Author: crowlasludgvanwi

Di’s Mincemeat and Cinnamon Bars

225g cold unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing

225g plain flour

100g semolina

100g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp

½ tsp vanilla extract

75g pecans or walnuts coarsely chopped

a sprinkle of icing sugar, to dust

a sprinkle of cinnamon, to dust

Mincemeat mixture

450g good-quality mincemeat

1 dessert apple, peeled, cored and cut into tiny pieces

1 tbsp brandy (optional)

1 tsp mixed spice

finely grated zest of 1 small orange

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas 3, and grease a shallow baking tin (about 18cm x 28cm)
2. Put the mincemeat into a bowl and stir in the chopped apple, brandy (if using), mixed spice and orange zest.
3. Put the plain flour, semolina and the 100g sugar into the bowl and rub with the fingertips until the mixture just begins to stick together into pea-sized lumps to form a crumble mixture. (This is much quicker if done in a food processor).
4. Tip half the mixture into the baking tin and press firmly over the base in an even layer using the back of a metal spoon.
5. Spread the mincemeat mixture over in an even layer. Stir the chopped pecans or walnuts and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar into the remaining crumble mixture. Sprinkle it evenly over the top of the mincemeat.
6. Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown. Remove the tin from the oven; leave to cool.
7. To remove, carefully run a knife around the edge of the tin to loosen, then cut into 12 bars and remove from the tin.

Delicious with a dollop of clotted cream or at Christmas brandy cream.

The book for November was ‘An Elderly Lady must not be Crossed by Helene Tursten’.   Everyone enjoyed the book and the overall score was 9 – many gave it a 10.     Several of us laughed out loud at the antics of the elderly lady. Stories follow 88 year old Maud as she prepared for and then goes on a safari trip to Africa (from the UK), a trip she has been planning for a long time, but also looking forward to right this moment because she is under suspicion for murder. The author said, of the book “She learned that it was smart not to reveal that all her senses were in full working order.    Instead she allowed people to act in accordance with their own preconceptions.   This was often a useful source of information and Maud could form her own opinion and situation.” (Pat G)

This poem was found by a member of our WI, but we don’t know who wrote it. Let us know if it was you!

THE GHOST OF MURLEY HALL

We know she’s at our meeting though she doesn’t pay her fee

We know she’s at our workshops though her work we never see

She never is a tea hostess, nor the raffle winner

Neither does she come along to our Christmas dinner

The committee meets without her, she doesn’t join our trips

No jam nor Jerusalem now passes through her lips

It was very different once – though her name we can’t recall

The Women’s Institute member who is the Ghost of Murley Hall

On a gloomy November evening, members of Crowlas and Ludgvan WI, along with guests and some prospective members gathered in The Murley Hall for a choc-tastic couple of hours. After the business part of the meeting, an update on the sub groups activities and news of a trip to Truro for late night Christmas shopping, out came bowls of chocolate. Everyone was then encouraged to taste the three varieties and try to work out the cheapest, most expensive and highest cocoa content. Then we were joined, via Zoom, by the speaker for the evening, Jane Napper from Simply Chocolate Whitstable. Jane explained how chocolate can be tempered in the microwave, then demonstrated how to make a stunning chocolate Christmas Tree, and gave other ideas on chocolate gifts for the festive season. The chocolate themed evening finished with hot chocolate and, of course, a selection of chocolate biscuits. (pics Jane Napper)

https://www.simplychocolatewhitstable.co.uk/

This book was chosen by Hazel, for our October read. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. Some of us found it rather difficult to understand with the various customs and culture in the south of India (Kerala region).

Hazel wanted to come along to the meeting to explain to us why she had chosen this book, having worked with Indian people for several years she had come to understand and appreciate their culture and found them to be gentle folk. In fact, with her explanations it made the book and meeting  come alive and some of us will be rereading the book.

The book opens in the year of 1969 in the state of Kerala on the southernmost tip of India when a sky blue Plymouth car with chrome tailfins is stranded on the highway amidst a Marxist workers demonstration.   Inside the car sit two-egg twins Rahel and Esthappen.   

Armed only with the invincible innocence of children, they fashion a childhood for themselves in the shade of the wreck that is their family – their lonely, lovely mother Ammu ,who loves by night the man (Velutha) her children love by day.   Their blind grandmother Mammachi (who plays Handel on her violin) their beloved uncle Chacko (Rhodes Scholar, pickle baron, radical Marxist, bottom pincher) Ammu’s brother, their enemy Baby Kochamma (ex-nun (her love life did not work out as she wished) and incumbent grandaunt, and the ghost of an imperial entomologist’s moth.

When their English cousin Sophie Mol (Chacko’s daughter) and her mother Margaret Kochamma arrive for a Christmas visit, Esthappen and Rahel learn that things can change in a day.   Their lives can twist into new, ugly shapes even cease forever when their cousin Sophie Mol drowns in the river.  The book takes on love, madness, hope and infinite joy.

A critic writes that apparently Arundhati Roy has given people a book that is anchored to anguish but fielded by magic and wit.

The book club members gave it a 8. (Pat G)

One of our most popular Sub-Groups is Meet and Eat. Every month Karen books a different venue in the local area for a tasty get together and a chance to try somewhere that you might not have been to before. November’s Meeting was at Trevena Cross Garden Centre, a magical place to visit at this time of year, with a fantastic array of Christmas decorations and lights, as well as they well stocked plant nursery. The Garden Kitchen Cafe prides itself on serving locally sourced, reasonably priced food, from all-day breakfasts to Sunday roasts.

Salmon Puff Parcels – serves 2

Ingredients

Salmon fillets (or other firm fish)

Sliced peppers

Jar of red pesto

Ready rolled puff pastry

Method

Unroll pastry sheet onto baking tray. Cut in half

Spread 1/2 jar of pesto onto one piece of pastry

Layer fish and peppers onto pesto

Dampen edge of bottom and place other half of pastry on top and crimp

Brush with egg wash and make tiny slits to release steam in top

Bake for approx 45 mins depending on your oven. (Fan 160 degrees)

Recipe by Jan

We recently visited Kresen Kernow in Redruth, a project that developed the old brewing house site with funding from the National Lottery Fund and Cornwall Council. The work was completed 2019. This site is now  home to the world’s biggest collection of library material relating to Cornwall.

Our guide for the morning was Tamsin Mallett, the Collections and Development Manager. After Tamsin’s introduction we toured the public spaces created in the original brewing house which now comprises learning rooms, exhibition spaces, reading rooms plus the library itself. They have certainly created a wonderful, modern, beautiful space retaining as much of the original architecture as possible.

We were then shown behind the scenes to a temperature controlled purpose-built secure strong room. Here we saw some of the 14 miles of shelving and a selection of the 1.5 million items they care for, spanning 850 years of history in the form of books, newspapers, manuscripts, photographs etc. We visited the digitisation and preservation suites where we met volunteers who were busy cleaning and caring for documents.

On our return to the public area Tamsin showed us manuscripts that she had researched for us relating to Crowlas and Ludgvan.

I think I can safely say that we all had a very interesting and enjoyable visit and are looking forward to a return visit to research more of our local history. (Rosie)

The Murley Hall was full for the October Monthly Meeting, with members, guests and prospective members all keen to hear the speaker Clare Hall from local solicitor firm CVC. Clare had come to talk in particular about wills, probate and Power of attorney. Whilst most members already had a will, few were aware of potential future problems that can be avoided by making and registering a Power of Attorney, and Clare explained the merits of different types of these too. With time afterwards for a chat, alongside tea and cake, it was both an informative and enjoyable evening. Next month’s meeting is on Monday 21st November, when there will be a Zoom demonstration of making Chocolate Christmas Trees.

Mary very kindly led this month’s walk around Penzance.  Despite the gloomy weather forecast the weather remained dry but blustery. We met at St John’s Hall and eventually finished at the Jubilee Pool for lunch. Mary pointed out the history of the beautiful old houses, churches, chapels, schools, shops and parks. Some of them we were able to go inside – well worth a visit. There is still lots to explore and we have decided to have another walk around next year.

Thank you Mary for a very interesting day. (Shirley)