Task 26: Eat 5 foods I've never tried before - postscript

When I was discussing this task with my friend Edith before Christmas, and trying to come up with ideas of what I could eat, she asked whether I'd ever tried sorrel. I hadn't, and she very kindly offered to make me some sorrel soup once the plants on her allotment were ready for picking in late April/early May. Things moved on, I went to South Africa for nearly 3 months, and her generous offer completely slipped my mind. I was therefore rather startled when she rang last week to ask if I'd be in for the next 15 minutes, as she had some sorrel and plum compote to bring round for me.

I was relieved it wasn't soup, as there aren't many types I like, but I did feel rather guilty at the thought that she had gone to the trouble of making the compote, especially as I'd already completed this task while I was away. Guilt wasn't the emotion uppermost in my mind, though, when she showed it to me:

It looked grim and I was going to have to eat it.  Best to get it over with, I decided, so I had some that night after dinner.  To my surprise it was delicious - refreshing and with a light, delicate flavour. Peter, who hadn't felt obliged to try it, was encouraged by my enthusiastic reaction and helped himself the next night - so liberally that there was almost nothing left. It really was yummy.

A few days later, Edith took me round to her allotment, so that I could photograph the sorrel for the blog:

She plucked a few leaves for me to try raw and they too were very tasty - zingy, pleasantly crisp and with a flavour rather like sherbet. They make a good side salad and I came home clutching a bag of leaves, which we had the same evening while they were still fresh. I haven't seen sorrel in the greengrocer's, otherwise I would definitely buy some. Do try it, if you haven't already.  It certainly knocks spots off the moringa bean.