Janet Baraclough wrote:

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from bigboard contains these words:

Janet Baraclough wrote:

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from "Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond contains these
words:


I couldn't agree more. These early pickings are quite the
best~ but
only for cooking and with plenty of sugar. No skins or seeds~
delicious.
I have a row of Careless cordons that produce a gallon each and
benefit from a May thinning. Later ones are sweeter and look
impressive but are not so pleasant IMO.
Tough skins etc.

Tough ones are ideal for gooseberry fool. Simmer the fruit with a
little sugar, pass it through a sieve (gets rid of seeds and skins),
blend the puree with some cream or real custard or both and chill.


Oooh, lovely. Haven't had that for years. How much sugar do you use? I'm
quite happy with very rough estimates!

Er, "to taste" :-) Gooseberries vary considerably in their sweetness.
I like the finished pud to combine the fruit's sharpish taste and the
bland creaminess, without that subtlety being masked by the taste of
sugar.

When cooking the fruit, use an absolute minimum of water ( hardly more
than the drips from rinsing them) and just a little sugar, maybe a level
dessert spoon, so that as the pan warms, the drips-and-melting-sugar
create only just enough wetness to prevent the fruit sticking to the pan
before it breaks down releasing its own copious juice and pulp. Seive
the fruit while it's hot, taste the puree, and if you think it's still
too tart, stir in more sugar..it will melt in.

Forgot to say, there's no need to top and tail the fruit.

Janet.

Ta very much.

--
"All snakes who wish to remain in Ireland will please raise their right
hands."
-- Saint Patrick