(In French, Foule, meaning crushed or pulverized...)

This is a very old dessert, printed in a cookbook from the 1600's, related to Trifles and at its simplest form includes just crushed fruit, sugar and whipped cream, and at its more involved form, a fruit, custard, whipped cream and cake which has passed its prime - soaked in wine or brandy, and maybe flavored with coffee.  Think "Tiramisu".   "Fools" are thought to be the earliest incarnation of what later became ice cream. Because I'm the egg lady, this one includes eggs, not just whipping cream.   4 generous servings

2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cups fresh rhubarb, in 1/2" pieces (approx. 1.5#)

1/2 cup sugar*

Orange juice squeezed from one orange, OR about 1/4 cup water to cook the above

1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

2 egg whites*, beaten to soft peaks

Cook the rhubarb, sugar and OJ or water, boiling rapidly until fruit is thoroughly soft and the liquid has cooked down to a lesser volume.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

When the rhubarb is cool, fold all three together (fruit, whipped cream, whipped egg whites) and pile into individual serving dishes, as in wine glasses, or Ice Cream Sundae glasses.  Chill thoroughly, at least 2 hours or o'nite.  Enjoy.  

Don't forget, almost any fruit can be used, fresh, frozen (thawed) or canned.   I even came across a "Mango Fool" recipe on the net.   "Gooseberry Fool" was an early favorite - and would require more sugar.

*If you would like to pasteurize the egg whites, take away half the sugar which you'd have cooked the rhubarb with and add it (1/4 cup) to two egg whites.  Cook over a double boiler, stirring constantly -about 5 minutes.  You may then transfer the egg whites, still warm, to a mixer and beat into soft peaks as usual. 

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