Suffer fools gladly

Strawberry blueberry banana and apple smoothie

Whatever happened to fool, posset and syllabub. Three classic old English desserts. Hectic lifestyle and easy to prepare dinners have replaced them with the smoothie, an idea thought to have originated from Brazil in the 1930´s. So why hasn´t Portugal followed fashion.I have however noticed the odd smoothie creeping onto the sobremesa menus of smart Algarve restaurants. Bistro o Porto in Tavira for one.Casa Rosada creates its own smoothies, the perfect power breakfast in one glass, so quick and easy to prepare.

Try some of the following combos:

1/2 cup beetroot
1/2 cup cucumber
1 carrot
1/4 cup apple concentrate


1/2 apple
1pomegranate
1/2 banana
30 red grapes de-seeded


also try  
Apple/ginger
banana/pineapple/lemon juice

And now for something more traditional.Fools rush in where smoothies fear to tread.

Casa Rosada´s Strawberry and Orange fool
Serves 4

Fools are traditionally prepared with pureed fruit mixed with whipped cream, or egg custard, or a combination of the two. (The term fool probably comes from the French foulé, meaning "pressed or crushed.") They seem to be especially successful when made with sharply flavored garden produce like rhubarb, gooseberries and black currants, which still have enough bite to be interesting when blended with cream,but most of which alas are not grown in The Algarve. But strawberries,and Portuguese mirtillos, which are much easier to find, also work quite nicely. Strawberry fool is best when the fruit is mashed rather than pureed, resulting in a more appealing texture. Serve it with home-made cookies.

• 350g (12-oz) basket of fresh gathered strawberries, hulled, coarsely chopped

• 3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
• 1/3 cup home made yogurt (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 1 dessert spoon Casa Rosada Licore de laranja sevillana or other orange liqueur (optional)

• Additional strawberries halved

Place chopped strawberries in medium bowl. Mash coarsely with fork. Place in colander and let drain 15 minutes.

Beat cream in large bowl to stiff peaks. Gently fold in yogurt, sugar, orange juice and peel. Fold in Cointreau, if desired. Gently fold in strawberries. Divide among 4 wine glasses or coupes. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)

Garnish fools with additional halved strawberries and serve.

“Who you callin’ a silly bub, and what’s that you’re offering me?” 
Diary of Samuel Pepys 1663