This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Trifle is deliciously retro. Every event that we've had over the years, every event my parents have had over the years, every event their parents had over the years involved someone offering to make a trifle. Sometimes it would be boozy, sometimes it would have fresh fruit in the jelly, sometimes it would have sweeties on the top (that seeped into the cream). No-one has ever made a trifle with beef and peas in it. No-one, that is, except for Rachel Green.
In the Friends episode, The One Where Ross Got High, it's Thanksgiving and Monica and Ross's parents are coming over for dinner. It's a big event, not just because its Thanksgiving, but because Mr & Mrs Geller have no idea that Monica and Chandler are living together.
The big event means Rachel wants to do her bit and offers to make desert: a traditional English trifle. Phoebe wants to know what Monica has in reserve, just in case, but Monica is happy to let Rachel do it all. She is trusting her. Rachel being Rachel though, gets it wrong. Two pages of the recipe book are stuck together. She wasn't supposed to put beef and peas in the trifle. Of course not. Because that would mean, "it tastes like feet!"
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It turns out Rachel has made half an English trifle and half a shepherds pie. Two fabulous dishes in their own right. But not together. combined in one glass bowl.
OK, if the feet reference doesn't put you off here is a recipe for trifle, a simple recipe, that does not include beef OR peas.
Mind you, if you're Joey the meat would be acceptable. "What's not to like? Custard? Good. Jam? Good. Meat? Good!"
Equipment
Measuring jug, a glass bowl and a whisk.
Ingredients
One packet jelly
Sponge fingers/ladyfingers (how many you use depends on the size of your glass bowl)
One carton ready made custard (Rachel, surprisingly, made this custard from scratch)
Banana (optional)
Pot Double cream
Fruit or sweets for decoration
- Make the jelly according to the instructions.
- Layer the sponge fingers at the bottom of the glass bowl. Pour over the jelly and refridgerate to allow to set.
- Pour over the custard. You can add a banana here if you like, Rachel did.
- Whip the cream then layer it gently over the custard.
- Finish with fruit or sweets.
- That's it. Simple. At least it should be!