I had a pang of pudding envy over the lemon posset as it was perfectly balanced between the tang of yoghurt and the sweetness of a panna cotta. Helen and I had been torn ordering pudding she went for Northumbrian strawberries with lemon posset and Pimms gelee while I went for malted chocolate terrine with a little glass of milk that tasted EXACTLY like popcorn. First, an amuse-bouche of Vallum Farm vanilla ice cream with mascarpone and coffee, served in a coffee cup and so generously sized it could have stood as a course on its own. We were well advised because there was not one but FOUR puddings. Helen and I kept reminding each other not to eat too much and to leave plenty of room for what was, for us, the main course - pudding. So next time I'm offered a bowl of tomato penne, I'll presume it's a man who has failed to put a second's imagination into my meal. Sally said throughout her career male chefs have pushed the vegetarian option onto female chefs and that she learned a lot working in one of Ireland's top vegetarian restaurants. Courgette flowers are a rare treat I usually only get in Greece and are certainly something I wouldn't make myself. Special thanks to Sally who made my vegetarian main course so special - too often restaurants fob off vegetarians with pasta or risotto (like I couldn't make that myself) and if I see another bloody goats cheese tart I'm going to do something drastic like tut a bit. Stripy beetroot, pea shooter, lamby lambkins and courgette flowers Helen had the lamb which she said was melt-in-the-mouth and I had courgette flowers with polenta and aubergine relish. We had pea shoot and truffle oil chilled soup. Helen and I both had beetroot plate for starter (we had no idea you can get yellow beetroot, let alone stripy beetroot), then yes! an amuse-bouche. The meal started with a glass of prosecco with peach and some canapes including rosemary and cheese biscuits, which we scoffed so quickly that I forgot to take a photo. The chefs were Sally Walker and John Connell of W & Co who cooked using local produce much of which - vegetables, smoked fish, lamb and ice cream - was grown and prepared at the farm. The farm i s only 20 minutes drive from Newcastle but is set in the middle of Hadrian's Wall country, named after the vallum earthwork that runs from coast to coast alongside the Wall (and they said a Classics degree wouldn't come in handy.) Last night I went with cousin Helen (that's her full name) to a pop up restaurant at Vallum Farm. I often wish I'd discovered cake decorating much earlier in life, even though I'd have missed out on many happy hours in an office making chains out of paperclips or falling asleep at my desk.Īlan made a spray with a gardenia, an eyelash orchid and gumnuts ("because I like the funny name") while chatting with the two dozen ladies who watched goggle eyed as he effortlessly brought the flowers to life. He grew up in the north east a few miles from me. He's managed to acquire over 20 years experience by starting when he was a teenager and gave his first dem aged just 17. Amazingly for someone with so much experience he is young, born the same year as me so yes, YOUNG. He has written 15 books and travels the world - Brazil, Japan, South Africa, USA - giving classes and demonstrations. Not a shouty demonstration with police kettling and placards reading "DOWN WITH CUPCAKES!", rather a sugarcraft demonstration in a church hall where the only kind of kettling involved cups of tea.Īlan Dunn is a celebrity in the sugarcraft world. On Monday I went to a demonstration by Alan Dunn. I'm already looking forward to next year's and will not forget to nominate a Bonniest Cat. Paws for Pride was a lot of fun and the perfect weather helped. Mia was gutted I'd not sent in her photo as she was sure she'd triumph 'because I'm proper mint'. Cats were represented in a photo competition for Bonniest Cat. One of the few animals not present was cats, which people were asked not to bring after the Feline Federation described the event as 'hell on toast'. I helped out for a while on the Wildlife Sanctuary stall and met some lovely people, but kept a close eye on the snake under the tombola. The rest of the animal world was represented by cows, ponies, alpacas, hedgehogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds of prey and snakes. Hard to capture on a photo, but this is the tallest Great Dane I've ever seen Retired young from farm work as he ran away from the sheep. There were huge dogs, teeny tiny dogs, huggy dogs, dressed up dogs and Cutey McCute puppies. I failed to win Prettiest Bitch - not pretty enough and not enough legs. There were dozens of gorgeous dogs competing at high level events like Waggiest Tail, Dog the Judge Would Most Like to Take Home, and Campest Costume.
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