Author: crowlasludgvanwi

This soup is a result of what was left in the vegetable drawer of my fridge one autumn day. My husband is not a great fan of soups but he gave this a thumbs up Good for chilly days. Enjoy ! (Karen)

Ingredients

Small pack of smoked bacon lardons (100g)

1 good knob of butter

A good sized leek

2 sticks of celery

1 large carrot

1/4 butternut squash

1 big handful of red split lentils

Method

Chop up the vegetables

Melt the butter in the pressure cooker.

Add the lardons and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add the vegetables to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes giving them an occasional stir.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add the lentils to the pan and then add enough water to cover the vegetables and a bit extra.

Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes then release pressure quickly.

Fourteen members of our Meet and Eat group (plus Wendie’s mum) met this week for a delicious lunch at The Cabin, Perranuthnoe. The recently extended eating area has some lovely views over the beach. The Cabin is also open on a Saturday evening as ‘The Tipsy Crab’, and comes highly recommended by some of our members.

 September’s walk was a circular walk from Carn Gloose following the coastal path and returning through Cot Valley. This photo was taken from the coast path looking out towards Cape Cornwall.

On a sunny afternoon members met up in Penlee Park, Penzance to take part in a Photo Treasure hunt with our Camera Club. With a route that took in gardens, parks, back streets and the Promenade, there were clues and photo hints to follow that eventually brought everyone back to the lovely Orangery cafe at Penlee House Museum for well-deserved tea and cake. The clues, some of them straightforward, some more cryptic encouraged a fresh look at a familiar area.

There was a good turnout for the latest Walking Group outing. After a spell of hot weather the cooler day was welcomed as members enjoyed a circular walk around Godolphin, finishing with a well deserved tea and cake in the tearoom.

The White Hart at Hayle was the venue for this month’s Meet and Eat. This increasingly popular subgroup meet for lunch each month at a local venue. The White Hart in the centre of Hayle is a hotel that was built in 1838, by the shipyard and foundry owner, Henry Harvey for his sister Jane, as lodging and hostelry for visiting engineers, and still retains much of it’s original character and style.

Pasta Verde (serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

240g dried pasta (shape of your choosing)
80g asparagus tips (cut into 1 inch pieces)
120g frozen broad beans
120g frozen peas
2tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp
1 courgette, sliced
¼ tsp chilli flakes
1 lemon, zest and juice
50g Parmesan, grated
15g butter
10g mint, chopped

METHOD

1. Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water for eight minutes until al dente. Add the broad beans, peas and asparagus during the last two minutes. Drain, reserving 200ml of pasta water just in case you feel the dish is dry (personal choice, I don’t use it).
   
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook courgettes with a pinch of salt for eight minutes, stirring, until golden and softened. Add chilli flakes and cook for one minute. Set aside.
   
3. Combine lemon zest and juice, Parmesan, butter and remaining olive oil in a large bowl with plenty of ground black pepper. Tip in drained pasta and veg, along with half reserved pasta water if needed. Add more if the mixture is dry.
   Stir in mint and serve in bowls, sprinkled with more Parmesan.

ALTERNATIVES

If asparagus is unavailable adjust quantities of frozen beans or peas or use mangetout.
You can use broken dried lasagne sheets as an alternative to pasta shapes.

At our August meeting we try to take the opportunity to do something different. This year we went to the Community Garden armed with gazebo, chairs, cakes and scones and spent a lovely afternoon in the dappled shade, catching up and having a sing song.

What a glorious day – we went along to Tremenheere and were able to find a spot with some shade – there were 5 of us in total and it really was a lovely meeting.   We discussed two books, the first of which was ‘Unheard’ by Nicci French. In fact this is the pseudonym of husband and wife team – Nicci Gerard and Sean French – the book club has enjoyed many novels by this couple.  They write psychological thrillers together.   Apparently one writes a piece then this is followed on by the second person.    On most occasions this has worked very well for us but in this book many of us felt it was disjointed as situations in one chapter did not follow through into the next and you were left wondering why that particular thing happened.   Saying all that, it was well written, full of suspense at times full of twists, turns and red herrings.   Some were a bit disappointed at the reveal.   I am pleased to say that a couple of our members who have not read them before are looking forward to reading their other books.  In one instance a member read the book in 2 days ‘just one more chapter’. I do urge you to try one of their books.  This book was rated a 6 out of 10.

Our second book was The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch. In this novel Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in Metropolitan Police.  Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut.   Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost.   Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of DCI Thomas Nightingale who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny.     As a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.   The River Thomas is a prominent feature of the story.  Several members felt that this story would have come across well on audio.

We did enjoy Gail reading a passage to us – it brought the characters alive.  This book was marked 8 out of 10. (Report by Pat G)

We had so many requests for instructions for these, so Gail has put together an easy guide.