'Nuff of the compotes already!

Okay, I promise. I've really been on a compote overload lately, but it's just 'cause they're so good with that fabulous yoghurt from Thise for breakfast. That way at least I get SOME fruit in my stomach - I can't live of banana-blueberry tea loaf, can I? Or could I? Hmm, worth contemplating...

The gooseberries at the market was gorgeous, so I got some, just to come home and find myself with no idea whatsoever as to what to do with them. Except for a compote. So that's what I did.

Easy as always: place gooseberries and a fair amount of sugar (you'll have to taste along the way, but for about ½ a kilo I'd start of with 3/4 cup - see me juggling with American AND metric measures at the same time, wo-hoo!) a dash (okay, 2 tablespoons) of elderflower syrup/cordial and about 2-3 tabelspoons of water, in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, squish some of thegooseberriess to make sure that whatever it is that flows from them that will make what looks like a watery mess into something that goes all jelly-up, run! The elderflower plays very well with the tart- and sourness of the berries. I'm hard pressed to give you an exact time for the boiling - I'm getting really bad (or good, depending on who you ask!) to just go by the flow and taste things underway to see if they're cooked properly. 10 minutes maybe? They need have lost some of their sourness and have turned soft.

Serve as you please, fancy style or for breakfast. Serve it with a sponge cake (maybe a version with some ground almonds - I like almonds with gooseberries. Maybe drizzle the sponge with a little elderflower cordial...?), or use it in a layer cake. And a trifle, always the trifle! See, compotes are so versatile!

I'll really try - 'nuff of the compotes. And the very long sentences. For now. Maybe. I'll probably be able to keep the promise regarding compotes, but I really would be lying if I said I'd be able to stop making long sentences! ;-)


Oh you poor little lost goseberry! Where did all the others go?

There they are!