The sun is shining and the westerly winds are roaring, and that only means one thing for Queenslanders: it is Ekka time!
A calendar highlight since 1876, The Royal Queensland Show welcomes 400,000 visitors every year through its gates to sample the agricultural triumphs of our farmers and indulge in a celebration of local produce.
And while it is regarded as a relatively new tradition, there is no food more symbolic of the Ekka than the world-famous Strawberry Sundae. Introduced to the Ekka in 1950, the Sundae came about when the Peter’s Ice Cream Company decided to combine their strawberry ice cream with freshly cut local strawberries and lashings of whipped cream in a waffle cone. The sweet treat was an instant smash hit and has been an exclusive feature of the Ekka ever since.
With approximately 152,000 sold every year, using nearly 10 tonnes of fresh local strawberries, the Strawberry Sundae is not just a delicious treat, it is also a great fundraising initiative. Since 1989, the profits from every Sundae sold have gone directly to supporting medical research at The Prince Charles Hospital.
Supporting local producers and medical research just by eating ice cream? Now that’s a reason to never skip dessert.
