Growing up, my parents always nagged me to try a food before deciding whether or not I truly disliked it. While this was frustrating as a kid, it's made me more open to trying new things.
So, when I read an article about current Wimbledon star Iga Swiatek sharing her love for one of her favourite dishes, strawberry pasta, my first thought was that of intrigue. In apost-match conversation with Annabel Croft on Centre Court on Sunday (July 6) she went on to reveal her unusual favourite meal from her childhood. She said: "But I have my favourite actually. I ate it as a kid. It is pasta with strawberries."
After joking the recommendation could get her 'banned' from the contest, she then urged people to try it as she revealed the ingredients: "Pasta with strawberries and a little bit of yoghurt. It is just great."
READ MORE: George Russell ‘ringing up’ F1 teams as Nico Rosberg proven spot on about Mercedes star
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic's favourite snack can 'support weight loss and curb cravings'
Those close to me will know strawberries are one of my favourite foods, and I make sure to have them as often as I can during the summer. There really isn't anything better than locally grown strawberries, so I was eager to try this new way of eating them.
And as the Polish tennis star seemed certain the meal would be a hit among people, I decided to give it a try. As I boiled my pasta, I started to question my decision as I began rinsing and cutting up my strawberries, wondering if this meal would be worth "wasting" the delicious strawberries for.
Despite my doubts, I continued with my meal, making sure the pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente before draining it and pouring it back into the pot. This is when the second round of doubts started, as I hesitated for a moment before I added in my yoghurt.
Since Swiatek didn't specify what kind of yoghurt she used, I went back and forth with the Greek or vanilla yoghurt I had in my fridge before ultimately deciding on the Greek yoghurt, as I didn't want to risk it becoming too sweet.
I then added in my strawberry slices before stirring it all together with a spoon. And I'll be honest, it looked good. But would it be as tasty as it looked?
I made sure to get a mix of the creamy yoghurt-covered pasta and strawberries on my first bite in order to get the full experience, and it really wasn't what I'd expected.
While the Greek yoghurt made the pasta perfectly creamy, the strawberry added an unexpected sweet element, which made it feel as though the dish didn't know whether or not is should be sweet or savoury.
As I went back in for more, I overcame the initial shock of the flavour combination, but my thoughts remained it was a very confusing dish. Maybe if I'd opted for the vanilla flavour yoghurt, it wouldn't have been as "confusing" for my taste buds, but it might have made it too sickly sweet.
However, seeing as Swiatek said it was a dish from her childhood, I can imagine kids, including younger meal, going crazy for this dish. It feels like you're getting dessert for dinner - and what kid wouldn't love that?
It does feel like a perfect summer dish, however, I can't say it's something I'm eager to try again. I'll stick with having my strawberries with cream or just the yoghurt on its own.
You may also like
'Backbone of city': Philadelphia union workers end strike; reach 'historic deal' with city
Woman, 20, found dead on Bahamas superyacht as crewman charged with murder
Coronation Street and Emmerdale off air again tonight as fans fume over missing episodes
Karan Johar welcomes Shanaya Kapoor to the movies ahead of 'Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan' release
India to start campaign versus Namibia in Women's Junior Hockey World Cup in Chile