For any eagle eyed readers out there, you may remember that Flat Ruthie of Cardboard Me Travels sneaked into my suitcase on a recent trip back from the UK.
While she was here she took the opportunity to do some sightseeing, so we didn´t see her for a while. However, it´s strawberry time here and as soon as she heard I had bought a few kilos of local strawberries, she finally joined me again.
Obviously, as we were going to be cooking, she insisted on a little apron, so I obliged.
We weighed out a kilo of washed, chopped strawberries then simmered them until slightly soft. Then we added a kilo of sugar, a sachet of pectin and the juice of half a lemon and boiled until setting point.
Ruthie stood back for a while as burning jam can be pretty dangerous but she was pleased to see how well it all turned out.
The next morning the sun shone brightly and I called her to join me for breakfast in the garden.
I think all her sightseeing must have worn her out as she stayed in bed and missed breakfast completely.
When she did eventually get up she decided she needed a good strong coffee to get her going.
As I was making ice cream from Chgo John´s amazing recipe, she had the bright idea of replacing the pistachios I had wanted to use (but couldn´t find) with a shot of coffee. I didn´t have half and half either so she explained to me that I could substitute a mix of both half whipping cream with half full fat milk for this part of the recipe.
Just as we were about to pour the ice cream mix into the machine she decided that about 100ml of Baileys would also be a good idea, so we put that in too.
After a little churning and a couple of hours in the freezer it was time to taste the ice cream. She took her pinny off to eat and her verdict was….mmmm, we´ll definitely make this again!
Thanks for the visit Ruthie, it was fun. Do keep the pinny, it suited you and it definitely won´t fit me!
Chica Andaluza 
what a fun post! and those strawberries: luscious!! I don’t suppose you have any ideas on what to do with rhubarb other than rhubarb crisp, do you? I could do a search here I spose but thought I would ask just the same. I’ve already made my first crisp and, well, I can only eat so much of that. And this is my earliest rhubarb harvest ever!! it’s going to be a bumper crop this year methinks. And, I’ve heard of Flat Stanley, so Flat Ruthie must be the female (and European?) equivalent. how funny 😉
How about rhubarb jam, rhubarb compote, rhubarb and custard and rhubarb ice cream is fabulous too! Flat Ruthie is the brainchild of a real Ruth in the States, check out her blog Cardboard Me Travels and you can see what else Ruthie has been up to! PS. Love rhubarb but we don´t get it often here so you are very lucky indeed 🙂
Ruthie lives such an extraordinarily diverse, cultured, well-traveled and well-fed life! And now a hand-made apron from the Chica of Andalucia! Who among us is as lucky as our flat Ruthie? xo
Yes Ruthie does seem to have covered some miles this year already! Luckily her apron was a quick one to run up 😉
I am drooling over that bread, butter and strawberry jam! We ran out of strawberry jam this morning… it’s not fair! 🙂
I have to say it´s very good – I like my strawberry jam with plenty of chunks in it!
Would that I could travel to as many places as Flat Ruthie gets to visit…she will pretty soon be the most traveled “person” I’ve ever seen! Your jam looks amazing and if I can get my hands on enough strawberries, I must make some as that way I can have them all year. I’m a huge fan of coffee ice cream and coffee with Bailey’s…it sounds magnificent, and an inspired idea!
She´s a real jet setter! Coffee ice cream is my mum´s favourite and she´s always looking for the ultimate recipe – I think we´ve found it 😉
Excellent – she looks great in that pinny and I notice she was hanging out with the Flat Vogue Patterns 😉
She´s a very chic girl you know!
I can just imagine sitting down to a thick wedge of bread with that jam smeared on top:0 (that’s my mouth open there) Flat Ruthie.. she definitely likes a wee tipple now and then;) as do I, I think the Bailey’s is an excellent addition!!
She´s quite a girl – coffee and liqueurs, who´d have known it?!
((Laughing)) A pinny! I had no idea Flat Ruthi had a navel piercing. How convenient!
I made strawberry jam a week ago. Thanks to your recipe last year, I’ll never be jam-less again!
It does look like a piercing but let me tell you it was a designer pin! It´s definitely strawberry jam time which kind of means the jam making season ahs kicked off. Cans at the ready John!
Sorry, Tanya, but I neglected to thank you for your kind mention of my ice cream, although i think it’s more yours now than mine. I definitely like the changes you’ve made and will make a couple quarts once the weather warms a bit more. 🙂
And after I posted it I realised that I hadn´t popped over to say thank you for the recipe! It really was good and when my mum is next over I´ll make a really strong coffee version for her as she is always on the quest for the ultimate coffee ice cream! The texture was gorgeous, I made a small amount as a first go as I was playing a little with the half and half part of the recipe and it worked perfectly..so grazie mille!
How cute Tanya!! I received a Flat Stanley from my girlfriend’s son’s 2nd grade class! He’s been traveling along with me but won’t allow him any alcohol! I think Ruthi had a wonderful day with you, I’d for sure would have woken up for some of that strawberry jam!! Looks delicious!
I´ll have to learn more about Flat Stanley, he´s been mentioned a couple of times! I only let her have alcohol because I think she´s old enough 😉
Man .. ruthie makes really good icecream, she is s girl after my own heart! Did you put on her pinnie with a staple Tanya.. is this how you usually attach aprons to your guests! No wonder she needed the baileys! (loud laughter) c
Poor Ruthie, I wouldn´t have stapled her little belly! She wanted her pinny in a hurry, so we pinned it over at the top..no time for fancy seams! I can hear you worry right now about how things I make are worn 😉 She did seem to enjoy the Baileys though…
However does she stay so svelte!
I think she took a lot of walks with the dogs!
Great post! Love the ice cream 🙂
Thanks Tandy – it was gorgeous, can highly recommend John´s recipe!
OK……I’m worried about you………..are they magic strawberries (a la mushrooms….)? Just take things nice and easy today ……..;-) xxx
Aha – you don´t know about Flat Ruthie…check out the other blog and all will be revealed! They were very nice strawberries, but definitely not magic 😉
Such a lovely post Tanya.
🙂 Mandy
Thank you – it was fun to do!
Oh I wonder how a splodge of jam on the ice cream would be? I LOVE strawb jam and make some every summer just for me, so my family don’t seem to like it. I, of course encourage this ridiculousness by making litres of jam. Litres. All for me.
PS do you like your little icecream maker machine thingy? Wondering about getting one…
Jam on ice cream works for me! And the maker thingy is good – it´s not a flashy one, you have to put the bowl in the freezer the night before, but it certainly speeds things up and save on the churning by hand.
¡Jajaja!
How fun, Tanya 🙂 Looks like Flat Ruthie is having a lot of fun… I secretly envy her, but not only for the trips, but because despite all the food she eats, she is so … flat!! 😉
I know, how does she does it? Maybe she doesn´t eat on the planes!
Nice to meet you Tanya! Love your Ruthie post- I couldn’t stop smiling. Seems ages since she wandered round our marina with me.
Likewise! Thank you so much for popping in and saying hello 🙂
Ruthie looks great in her apron. And what a help she is in the kitchen. Delicious looking jam! So vibrant in colour xx
Thank you – we cooked up a storm and that jam was wonderful. Not much left now though 😦
Great post Tanya! You really showed Ruthie a good time!
Strawberry season already? Ours just started blooming…
Yes, it started a few weeks ago but I think the old polytunnels were called into service 😦
What a enjoyable post to read…..and I love strawberry jam:)
Thanks so much – I don´t think there are too many people who don´t enjoy it!
🙂
I am seriously so jealous of Flat Ruthie right about now. I wish I was standing in front of all those gorgeous strawberries. And she got ice cream.. sounds like my kind of day 🙂
I think she enjoyed it almost as much as me!
Coffee and Baileys ice cream that sounds good!
It was like coffee, liqueurs and dessert all in one!
Mm, my absolute favourite jam… something I’m hoping to make this year myself and the ice-cream looks amazing too. Really creamy and I can well imagine the flavour!
It was a great ice cream to make – lovely taste and texture!
Flat Ruthie has immaculate taste…in travel destinations…in aprons…in jam…and most certainly in icecream.
Ah, kind words indeed! I am sure the children would love a child friendly version of the ice cream…chocolate, strawberry…!
Absolutely….but the adults definitely love coffee and baileys!
I just discovered your blog and this post is really sweet! I loved how Ruthi made a few decisions in helping you make your jam and ice-cream! There is nothing like a nice piece of toast with jam under the morning sun!
Hi there and thanks for popping over and commenting! Yes, it was fun with Ruthie, thank goodness she gave me some good advice 🙂
Hi Tanya, I don’t know how I missed this! I came to your site looking for a cake recipe – I fancy something sweet and got marvellously sidetracked. Good to see Ruthie at her best 🙂
Glad you enjoyed being sidetracked and hope you found something to inspire you!