Summary

Rupertswood Mansion - a grand old house in Sunbury, in the countryside outside Melbourne - is the 'birthplace of the Ashes'. This is where Ivo Bligh, captain of the 1882 English team, was presented with the ashes of a cricket bail after his side defeated some locals in a friendly match.Rupertswood is as much about glorious food as it is about cricket. Here are savoury soups and delicate mousses, roasted meats and fish, delicious vegetable dishes and salads, luscious trifles and sweet souffl?s, sorbets and fruit salads. Cocktails and cricket are still popular at Rupertswood, along with scrumptious picnics and teas of finger sandwiches and freshly baked scones with cream and strawberry jam. And the pantry is stocked with bottles of preserved fruits, pickled vegetables, spicy relishes and sweet and savoury sauces. It is impossible not to be bowled over.