Wimbledon & the Strawberry Connection

Today marks the first day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. First held in 1877, it is the oldest tennis championship on record and is considered the most prestigious. For the next two weeks, the London suburb of Wimbledon will be a host to some of the greatest players around.

There are a few traditions when attending Wimbledon. First, although the colors of Wimbledon are purple and green (as shown in this flower display above), all players are required to wear white.

Second, all of the ball boys & girls are recruited from local schools. Candidates are first recommended by their Headmaster. Then they are given a test regarding all things tennis including rules as well as a fitness & stamina test. The training also includes weekly classes, at which time potential ball boys & girls are pared down. (Sounds like the TV show 'Survivor' but with tennis and no exile island.)

However, the yummiest tradition is the serving of strawberries and clotted cream. You can't attend Wimbledon without it! According to www.wimbledonvisitor.com, over 27,000 kilos of strawberries are served with 7,000 liters of cream during the two week period. Something that tasty sounding must have a recipe online.

Thanks to About.com UK, here's one called Eton Mess

It sounds like a delicious summertime treat. Time to head out to our strawberry patch in the back and start picking.