AND THEY'RE RIPE RIGHT NOW:

1949: Strawberry Tapioca Flamingo (NY Times Magazine, 6/24/07)

This recipe appeared in The Times in an article by Jane Nickerson.

Today, a looser concoction of tapioca is preferred, so if you want the dessert lighter, add 1/4 cup more juice to the tapioca cooking liquid and 1/4 cup more cream to the topping. If you like a neater presentation, the strawberries may be cut into small pieces rather than crushed.

1 pound strawberries, hulled

1 cup sugar

About 2 cups pineapple juice or water

1/3 cup quick-cooking tapioca

Scant 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup heavy cream, whipped.

1. Lightly crush the strawberries. Add the sugar and let stand at least 30 minutes.

2. Set a strainer over a bowl and drain the strawberries. Set them aside. Add enough pineapple juice or water to the strawberry juice to make 3 cups total.

3. In a saucepan, mix together the juice, tapioca and salt. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat. (The mixture will be thin. Do not overcook.)

4. Fold the drained strawberries into the tapioca mixture. Cool, stirring occasionally. The mixture will thicken as it cools.

5. When the tapioca mixture is cool, divide half among 4 coupe glasses. Chill the glasses and the remaining tapioca mixture.

6. Fold the cream into the remaining tapioca mixture, then pile lightly into the glasses. Serves 4.