Hum of the June sun
Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 10:37PM 
I won't keep you long because there are strawberries to be eaten and the clock is already tick-tock ticking.
I'll begin with credit where credit is due. What we have here is a recipe from Jamie Oliver, and it's a winner. You take strawberries, lop of their tops so that they're hulled neatly and stand on end like a berried mountain range. You slice a few knobs of stem ginger and pop them in the dish, along with some of their syrup. Then squish out the seeds of a plump vanilla bean over the fruit and toss in the pod after. Last, there's a slosh of Pimm's (No. 1), the gin-based liqueur synonymous with British summer.
I'll stop here for a moment, because the mention of Pimm's makes me weak in the knees. I first came to know it over the summer job that took me through high school. I worked for a theatre company, plays not movies, and each season there was an event that had Pimm's Cup as its signature drink. I can't think of Pimm's without thinking of those wickedly-hot days - the heavy scent of gin, cucumbers and lemon, miles of glasses lined up in rows, full of ice and looking like the most refreshing drink that there ever was.
No. 1 is sunshine and hot shoulders, and the best of those years.
Anyway, back to today, and back to that dish of berries. Tucked under the hottest broiler you can muster, their attentive peaks get lazy in the heat, slouching down and slumping over. They'll be warmed through but not cooked, only enough that the strawberries turn juicy and plush. The preserved ginger has the assertive heat and deep-bellied hum of the June sun, while the suggestion of citrus brought by the Pimm's rings all the high notes.
It's up and down and all around like a roller coaster at the fair. Which is to say, these might be the strawberries to end all strawberries.
I used local fruit, the kind that for 11 months of the year you convince yourself you've imagined in an fit of idealized fancy. And then, blessed be, it is summer and here they are. Fruit ruby to its centre, fragrant in a way that reminds of roses and honey jumbled up together. They are beautiful, yes, but in their irregularity. Nubbled, bumpy - one in our punnet bore a distinct resemblance to a miniature turban squash.
They're strawberries out of Enid Blyton. Rustic and brave - and left whole they have more oomph than is usually attributed to cooked fruit. Good enough that I may have been stingy in my dinner portion one evening, just to leave that much more room for dessert.
But that's just between you and me.
Now, don't dally, off you go while the strawberries are around. See you soon.
Grilled Strawberries with Pimm's and Vanilla Ice Cream
The strawberries are served with softened ice cream, and make sure yours is soft as you want it to further melt into the juices at the bottom of the dish - its texture should match that of the fruit. On top of that is some mashed cookie rubble, and like the crust to a fruit pie it gives foundation to the softness of berry and cream. Finally some mint, which in coincidence always grew beside the strawberries in my childhood garden. Its flavour rubs off unto the berries and seeps into the ice cream very nicely.
Stem ginger in syrup is young, tender ginger that has been peeled then preserved in a sugar syrup.
Recipe, via jamieoliver.com
Notes:
jamie oliver, strawberry, summer, sweet 
Reader Comments (44)
Gorgeous! Such a fantastic idea for a summer dessert. I can't seem to get enough berries during the warmer months and this will definitely be on my list to make this summer.
http://amusebouche-caitlin.blogspot.com/
just picked up three baskets of strawberries from my favorite roadside stand. i love summer.
wow! this i can do! looks heavenly and i love strawberries. yum!
Wow - that looks amazing and sooooo delicious! Strawberrys and ice are perfect for summer! But in this combination I´ve never seen....
I just got back from the store where I have purchased the vanilla and some coconut milk ice cream (allergic to dairy). Tomorrow I am headed to the Phinney Farmer's Market where I will grab some lovely little strawberries and give this recipe a whirl. I think I will try it with Lillet instead of Pimm's, since I have that on hand already. Love the pics too-- enticed me right away :)
it seems delicious!
I love fruit in summer and your receipe seems perfect=)
have a look at
wwww.modemuffins.blogspot.com
Heading to the farmers market with my mom tomorrow and on the hunt for some local berries. This post is absolute inspiration (from a fellow Pimm's lover), and I can't wait to try the recipe. Thanks. Happy (almost) Sunday.
i like !!
This sounds way too perfect!! May I ask what is ginger stem syrup? Is it like a ginger marmalade? Could I just make my own ginger syrup and add in a few slices of candied ginger? This girl wants to know!
That looks so tasty!
This was a delightful post - the thought of Pimms does, indeed, leave me weak in the knees.
♥♥♥
I remember bookmarking this recipe from Jamie Oliver too. I love the simplicity of it, and of course the very summery flavors! Your photographs are once again gorgeous. I think I'll make this for the Midsummer weekend - it's the biggest celebration of the summer here in Scandinavia. Everyone would for sure love the dish! Thank you for sharing such a lovely post with us!
oh my delicious! hoping i can try this sometime!
That really looks delicious. I want to dip my spoon into the bowl. Love your shot. Very pretty and inspiring.
Oh wow - this is also brilliant. And your shot is so much more appetizing than the one on Jamie Oliver's site!
Howdy! To answer the query about stem ginger (hiya Jeanette!), I've added a note to the recipe. Thank you all for the kind comments.
I didn't have stem ginger so I steeped some chopped crystallized ginger in a simple syrup with the Pimm's and vanilla bean. Tasted great though maybe the ginger was stronger than the stem ginger?? It was delicious though and Pimm's always makes me smile.........
How lovely. You can feel a happy summer breeze through this post!