Having had the pleasure, privilege and sometimes challenge of writing this monthly food article for the past nine years, I am always on the lookout for ideas that will keep this column fresh and appealing, attributes that every good cook strives for in their dishes.

This morning that inspiration came in the form of “Breaking News.” Announced on the “CBS This Morning” news show, and cheerfully followed up by a comment from one of its anchors who said, “and it’s good news!” 

The announcement was that Britain’s Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, had given birth to their third child, a boy, weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces. That good news was later expanded to reveal that this baby weighed more than any other baby born to an heir in the past 100 years. 

No doubt a healthy prenatal diet played a role in the size and health of this newborn, and that thought led me to consider what culinary influences we in the United States may have inherited from our British neighbors across the pond.

History tells us that the first English colonists, fleeing England in search of religious freedom, made new homes along the north eastern seaboard of North America. It was in this new land that they were able to continue the dietary habits of their homeland consisting of large amounts of meat through hunting and the raising of farm animals. 

They planted crops that were familiar to them from their fields in England. Those that settled in more southern sections of the country, such as in the states of Virginia and North Carolina, found that their crops could be grown longer than those grown in their homeland.

English colonists also found their way to our state of Louisiana. Retired British officers were given land grants when the area was under England’s control following the Treaty of Paris in 1764. The parishes of West Feliciana and East Feliciana, along with some of the surrounding parishes, were included in these land grants.

We have these first British colonists to thank for some of our own food traditions that we enjoy today. Large Sunday roasts made from beef or pork, tea parties held by little girls serving their imaginary friends, favorite stuffed animals and sometime even parents, and high tea featuring dainty cucumber sandwiches and pastries, are just a few of the food rituals we can attribute to English culture. 

Other English dishes which have made their way onto American tables include mincemeat pies, Yorkshire pudding and trifle. In British and Irish restaurants which are now growing in popularity across the United States, one can find favorite Saturday breakfast dishes. Bangers and Mash is composed of mashed potatoes with a rich onion gravy and sausage served over it. Bubble and Squeak is a traditional English dish made from boiled potatoes with cabbage, or in more modern times, with the shallow-fried leftover vegetables from a Sunday roast. Fish and chips originated as a first carry-out food, long before the American drive-through was created. 

Despite the fact from 1765 to 1783 our young country of 13 colonies fought during the American Revolution to gain our independence from Great Britain, our two nations now share much in common. The following recipe for this seasonal berry trifle is a sweet taste of our British culinary heritage to be enjoyed as we salute the birth of a Royal baby boy. 

 

Fruits Of The Summer Berry Triffle 

2 cups halved or sliced strawberries

2 cups blueberries

1 cup raspberries or blackberries

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided

3 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup sour cream

4 cups angel food cake cubes

Slivered almonds or sliced strawberries for garnish

Toss berries in 1/4 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla in a large bowl. Set aside. Beat cream, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and orange extract in large bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gently stir in sour cream.

Layer 2 cups of angel food cake cubes and 1/2 each of the berry mixture and whipped cream mixture in 2 quart glass serving bowl. Repeat layers. Cover.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. Garnish with additional sliced strawberries, or slivered almonds, if desired.

Catherine Wattigny, New Iberia