Reach for the (Michelin) Stars

After hosting a Sunday lunch at the village hall we are somewhat disgruntled that we haven’t yet been awarded a Michelin Star. Wait until they’ve tried Paul’s cheesy beans on toast *chef’s kiss*.

Our lovely little village hall (this picture was definitely not taken on Sunday!)

This weekend we hosted a Sunday lunch at our village hall (hence the slightly delayed instalment of From Keeper’s Cottage). I’d contemplated posting this early, but as you’ve probably guessed by now, that sort of behaviour isn’t in my nature. When we moved up here and discovered “Argyll Time” is a thing, I was delighted. I knew I was home. I knew that my lifelong mantra of “better late than never” was preparing me for this life where it is accepted that things happen when they happen, and never sooner.

The lunch was, thankfully, a resounding success. We had a team of brilliant helpers from our committee getting everything ready, cooking with us and there to provide a Sunday lunch for everyone to come along, have a good old blether and enjoy some food.

About mid-week the enormity of providing a three-course lunch for around 30 people hit me. For the first time ever in my life I read the back of the pack of carrots, alarmed that a hefty old bag would only feed around eight people. Clearly eight people who appreciate the humble carrot more than I do. Don’t get me wrong, carrots are one of the better vegetables (crunchy and sweet, two important criteria) but unfortunately, I have to admit, I can’t get too excited about vegetables. Famously so here after my stint of trying to be a vegetarian, only to realise that when you don’t like things such as aubergine, courgette, mushrooms, kale and so on, you’re limiting yourself quite a lot, and I found myself often just eating cheese. More recently, Paul ordered pie and mash at a pub, and as I surveyed his plate when it arrived at the table, finding myself stumped as to what else was sharing his plate with the delicious carbs. “What’s those orange things?” I asked, genuinely baffled. He stared back at me incredulously. “Carrots”. “Oh”.

They were cut funny – different, should I say – they were neither rounds nor batons. That’s my excuse. I genuinely thought they were sweet potato, and wish I’d now reframed my question to “is that sweet potato?” But, to this day, they’re now called “orange things” in this household.

To save any confusion for our lovely neighbours, I stayed away from the Mysterious Nutritious Food Group and stuck with meat, stuffing and desserts (the latter being one of the Finest Food Groups), whilst Yorkshire Lad, Paul, took control of the Yorkshire puddings and cheese scones to accompany the soup (turns out we pronounce ‘scone’, all wrong, and that’s taking a lifetime of retraining to remember to say “scon”).

It’s been a busy old week preparing food in Keeper’s Kitchen.

I did my own no-churn ice cream, after being inspired by a lovely friend who made it for us once. Rather than the out-of-this-worldly-good coffee and whisky ice cream she did, I did a vanilla ice cream, so that it could be served alongside the smorgasbord of desserts. I almost don’t want to share the recipe with you, because it’s so simple and quick. But, we can keep that secret amongst friends, right? So below, I share the recipe, and the adaptations we made for vanilla ice cream. I promise you, once you try it, you’ll never by shop bought again.

Anyway, I digress, once again. Lots happens at the village hall, especially through the autumn and winter, but a Sunday lunch was the first. It was inspired by an idea we had to hold a Christmas Day lunch for anyone who was on their own. We didn’t get anyone come forward (which is a good thing, I suppose), so we decided to hold it a little later and do a winter lunch to break up the long slog that can be late winter, when everyone is ready for a little bit of warmth and longer, lingering days. It was a particularly stormy day, so it was nice that people didn’t need to travel far. Rural living is wonderful, and unless I really had to for whatever reason, I couldn’t ever move back to a ‘busy’ environment. More rural please! However, it does mean that just popping out for dinner comes with a lot more planning (and driving), which is not always what you want, especially with flash flooding and raging gales.

We have quite a few older people who live around here, and it was lovely to hear how much they enjoyed a few hours out of the house, eating food they may no longer cook just for themselves and enjoying lots of conversation. The buzz around the hall was lovely, and it was just so nice seeing people laughing and chatting and sharing a lunch together. We also cooked enough food for the entirety of Argyll apparently – a huge relief, as I was panicking that I would have to be Portion Control Police, slapping roast tatties out of the hands of those who felt they deserved two! – but that also meant we could send people on their way with a pack-up to enjoy through the week. And, now it’s all over and some extra food stored in the freezer for the next time, we have been enjoying a few leftover ourselves. Much to the chagrin of Logie, who’s desperately wanting some roast beef for himself.

Logie, ever the optimist, sticking close by our sides on the off-chance.

The short week ahead

Having got the busy week and weekend in the bag, we are very happy this is a shorter week. We are taking Friday off work to enjoy lunch with our friends for their wedding anniversary, which we’re very much looking forward to. They’re the type of friends whose company is energising, and you always come away feeling happy, contended and inspired (and, of course, very lucky to have such people in your life). We are then going out for dinner Saturday night to a pop-up Indian night at one of our favourite restaurants. This leaves the rest of the weekend - weather dependent – to continue getting our allotment ready for the spring, and possibly tackling the wilder parts of the garden. And I fully intend to spend time on the sofa reading, as I’ve just started ‘Undefeated’ by Gillie Basson (which was recommended to me when I was compiling ‘Pass the Book’) and it’s brilliant.

I hope you’ve all had a good start to the week. I’ll be back on Sunday(ish), but from a very wet Argyll, I wish you a very good day.

G xx

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The only ice-cream recipe you need:

The most delicious no churn ice cream (instead of the coffee you can just add some vanilla extract – a good splash or two – and instead of the booze, single cream, same quantities, and it worked a treat. Coffee and whisky for me next though