Friday, May 28, 2010
A freebie from Newquay
Not having had a chance to visit the excellent facilities at the Western Regional Capital Lbrary recently, thought it was time to try those of Cornwall, happening as we do to be down in Newquay for the RTTS festival. The largest and noisiest festival for VW owners in the land. See http://www.runtothesun.co.uk/. We coming a bit blind but the locals tell us that plenty of folk turn up for it and we did come across some ancient VW campers on the road here. Various all night bashes on the beach on offer.
Bar in our hotel has spiffing views, nouveau cuisine and beer from the spiffing brewery at St Austell. The only catch was that the beer came in bottles kept in the fridge. But once thawed out were not bad. Whoever did the bottling knew his business and did not push too much fizz into the mix.
Breakfast haddock was very nouveau. Quite a decent portion of organic smoked haddock - that is to say the stuff which has maybe been near some smoke and nicotine rather than painted with yellow paint - with the BH and I getting half each of a decent sized fillet. Cooking seemed to involve a lot of butter and the cooked fillet was topped with a dollop of spinach and a poached egg. 17 drops of some greenish buttery quantity nicely arranged around the edge of the round white plate; breakfast drizzle I presume. Poached egg turned into a sandwich with some none too fresh sliced white bread (the only alternative was sliced brown bread) worked OK, although towards the end of eating it I realised that the poaching had involved vinegar. Something which holds the poached egg together, handy in a restaurant, but not good for the intended flavour of poached eggs. At least to those like me who don't much care for the taste of vinegar around cooked food. Last time such a thing happened to me was at the GW hotel in Swindon (http://www.thegw.co.uk/) in those far off days when I used to work for the Ministry of Justice. Excellent hotel which actually ran to having a cook cook your breakfast from scratch, only flawed by the vinegar business.
This morning to the town beach, where I last body surfed some 50 years ago and still have the body board to show for it. Maybe last used it five years ago, finding it easier to surf without a board these days. Maybe something to do with the size of the waist. Really good beach with something for nearly everyone. Lots of flat sand and very regular me sized waves. Rocks and rock pools. Lots of children running about doing their thing. But I don't think I am going to make it into the water for all that. May is pushing things a bit for those of us who think it a bit wimpy to wear wet suits.
Bar in our hotel has spiffing views, nouveau cuisine and beer from the spiffing brewery at St Austell. The only catch was that the beer came in bottles kept in the fridge. But once thawed out were not bad. Whoever did the bottling knew his business and did not push too much fizz into the mix.
Breakfast haddock was very nouveau. Quite a decent portion of organic smoked haddock - that is to say the stuff which has maybe been near some smoke and nicotine rather than painted with yellow paint - with the BH and I getting half each of a decent sized fillet. Cooking seemed to involve a lot of butter and the cooked fillet was topped with a dollop of spinach and a poached egg. 17 drops of some greenish buttery quantity nicely arranged around the edge of the round white plate; breakfast drizzle I presume. Poached egg turned into a sandwich with some none too fresh sliced white bread (the only alternative was sliced brown bread) worked OK, although towards the end of eating it I realised that the poaching had involved vinegar. Something which holds the poached egg together, handy in a restaurant, but not good for the intended flavour of poached eggs. At least to those like me who don't much care for the taste of vinegar around cooked food. Last time such a thing happened to me was at the GW hotel in Swindon (http://www.thegw.co.uk/) in those far off days when I used to work for the Ministry of Justice. Excellent hotel which actually ran to having a cook cook your breakfast from scratch, only flawed by the vinegar business.
This morning to the town beach, where I last body surfed some 50 years ago and still have the body board to show for it. Maybe last used it five years ago, finding it easier to surf without a board these days. Maybe something to do with the size of the waist. Really good beach with something for nearly everyone. Lots of flat sand and very regular me sized waves. Rocks and rock pools. Lots of children running about doing their thing. But I don't think I am going to make it into the water for all that. May is pushing things a bit for those of us who think it a bit wimpy to wear wet suits.
# posted by Jim @ 5:27 AM 
