Sophie Grigson 2006/07
Herb Society President

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Sophie Grigson giving a cookery demonstration during her term as Herb Society President.
by Debs Cook

Sophie Grigson is the daughter of legendary food writer Jane. Sophie was drawn into the world of cookery through an interest in ethnic food shops. Soon she was starting to create her own recipes and writing food articles, inspired by her mother. She has gone on to contribute recipes and columns for national newspapers, present and appear on numerous TV series and of course write very successful cookery books in her own inimitable, accessible style.

Sophie's TV career began in 1993 with the twelve part series Grow Your Greens, Eat Your Greens for Channel 4. In 2001 she won the Guild of Food Writers Cookery Journalist Award for writing in Country Living magazine. In June 2007 Sophie Grigson gave Herb Society members a wonderful cookery demonstration, as part of the President's Day event at the end of her term as the Herb Society President.

Sophie is one of Britain's best-loved cookery writers and presenters, her previous notable series and books include Eat Your Greens, Sophies Meat Course, Taste of the Times and Sophie Grigson's Herbs.
Sophie's demonstration was such fun, she was friendly with a wonderful informal style, which left people in stitches when she asked them 'How big do you like it?', she was of course referring to the size of chilli to use in one of the recipes! I was particluarly impressed with her little spoon trick to keep her blender lid in place! It was a joy to watch her, a hands on cook that uses the intuitive 'scale' method to weigh out her ingredients, and isn't afraid to deviate from the recipe to ring the taste changes.

Sophie cooked six dishes for us, beginning with Prawn, Sweet Cicely and Tomato Risotto, followed by Melon in Blackcurrant Leaf syrup, Fennel Gazpacho with Basil, Courgette & Fried Lovage Salad with soft Cheese, Sweet Potato & Bergamot Bhajis and Strawberry, Lemon Verbena & Mascarpone Fool.
How big do you want it?
I had the opportunity to chat to Sophie after the demonstration and she gave me permission for us to use some of her recipes from the day on the Herb Society website. I was so impressed with what she cooked that I went out after the event and bought her 'Herbs' book, and that afternoon I made the Strawberry, Lemon Verbena & Mascarpone Fool for dessert after our evening meal. It was delicious and I've since made it for friends and family who all adore it. So simple to make but it tastes heavenly.

Earl of Clanwilliam presents Sophie with her lifetime membership of the Herb Society, with the assistance of Sue Baylis

Sophie was presented with a lifetime membership of the Herb Society as a thank you for her work during her Presidency. The Earl of Clanwilliam (our patron) did the presentation, with the assistance of Sue Baylis.
Courgette & Fried Lovage Salad with soft Cheese
Courgette & Fried Lovage Salad with soft Cheese
Fennel Gazpacho with Basil
Fennel Gazpacho with Basil


It was interesting to hear how Sophie had been searching for information about using wonderfully aromatic blackcurrant leaves whilst writing her book on herbs, but she couldn't recall where it was she'd seen the reference. Several weeks later she came across a recipe in a 1956 cookery book by Constance Spry that lead her to create the Melon in Blackcurrant Leaf Syrup recipe, in her book Sophie also includes Constance Spry's Spiced Plums in Blackcurrent Leaves recipe.

Strawberry, Lemon Verbena & Mascarpone Fool

Serves 3- 4

  • A small handful of lemon verbena leaves
  • 45g (1˝oz) Sugar Cubes
  • 340g (12oz) Ripe Strawberries (hulled)
  • 250g (9oz) Mascarpone Cheese
  • Few springs of lemon verbena for decoration.

Method - Put the lemon verbena leaves into a mortar or strong bowl, with the sugar cubes. Pound with a pestle or the end of a rolling pin, until the sugar is crushed, and the lemon verbena leaves have disintegrated, colouring the sugar a beautiful green.

Now crush the strawberries with a fork (a food processor is too harsh).  Gradually work the crushed strawberries into the mascarpone cheese, with enough of the verbena sugar to sweeten to taste.  Spoon into individual dishes or glasses and serve topped with a spring of lemon verbena and a strawberry fan.

Editors Note: A point worth noting if you make the above recipe, or use lemon verbena in any culinary dish, is the leaf is rather coarse.  When I ground the herb with the sugar in the above recipe, it left little 'strands' of verbena but these can be removed before adding to your strawberry and mascarpone mixture.  It wouldn't be much of a bother if the strands are left in, but chopping the lemon verbena leaves before you grind them with the sugar helps to make the strands shorter and makes grinding them to nothing easier.
My attempt at making Sophie's Strawberry, lemon verbena & mascarpone fool.

Most of the recipes above can be found in Sophie's excellent book 'Herbs'.

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