My copy of the Wind in the Willows was a gift from my grandmother. While it was her favorite childhood book, I never really enjoyed it as much as she did. Taking a glance at it as an adult, I can see the language would have been a little difficult for a new reader, but it’s quite beautifully written and the book is full of food! The wind is not terribly popular reading material any longer, but there are several films, cartoons, and a BBC live human version that your kids might enjoy. And take a look at the book and see if it might be something you’d enjoy reading to the kids.
One of the many nummy dishes celebrated in the book is trifle, one of my favourite desserts. I like it made with everything from traditional strawberries and slivered almonds to rhubarb and pistachios. And of course sherry. The following recipe is so easy to assemble even young children can help and the ingredients are such that you may have everything on hand. You can use entirely packaged ingredients or add whatever fresh or homemade components that you choose.
- 1 package cherry or strawberry jello
- 1 package vanilla pudding or custard from scratch or from Birds Custard Mix
- 1 pound cake
- 1 carton, tin, or bowl of whipped cream
- Chopped nuts, if desired
Fresh, frozen or tinned berries of any kind—strawberries, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, boysenberries, marionberries. Prepare the jello according to the package. It takes several hour to gel. You can make the jello yourself as it uses boiling water and have it ready to go for the kids or supervised kids can make in the morning and assemble the rest for dessert
Prepare the pudding according to the package.
Place the set jello in the serving container. If you have no trifle bowl, then a clear glass bowl or clear glass individual serving dishes are ideal, but not necessary.
Cut the pound cake or tear it into cubes.
- Place the cubes over the jello.
- Pour the pudding over the cake and jello.
- Place the defrosted, drained, or washed berries over the pudding.
- Top with whipped cream and nuts.
- No sherry for this one.
