very low fat pudding.
Humans can not live by protein alone Dhruvy, in fact Westerners eat far too much protein in their diets it is exceptionally bad for them.
Carbs are your friends.
BTW, cooking can be very enjoyable, it always amazes me how people don't enjoy it.
By
Orbling, at Friday, August 27, 2004 1:29:00 am
Redcurrents and strawberries I can't help with, but blackberries are freely available from any patch of waste ground! Canal towpaths provide them at fairly regular intervals. In a useful twist of nature they've ripened early this year, and they freeze quite well. My gran used to make summer fruit flans. I was tucking in one year, aged 20, when she turned to me with a proud smile and informed me that some of the blackberries were older than me. Thanks for telling me...
By
Stormfilled, at Monday, August 30, 2004 9:01:00 am
She then notices that you've already made this point about brambles in your nan's garden.
Engage brain.
By
Stormfilled, at Monday, August 30, 2004 9:05:00 am
Makes you wonder why they call it wasteland if it's full of lovely fruit. :)
Older than you? She must have a very interesting freezer!
I believe we have some redcurrants in ours that date back from my secondary school days. I think after they reach a certain age, they become part of the household and you can't bare to cook them. ;)
Mixed berry strudel this week I think. If there are sufficient blackberries to borrow some from the insects.
By
Orbling, at Tuesday, August 31, 2004 11:30:00 pm
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