At sheringham paper, norfolk uk

@ Sheringham Community Paper - Issue 98 - 27 February 2009

Slow Pudding Party a resounding success - ITV researchers pay a visit

A plentiful provision of pleasing puddings was on the menu for partygoers in Aylsham on Saturday 21 February. Slow Food Aylsham's 'Slow Pudding Party' was an absolute sell-out with over 50 diners in the Town Hall enjoying an amazing selection of dessert puddings, preceded by a variety of soups.

All the dishes on offer were home made by Slow Food members and featured a choice of five different soups, ranging from the traditional 'leek and potato' through to the more exotic 'red lentil and chard', all served with home made bread. The main event of the evening was of course, the puddings and there were no less than 17 on offer. Served with either cream from Norton's Dairy or home made custard, the choices included a Norfolk Treacle Tart, Lemon Meringue Pie, Chocolate Mousse, Pears in Moscato d'Asti and Apple Pie with a Norfolk Dapple cheese flavoured crust. Outstanding hit of the evening was a traditional Treacle Duff, made by Slow Food Aylsham member Ruth Harrison, which looked as it might have done in the 18th Century, gently steaming and only missing an 'Eat Me' label!

Slow Pudding Party a resounding success - ITV researchers pay a visit
Just some of the 17 puddings on offer at Slow Food Aylsham's Slow Pudding Party. In the foreground is Ruth Harrison's Treacle Duff, the outstanding hit of the evening

Very little was left at the end, only full tums preventing the last morsels being polished off. Liz Jones, Chair of the local Slow Food group summed it up: "Everyone I've spoken to has said how much they enjoyed the evening and how good the food was. Our members have excelled themselves and added to Aylsham's reputation as a foodie town".

Copies of recipes for the soups and puddings were available for guests to take home and try the dishes for themselves.

Adding a little 'spice' to the evening was the presence of two researchers from ITV's Britain's Best Dish programme. They were scouting for cooks who will enter the Norwich auditions for the 2009 competition and went away happy that they had got an enthusiastic response from a number of Slow Food Aylsham members. This national competition has a particular place in the hearts of Norfolk foodies as it was won in 2007 by Aylsham pig farmer, John Kenny who featured at the 2008 Aylsham Food Festival Cooking Theatre - run by Slow Food Aylsham - as a celebrity chef. Liz Jones commented, "It would be wonderful if our area could scoop the prize again. John Kenny has been a great ambassador for Norfolk food and I'm hoping that it will get more coverage in Britain's Best Dish 2009."

The next Slow Food Aylsham event will be a food-themed quiz night in the Town Hall on Saturday 25th April. More details are on the website, www.slowfoodaylsham.org.uk

Sheringham Park needs you!

If you have time, energy and enthusiasm to spare, why not consider helping the team at Sheringham Park?

Could you help our Learning Officer give visiting schools an educational - and memorable - experience? Or perhaps you’d like to serve the visitors in our Visitor Centre or in the Refreshment Kiosk? If hard graft is more your thing, why not join the Friday Group in tackling essential work around the estate? Whether it is selling raffle tickets or leading tours of the Park, there are plenty of opportunities to lend a hand at Sheringham Park.

Sheringham Park needs you!

Marcus Lawton is one of the original Friday Group volunteers. He explained how he got involved: “After moving to Sheringham in 2005, I met one of the Park’s wardens at a volunteer fair. He was looking to build a team of volunteers to help with estate work, and I thought I’d give it a go. So, most of my Fridays for the last four years have been spent clearing rhododendron ponticum!”

Asked what he enjoys about volunteering at Sheringham, Marcus explained: “I spent years and years working in an office and travelling for business, so it’s nice to get involved in a place as beautiful as Sheringham. Working in the woods is so rewarding. My fellow volunteers and I appreciate the scenery, knowing that we make a real difference to the place.

“It’s a good social mix of people taking part in the work, which involves really quite vigorous slashing and burning, rooting out bushes, and clearing scrub. You can see our younger members, some of them high school kids, really blossoming with the team interaction. The wardens and staff here encourage all capabilities, and training is available for specific skills. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend volunteering at Sheringham – you can do as much as you like, and it’s a lovely place to work.”

Sheringham Park needs you!

Malcolm Fisher, Visitor Services Manager at Sheringham Park, said: “Whatever your thing is, be it estate work or making sure our visitors get the most from their time here, we’d love to meet you to talk about the volunteering opportunities we have. We rely on our hardworking and dedicated team of volunteers to keep Park looking as lovely as it does, for everyone to enjoy. Without them this simply wouldn’t be possible.”

Please contact Malcolm on 01263 820550 or email Malcolm.fisher@nationaltrust.org.uk.