L = London and Lychees

London, England is one hell of a big subject to tackle isn’t it? It’s history goes back thousands of years, there were settlements in the area before the Romans came although they are the ones who established Londinium in 43 AD which was burned to the ground by Queen Boudica 17 years later. The Romans then built another stronger town which has expanded over the centuries to become the city we know today. I lived in London for 4 years in my early 20s – it was the place to be and the place to find fame and fortune, never managed to find either. In fact in many ways I saw more of what London has to offer as a school girl on trips. We were taken to the British Museum, the Tate Gallery, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey – all in the mornings of our visits, in the afternoons we would usually end up at The Old Vic to see a play by William Shakespeare. I remember being thrilled by the sight of a famous actress, Anna Neagle, who was playing Lady Macbeth, as our bus drove round to the theatre parking lot. When I lived there I used to work in the West End which was on the edge of the theatre district and close to Soho where some of the best restaurants can be found as well as the best food market. There used to be a place called Stone’s Chop House which had been on The Strand for years and was a fabulous place for roast beef meals. No longer there it appears. In fact I can’t find much reference to it except a very quaint old piece on English restaurants. Its such a shame when such well established places disappear.

I haven’t eaten lychees in years, I used to enjoy them. They are a fruit from China and when I lived in the UK one could buy them in cans or fresh at the fruit stalls. I haven’t seen them here, but then I haven’t looked. I am sure they are available.


Refreshing lychee and lime sorbet
BBC Good Food
Recipe by Jane Hornby

Ingredients

• 3 x 400g cans lychees in syrup
• 50g caster sugar
• egg white
• zest from 2 limes , juice from 1

1. Drain the syrup from two cans of lychees into a small pan. Add the sugar and dissolve over a gentle heat. Bring to the boil for 1 min.
2. Blitz the drained lychees in a food processor until very finely chopped. Pour in the lime juice and syrup with the blade still whirring - don't worry if the mix isn't perfectly smooth at this point. Tip into a 1-litre container and freeze for at least 6 hrs until solid.
3. Break up the frozen mix, then return to the bowl of the processor. Tip in the egg white and whizz until thick, pale and smooth. Add zest from 1 lime. Return to the container and freeze again, ideally overnight. Serve in scoops with remaining lychees scattered with a remaining zest.

Leave out the egg
If you don't want to add the egg white then the flavour will be the same, but the texture will be more grainy.

Have a great weekend