Knickerbocker Glories … what are they and where did they start
… so many of you have asked or commented on Jenny’s Knickerbocker Glories …
 |
Jenny concentrating on her caramel style
KGB - at The Starter Bar, Ilfracombe -
part 13 of our West Country Tour |
I thought I’d better
make sure your visit sends you away, after you’ve commented of course,
salivating happily ….
Essentially it is a layered cream sundae that is served in a
tall conical glass to be eaten with a distinctive long spoon … a speciality of
1920s Britain.
It can be made with ice-cream, meringue, cream … and flavoured
appropriately … with jelly, fruit and fruit purees, or chocolate ice-cream
topped with chocolate sauce, or nuts and topped with a honey sauce, or caramel
sauce …
 |
| Chocolate or fruit |
You name it – and a variety will be created specifically for you
… especially today when we have so many flavours of ice-cream available.
 |
A Sundae dish ... here a banana, icecream,
fruits and ... |
Their generic term seems to be Sundae … but certainly as kids
we’d occasionally have a Knickerbocker Glory – to get the big chunky glass with the long spoon … or then the banana split-sundae glass …
However this Wisconsin historical marker declares that the Ice
Cream Sundae was invented here at Two Rivers … and who am I to disagree … but I’ll
keep the Knickerbocker Glory here in little ol’ England …
 |
Early season rhubarb ... so pink and pretty
- grown indoors in the dark! |
The rhubarb season seemed to have come early this year … wonderful
pink stems with light green leaves – they’re poisonous! So only lightly cook the chopped stems with
some dark sugar … serve with custard or cream …
Rhubarb is one of those very English plants – quite often
found in gardens … and it provides stems for use all through the Spring, Summer
and early autumn … a free food too …
 |
| A crown of rhubarb - growing outside |
… then preserve it, or freeze it (once poached or cooked),
ready for use in tarts, pies, pudding, crumbles (oh so delicious) – spice it up
with mixed spice, or add some glacé ginger … it can be made into wine, chutney,
jam, jelly, marmalade … and so on …
Mrs Beeton confirms some of these ideas! … she features in
Wiki today … and advises that it is one of the most useful of all garden plants
… I wish someone had told Mr TCP (my uncle) – when I asked if he’d got a
rhubarb crown … back came the answer … oh no! – I buried it under the compost
heap – I can’t stand the stuff … presumably my aunt concurred! I looked longingly at the compost heap every time
I passed!
 |
| Rhubarb and custard tart |
Rhubarb is one of those plants that perhaps is synomous with
school dinners – we had it at home … so were well used to having it for pudding
(as we called it) … rhubarb fool a delicious mix of rhubarb with custard …
I have a few cookbooks as many of you will know ... and so
searched for an interesting recipe – the Persian cookbook had one … “Rhubarb Stew” …
 |
The book I used ... there was no picture of
Khoresht-e Reevâs |
According to Margaret Shaida the Zoroastrian religion of
ancient Iran, the human race was born of the rhubarb plant … this I can see
will cause a few problems and questions … so I’ll move on … to other notes she
gives us …
…. From ancient times rhubarb has been considered good for
cleansing the blood and purifying the system.
When it arrived in England its medicinal properties were also highly
valued … but only the last 100 years or so has it been consumed for pleasure ...
when it was welcomed as the first fruit of summer – even though technically it
is a vegetable.
 |
| ... no photo - so I give you Rhubarb Crumble |
So here the Persian dish “Khoresht-e Reevâs" is a pretty
dish, the pink and red rhubarb affording a lovely contrast to the dark-green
herbs. Traditionally it is served in
Iran to aid digestion - it is reassuring to know it is good for you!
I love Persian recipes … where there’s a hint of fruit in a
meat stew as here … the dish consists of boned leg of lamb, chopped up, chopped
onions, fresh parsley, fresh mint, some rhubarb and seasoning, which are added
near the end – so the fruit doesn’t disintegrate …
 |
| Another KBG ... |
So here’s to a very pretty pink vegetable usually used as a
dessert … and the ubiquitous Knickerbocker Glory or Sundae – depending on the
style of dish … KBGs can be pink, white and creamy, chocolatey, toffee, caramel coloured
… so many flavours now.
 |
One always needs Cornish Clotted Cream with any dessert,
even with Knickerbocker Glories - this is a postcard |
Well I shall at some stage try the rhubarb stew … I like the
piquancy of the tart flavour with a rich lamb stew …
... or how about oatmeal- coated mackerel with rhubarb sticks ... see link below ...
... but for now I shall leave
you drooling, or revolted at the thought of rhubarb per Mr TCP …
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
