WA Food Ambassador Don Hancey and chief organiser of the Manjimup Cherry Festival Pam Bosworth joined Tony Mac to talk all things festive, fruity and local. With Christmas on the horizon and cherries hitting their sweet spot, it’s a perfect match.

Don also has just the recipe to get the most out of your Manjimup treasures:

MANJIMUP CHERRY ETON MESS
SERVES 4
½ cup castor sugar
½ cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
200 grams fresh cherries, pitted and halved
200 grams fresh cherries, pitted
350 milliliters cream, whipped to medium peaks
¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted
6 meringue nests, roughly broken
In a small saucepan combine sugar and water over low heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Increase the heat to medium – high and simmer without stirring for 5 minutes or until syrup thickens. Add the
vanilla extract add pitted and halved cherries. Increase the heat to high and return to simmer. Remove from
heat and allow to cool completely in refrigerator.
Gently fold together the whipped cream and the broken meringue. Gently fold through the poached cherries
and syrup, the fresh cherries and flaked almonds. Serve into four glasses and garnish with whole fresh
cherries.
Serving suggestion
The cherry eton mess should be made up just before serving.
A great accompaniment would be a small shooter glass of manjimup cherry port or cherry brandy.

Download this podcast here