Thistle Apples: mess, mess, Eton Mess

I have been going to the Hampshire New Forest Show since I was a little girl. My aunt used to take my sister and me every summer. We would sneak into the member enclosure to sit for hours watching the horse trials

the scurry

and the infamous Shetland grand national

Nowadays I am an annual member so no sneaking in anymore!

My favourite parts of the 3 day show I notice are changing over the years. In the past I loved the Citroen in fashion shows, then the craft tents but of recent years I have fallen in love with the steam engines and vintage tractors, well my boys first and now I have learned to love watching the stream engines cut wood and see all the different kinds of tractors go past, the smell of oil and the feel of the hot misty steam always makes me feel happy now.

My other favourite part of the show is the local New Forest food area, my two sons, A and J humour me and I bribe them with free tasters of Isle of White garlic relish, fresh cheese, watercress scones and what we found this year, make your own Eton mess.....

Now we have taken this idea and gone with it in a major way. As soon as the first few fresh red fruits come in the boys ask me daily if they can make their pudding. This is what we do:

You'll need:

1 plastic bowl

1 Potato masher

1 spatula

Take a handful of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

Get you little one or fun loving adult to mash, bash, squash and squeeze (Asa's words)

Crumble in your home made or good shop bought meringue and again mash

Pour in some yogurt !?!?!? My boys think they have cream in their Eton Mess, I have to confess....... they have Rachel's organic yogurt! My husband says one day I am going to have to come clean but for now it will stay as "magic cream")