Fresh strawberries are on our menus, with plenty of local farms starting to harvest their summer crops.

The fruit will be available throughout coming months and we decided to celebrate with a recipe sent in by reader Carolyn Cheshire, of Lower Buckton Country House, in Leintwardine.

Lower Buckton Country House offers accommodation and private dining for an “any excuse” break.

Carolyn also offers cookery courses, food safaris and other events that celebrate the county’s small-scale artisan producers and growers.

Carolyn says: “My recipe is for Coeurs A La Creme, with strawberries. All of the very simple ingredients in these sweet, rich little puds are local.

“I always buy my dairy stuff from www.thedairyhouse.co.uk in Weobley. Their products are also widely available at delis, small shops and Harry Tuffins’ stores throughout Shropshire and Herefordshire.

“My strawberries come from Kirkennel Farm, in Ashford Carbonel, near Ludlow, which supplies many small shops in the area, and the Shropshire honey is available from most farmers’ markets throughout the county.”

Coeurs A La Creme

(serves four)

Ingredients

• 300g/10oz either curd cheese or fromage frais

• 1 tablespoon clear Shropshire honey

• 150ml/5fl oz crème fraiche or plain yoghurt

• Fresh strawberries to serve

Method

Mix the curd cheese/fromage frais with the honey then beat in the crème fraiche/yoghurt.

Line four holey mould/dishes with dampened fine muslin or cheesecloth.

Spoon in the mixture, level it off, place on a plate or tray, cover and chill overnight. Turn out on to plates and serve with strawberries.

Alternatively, if you don’t have moulds, cut down six paper cups to make them shorter (5 to 7cm high) and using a wooden cocktail stick, poke about 10 holes in the base of each cup, enlarging the holes slightly with the stick.

Line the cups with dampened cloth as above.

Further details on food themed events at Lower Buckton Country House are available at www.lowerbuckton.co.uk