Walkiesgate Bay
One evening last year, close to the end of Lockdown 1, a group of boozy statisticians from the University of Redruth came to a startling conclusion after an all day cultural visit to Skinner's Brewery. They'd made all of the careful calculations that numerate folk do, reviewing an unspecified moment in time as their starting point and projecting the ensuing trend forward. They were sure they'd got it right when they announced to the waiting world that by the year 2030, half of the population of Cornwall would be celebrity chefs.
Ok, so I may have made some of that up - well ok, all of it in fact. There isn't a University in Redruth for starters. They have got a Cash Converters and an Aldi though - it all happens around here. I think I've read too many of Brian Pedlar's stories in truth, although it wouldn't surprise me if half of us were displaying Michelin Stars and AA Rosettes outside our front doors down here in a few years from now. They're everywhere - one of them appears to have taken over an entire town and the local Council have had to change the name of the place by deed poll.
Almost two years ago some family member bought Ali forty pounds worth of vouchers for one of these celebrated establishments and we still haven't got around to using them. In fact we need to do so before they expire in a couple of months from now, but even though we have the opportunity to enjoy free food on the back of the deal, we still can't get over the prices we've seen in the online menu. Recently we visited for the very first time another cult food outlet not a million miles away from Truro. I won't name it - but suffice to say it's a hut and it's hidden (that may have given it away to you if you're local). We joined a queue so long that my friend Sheona and her daughter were also unexpectedly in it, to pay nine pounds each for what was effectively posh thick soup. It was pleasant enough, but we agreed we'd take a packed lunch next time we visited the area. By the time we'd walked around the point to the next cove I was hungry again.
You're probably thinking to yourself "what a pair of tightwads....." It's true, but I really do struggle to deal with frightening assaults on the credit card when three nights earlier we'd had an enormous takeaway roast from Smokey Joe's in exchange for for exactly the same price and didn't need to eat again until our visit to the hut that was hidden somewhere on the following Tuesday. There are people who recoil in horror at our affection for the truck stop across the road from home that is always full of locals, but we love it there. Dave was delighted with the place when he made his first visit there in December, fully in the knowledge that his wife was eleven miles away at home. He had the roast as well.
What's all that got to do with this picture? Well that's back to Sheona and her little Jack Russell, called Little Russ. She takes him to Watergate Bay for walkies, so she's renamed the place - although she hasn't sorted out the deed poll arrangements yet. I've only been there once, two years ago when we'd received the gift of a gourmet tasting menu at the establishment of another celebrity chef. I don't usually do this - nor do you I'm sure - but every dish was carefully photographed and sent to everyone we knew via Whatsapp. It was rather good. Although I really can't remember what we had. I can remember my pint of lager cost more than it does in the Plume of Feathers though.
Personally I think Ali cooks better than any of them. The paneer salad wrap I had for lunch on Sunday was amazing. Maybe I should have photographed that and posted it here instead of this not especially good image. I quite like looking at it though, because you can almost see all the way home from here. At least I think that's St Agnes Beacon in the hinterland behind the silhouettes of the Atlantic and Headland Hotels in Newquay. Everyone goes to Newquay you know. Even we'll have to if we're going to use that voucher before a certain celebrity chef gets to keep his money without supplying any food in exchange for it.
Happy hump day folks. There's a bank holiday weekend coming up and I'm hoping to finally catch up with what you've all been up to.
Walkiesgate Bay
One evening last year, close to the end of Lockdown 1, a group of boozy statisticians from the University of Redruth came to a startling conclusion after an all day cultural visit to Skinner's Brewery. They'd made all of the careful calculations that numerate folk do, reviewing an unspecified moment in time as their starting point and projecting the ensuing trend forward. They were sure they'd got it right when they announced to the waiting world that by the year 2030, half of the population of Cornwall would be celebrity chefs.
Ok, so I may have made some of that up - well ok, all of it in fact. There isn't a University in Redruth for starters. They have got a Cash Converters and an Aldi though - it all happens around here. I think I've read too many of Brian Pedlar's stories in truth, although it wouldn't surprise me if half of us were displaying Michelin Stars and AA Rosettes outside our front doors down here in a few years from now. They're everywhere - one of them appears to have taken over an entire town and the local Council have had to change the name of the place by deed poll.
Almost two years ago some family member bought Ali forty pounds worth of vouchers for one of these celebrated establishments and we still haven't got around to using them. In fact we need to do so before they expire in a couple of months from now, but even though we have the opportunity to enjoy free food on the back of the deal, we still can't get over the prices we've seen in the online menu. Recently we visited for the very first time another cult food outlet not a million miles away from Truro. I won't name it - but suffice to say it's a hut and it's hidden (that may have given it away to you if you're local). We joined a queue so long that my friend Sheona and her daughter were also unexpectedly in it, to pay nine pounds each for what was effectively posh thick soup. It was pleasant enough, but we agreed we'd take a packed lunch next time we visited the area. By the time we'd walked around the point to the next cove I was hungry again.
You're probably thinking to yourself "what a pair of tightwads....." It's true, but I really do struggle to deal with frightening assaults on the credit card when three nights earlier we'd had an enormous takeaway roast from Smokey Joe's in exchange for for exactly the same price and didn't need to eat again until our visit to the hut that was hidden somewhere on the following Tuesday. There are people who recoil in horror at our affection for the truck stop across the road from home that is always full of locals, but we love it there. Dave was delighted with the place when he made his first visit there in December, fully in the knowledge that his wife was eleven miles away at home. He had the roast as well.
What's all that got to do with this picture? Well that's back to Sheona and her little Jack Russell, called Little Russ. She takes him to Watergate Bay for walkies, so she's renamed the place - although she hasn't sorted out the deed poll arrangements yet. I've only been there once, two years ago when we'd received the gift of a gourmet tasting menu at the establishment of another celebrity chef. I don't usually do this - nor do you I'm sure - but every dish was carefully photographed and sent to everyone we knew via Whatsapp. It was rather good. Although I really can't remember what we had. I can remember my pint of lager cost more than it does in the Plume of Feathers though.
Personally I think Ali cooks better than any of them. The paneer salad wrap I had for lunch on Sunday was amazing. Maybe I should have photographed that and posted it here instead of this not especially good image. I quite like looking at it though, because you can almost see all the way home from here. At least I think that's St Agnes Beacon in the hinterland behind the silhouettes of the Atlantic and Headland Hotels in Newquay. Everyone goes to Newquay you know. Even we'll have to if we're going to use that voucher before a certain celebrity chef gets to keep his money without supplying any food in exchange for it.
Happy hump day folks. There's a bank holiday weekend coming up and I'm hoping to finally catch up with what you've all been up to.