Rhubarb Fool
Rhubarb is packed full of calcium and vitamin C so it really does you good. Rhubarb features in many old English pudding recipes – you can’t beat a Rhubarb Crumble. But it is just as good gently stewed or made into a creamy pudding. Try this simple Fool as it is both pretty to look at and delicious to taste.
Wash and trim the rhubarb, but don’t peel it. Cut off any green leaves at the top, as these are poisonous. Cut the stems into even chunks and put into a pan with the lemon juice and sugar. Cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes until the rhubarb is almost pulpy. Puree in a food processor. In a large bowl add the icing sugar to the mascarpone and whisk. Then gently fold in the yoghurt and half the rhubarb. Spoon it into glasses and top with the remaining rhubarb. Let it cool in the fridge and serve with small shortbread or ginger biscuits.
Theo Hodges
Theo Hodges was born in Kent. After a degree in Graphic Design she joined J. Walter Thompson Advertising Agency as an Art Director working on accounts such as Rowntrees, Kraft and The Butter Council. While she was at University in Perugia, Italy she started collecting recipes from friends and family. In 1980 she set up her own design agency: Theo Hodges Design Consultants. For many years when they were young Theo, her sister and six cousins used to spend vacations at her Grandmother’s Victorian vicarage in Kent. ‘The thing about remembering childhood’ she says, is ‘there’s a whole lot of oblivion, and then out of it something floats up, quite sharp and clear. Many of the meals I can still see vividly and various recipes of mine were originally from Granny’s kitchen. ‘The kitchen garden was stuffed with raspberries, huge red dessert gooseberries, strawberries, runner beans, peas and much more with the hens in a shed at the back. But Granny only ate chicken breast and runner beans, followed by raspberries and Jersey cream - and therefore so did we. When raspberries were out of season, and in those days the season was much shorter, Granny made Victoria sponge cakes sandwiched with cream and home-made raspberry jam. On this limited but delicious diet we all thrived’. Theo’s mother was an excellent cook as well, and had been taught by the house- keeper at their house in Mougins, South of France. And once rationing was withdrawn in England in 1952 and good, fresh ingredients became available again, she amassed an enormous number of recipes which has formed the basis for Theo’s collection of family desserts.