It is said that every morning when he woke, even before he rose from his bed, the renowned Roman gastronome Lucullus began to plan the menu for the dinner he would eat that night. Curnonsky, perhaps the greatest of all French gourmets, said that "on awakening the first thing that comes to mind is the quality of the last meal on which I dined". Winnie the Pooh was more pragmatic. When he woke every morning the first thought that came to mind was "What's for breakfast?"

It is doubtful that A.A. Milne realized that his creation, Winnie the Pooh, might one day serve as the par-excellence model for gourmands the world over. "From morning to night and from night to morning, and sometimes even in the middle of the night", said Pooh, "I think of honey, and of course, other good things to eat too". Food was always on Pooh's mind. Sometimes, "just as the night was beginning to steal away, Pooh woke up suddenly with a sinking feeling. He had had that sinking feeling before, and he knew what it meant. He was hungry". At other times, when he was out with friends "Winnie came over all funny and had to hurry home for a little snack of something to sustain him". And then there were those not infrequent moments when "a sort of funny feeling began to creep all over him. It began at the tip of his nose and trickled all through him and out the soles of his feet. It was as if somebody inside him were saying, `Now then, Pooh, time for a little something".

Although it might be unfair to say that Pooh's need for food dominated his life, it is not an exaggeration to say that much of his lifestyle was determined by the needs of his stomach. He preferred the company of Rabbit to that of Owl for example, observing: "I like talking to Rabbit. He talks about sensible things. He doesn't use long, difficult words, like Owl. He uses short, easy words, like `What about lunch' and `Help yourself, Pooh".

Of all the things that Pooh loved to eat, he adored nothing more than honey. Once, on a visit to Owl's house, he came across a jar, opened it and sniffed. "His nose told him it was indeed honey, and his tongue came out and began to polish up his mouth, getting ready for it...". Quite convinced that "the only reason that bees make honey is so as I can eat it", he stored it in glass jars, in earthenware crocks and in empty pots and pans, always anticipating the possibility of a day "when it would hail and snow and be so damp outside" that he might have to face an entire day without a meal at the home of one of his friends.

Unlike most gourmands, who are so concerned with the quantity of what they eat and not at all devoted to the art of dining, Pooh had the saving grace of being reflective. When asked what he liked doing best in the world, Pooh said: "`Well, what I like best...'", and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was even better than when you were, but he didn't know what that that was called".

While the following recipes may be a bit sophisticated for the kitchens of Pooh, Owl or Rabbit, they will delight any lover of the sweet life. If Pooh happens to drop by for a visit and you offer him a bit, that is what he would call "A Friendly Day".

Honey-Ginger Ice Cream
Adapted from a recipe by Chef Eduard Mitsche
Hilton International Hotel, Vienna

1/2 cup dry white wine
250 grams honey
40 grams fresh ginger, grated
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
6 large ripe peaches, halved and pitted
24 sweet cherries, halved and pitted or 150 grams of raspberries or blueberries

In a small saucepan combine the white wine, two-thirds of the honey and the ginger. Bring to a boil and boil until the mixture is reduced to about 150 ml. Strain and set aside for further use.

In the top of a double boiler heat the milk. Measure out 1 cup of the warm milk and whisk this slowly into the egg yolks. Add this mixture to the remaining milk, place the pan over simmering water and stir for about 5 minutes, until the mixture coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and strain into a bowl that has been set in iced water. Let this custard cool, stirring often and when it is completely cool add the strained honey-ginger mixture and the remaining honey.

Pour the mixture into a ceramic or earthenware container and place in the freezer just until it begins to freeze. Remove from the freezer and stir thoroughly. Repeat this process three times in all before covering the container with plastic wrap and letting the ice cream freeze solidly. Let the ice cream stay in the freezer for at least 12 hours before serving.

To serve, slice the peaches and place the slices in well chilled dessert glasses. Place a ball of the ice cream in the center of each glass, and around the ice cream place the cherry halves, blackberries or blueberries. (Serves 6).

Cheese and Honey Pie
A traditional Greek dessert known as "Siphniac"

1/2 kilo cream cheese, ideally made from sheep or goat milk
1/2 cup honey, slightly warmed
6 Tbsp. sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
cinnamon as required
1 pie crust in a 23 centimeter pie tin

Let the cheese come to room temperature and then combine the cheese and honey, mixing well. Add the sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and blend together well. Spread this mixture in the pie shell and bake in a medium oven until the pie is done (about 30 - 35 minutes). Let cool and sprinkle the top with cinnamon. Serve lukewarm or cold. (Serves 4 - 6).

© Daniel Rogov