Introduction
The 137th Wimbledon is set to start on 1st of July and end on the 14th. The competition can support up to 42,000 spectators on the grounds, and will most likely exceed digital broadcasting records once again, from 54.3 million streams from last year. There’s some traditions that are prevalent during Wimbledon, and some people might even be asking what is the signature food dish served at Wimbledon, how can they make it, or even how popular it is! Rest assured, this post will tell you everything you need and want to know about the famed British dessert.
Strawberries and Cream Wimbledon
Strawberries and Cream are the signature food dish served at Wimbledon and you’ll find that lots of people are helping themselves to. English Strawberries are commonly served to spectators, bright red and amazingly juicy with a slight tartness to them. If you’re picking between single or double cream for strawberries, then we couldn’t recommend the richness of double-cream more.
What is the history of Strawberries and Cream
What is the significance of strawberries and cream at Wimbledon, and how did it become a tradition? Wimbledon is usually held in late June/Early July, which is when English Strawberries originally come into season. In fact, in the first Wimbeldon, spectators were served with Strawberries and Cream!
Interestingly, the tradition of strawberries and cream goes more than just the season it's ripe from. During the 1500’s, England was under the rule of Henry VIII, who lived in Hampton Court Palace for some time. The kitchens here would serve several hundreds of people daily, and so the pressure was on for quick desserts. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was King Henry VIII’s right hand man, and one day his kitchen served the desert of Strawberries and Cream to the King, who was blown away. Now this doesn’t seem like that big of a deal for why are strawberries eaten with cream, but back in this age – The King eaten this dish was significant. Dairy produce was seen as peasant food, and was not often consumed by royalty. Hearing the King himself was eating cream meant that the common peasants of the Kingdom could almost get a feel for royalty, by chowing down on the very same dish.
How much strawberries and cream are consumed at Wimbledon?
With an insane viewership across the world at Wimbledon, you can expect most people to be helping themselves to some of the delicious desert, both on the grounds and at home. In fact, every year over 38.4 tonnes of strawberries and over 7,000 litres of cream are consumed at the tournament. This equates to about 1.92 million strawberries! This doesn’t even include those who are eating the homemade dish from behind their television screens.
How much are strawberries and cream at Wimbledon 2024?
Now we know both what is the tradition of strawberries and cream and how popular they are, but just how much does Wimbledon charge for strawberries and cream? Strawberries and Cream prices at Wimbledon hasn’t changed since 2010, resting at £2.50 per portion.
Easy Strawberries and Cream Recipe
Thankfully, there’s not many steps in how to make strawberries and cream, and it’s pretty straight forward.
To make your own Strawberries and Cream dessert you’ll need:
- Strawberries (we recommend English Strawberries)
- Cream (double cream works best) - (250ml)
- Granulated Sugar - (80g Sugar)
- Vanila Extract - (½ teaspoon)
English Strawberries and cream recipe:
- Remove the stems out of the strawberries, and cut them into equal sizes.
- Add the strawberries and some sugar (about a tablespoon) into a bowl and mix gently. Set aside in fridge until needed. You can add more or less sugar depending on how sweet your want your strawberries to be.
- Gently stir the vanilla extract into a bowl with the cream, along with about 60g of sugar. Again, you can add more or less sugar depending on how sweet you want the cream.
- Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.
- This part is largely up to you on how you want to present your Wimbledon inspired dessert. We recommend pouring some of the strawberries into the bottom of a bowl, then layer with some cream. Create another layer of strawberries, then pour more cream on top. You can add a couple strawberries to garnish.
And there you have it folks!
Everything you'd ever need to know about strawberries and cream - from their history, to their significance, their price, and even how to make! We definitely recommend trying out this strawberries and cream Wimbledon recipe, slapping on the television and chowing down on this delicious treat!
References
Wimbledon SpectatorsWimbledon Broadcasting
Signature Food Dish
English Strawberry Season
Henry VIII’s Reign
Consumption of Strawberries and Cream at Wimbledon
Price of Strawberries and Cream
Strawberries and Cream Recipe 1
Strawberries and Cream Recipe 2
Strawberries and Cream Recipe 3
Strawberries and Cream Recipe 4