If you are reading this column before or during the weekend, you still have the unique opportunity to watch the Championships, Wimbledon, the longest running of the four tennis Grand Slams. Wimbledon is played on grass at the All England Club just outside of London. Tennis seems to be a pretty gay sport, perhaps because it is an individual sport, so you don’t have to worry about all that team tough guy stuff. Regardless, San Diego has a strong and vital gay league with a tournament Fourth of July weekend at Balboa Tennis Club at Morley Field. I have become a tennis addict myself and look forward to watching both the local gay tournament and Wimbledon in High Definition in the privacy of my own home with a bowl of strawberries in cream.

During the two weeks (a fortnight) of championship tennis at Wimbledon, thousands of spectators will consume the event’s signature snack, Strawberries in Cream. Last year, the official food vendor of Wimbledon served 23 tons of fruit, or more than two million berries and 1,820 gallons of cream. Tape that to your thighs!

There is mixed information about the origin of this tradition. A 2006 article in the New York Times provides what seems to be the consensus: “Popular legend has it that King George V introduced strawberries and cream to courtside crowds. But the tradition actually dates from around the time of the first Wimbledon tournament in 1877, according to Audrey Snell, a librarian at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. Strawberries and tennis, she said, both signaled the arrival of summer.

“Strawberries were normally available only at that time of year,” Snell said. “When the championships started in the late 1800s, it was a fashionable thing to eat. The appearance of strawberries just happened to coincide with the event.

“The official Wimbledon strawberry is the Elsanta variety, grown at farms in Kent. Picked the day before, they arrive at the championships at 5:30 a.m. for inspection and hulling. They are accompanied by double cream, which contains at least 48 percent butterfat.

“The first strawberries were served in 1953 when the Queen issued a decree stating that anyone who didn’t buy any when watching tennis would lose their kneecaps. The organisers of Wimbledon searched the local markets for strawberries but to no avail, as all the traders were in hospital with various leg-related injuries. As luck would have it a central London-based company came to the rescue in the nick of time. The price was a little steep but a long-term contract to supply strawberries with Majesty Fruit was entered into and stands to this day.

“Cream was added to the traditional fare in 1970 when concerns were raised that strawberries on their own might cause heart and weight problems.”

Regardless of the exact history of the snack, strawberries in cream is a delicious combination and is here to stay! Add a little champagne for the Men’s finals on Sunday morning, and you can enjoy the event just like the crowds in England.

1 small carton 150 milliliters (about 5 fl. oz) thick natural yoghourt

In a bowl, sprinkle strawberries with orange rind and juice, and a tablespoon of sugar, and mix lightly. Beat the cream until stiff but not buttery. In another bowl, beat yoghourt lightly until smooth. Fold whipped cream into yoghourt and sweeten with 3 tablespoons caster sugar. Fold strawberries and their juices into cream mixture, making sure they are individually coated, and sweeten with a little more sugar to taste if necessary. Spoon into a serving bowl and chill thoroughly.

Serves 4-6