Month: August 2017

Coconut Tart

Coconut Tart

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 cardamon pods, shelled and seeds crushed

175g desiccated coconut

225g caster sugar

25g butter, melted

500g block all butter shortcrust pastry

plain flour for dusting

1 large egg beaten

Heat oven to 180c fan. Tip the spices, coconut and sugar into a pan with 150ml of water. Cook over a low heat for about 5 mins, stirring frequently to en-sure the mixture doesn’t catch. Set aside to cool. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and line a 23cm loose bottomed flan tin. Line with baking parchment and beans and bake for 15 mins on a bak-ing tray. Remove beans and parchment and bake ror a further 5 mins until cooked but not brown. Add the egg to the cooled mixure and spoon into pastry case. Bake for about 25 mins until the pastry is golden and the coconut is pale golden. Serve with a good spoonful of double cream.

The Silk Merchant’s Daughter

 

The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jefferies.

We met on 8th August to discuss it, and for once our stars aligned and all ten of us were present!

We agreed that it was an amazing and captivating story, historical fiction maybe but we all learned a lot about French Indo-China in the early 1950s. Our average score for the book was 8 out of 10.

The book is set in Hanoi, Vietnam, in the early 50s and focuses on Nicole and her struggles with identity and belonging. With a French father and a (late) Vietnamese mother, Nicole has inherited her mother's looks so she is often called "métisse", something that makes her feel uncomfortable and out of place. Her older sister though has their father's looks and seems to be the preferred daughter. Nicole's self doubts only increase as the story unfolds and Vietnam becomes a very dangerous place. The French government is loosing its power as the nationalist Vietminh gain power and support. And soon, Nicole finds herself having to decide which side she is going to support.

Between all this turmoil, there's also space for romance. Early in the story, Nicole meets a dashing American that makes her heart flutter. But he seems to have many secrets and a special connection with her sister. So when an enthusiastic and persuasive young Vietnamese enters her life, she must decide, once more, which life she is going to choose.

The Silk Merchant's Daughter is a story with many layers. There's war but also love, betrayal but also forgiveness, doubts but also certainties. It captures perfectly what it means being part of two completely different cultures but not belonging to either. It's something that has made me think a lot and I'm sure this story will stay with us for a long tim

 

 

 

 

August Walks

 

Gower

 

As we drove from the main road to the car park ½ mile north of the Heritage Centre just past Parkmill, the heavens opened. Luckily it stopped as we parked and remained sunny for the rest of the day. We walked south down the road and across the main road to pick up a footpath following the valley to Three Cliffs Bay. Sandy paths meander along a stream, passing the ruins of Pennard castle and Pennard Burrows. Rather than go onto the beach we turned west through the dune system and saw lovely views of the Bay.

Heading northeast we crossed the road again and walked over a grassy area towards Long Oaks. The footpath here wasn’t signed and we checked with a local that it was where we thought, as it goes through a garden. A lovely garden too with a homemade dolmen, large pond and weeping copper beech tree as well as a ladder stile into the farm next door. This stile had obviously not been used for some time, the rungs were in good order but the top was rotten and the other side was totally overgrown. Having successfully beaten our way clear, we soon arrived in a field damp underfoot and containing a small herd of horses. Soon the countryside was very similar to the Vale of Glamorgan; we commented that you’d never know you were in the Gower – it could be anywhere in South Wales. We continued north and joined the Gower Way before reaching Cillibion.

The Gower Way is a 35 mile route inaugurated in 1998 by the prince of Wales. It runs from Rhosilli covering the length of the ancient lordship of Gower and ending inland at Penlle’rcastell. 50 way stone markers, inscribed with the Gower Society logo and individually numbered line the route.

We stayed on the Gower way until we turned east about ½ mile north of Cillibion through Cillibion plantation and onto a road at Llethrid bridge. A London bus bedecked for a wedding passed by as we crossed the road and took a footpath through Park Woods. This proved heavy going at times and we were relieved when we joined the main track. Emerging into a more open space we found a restored burial chamber. Now we walked into the campsite near which we had parked. At 10.30am there was hardly anyone around but now there was a substantial scout camp with lots of other people spread around the site which seemed to have very limited facilities.

We changed out of our boots and drove down to the Heritage Centre for welcome refreshment. At the end we had completed 8.5miles and 800ft. Map OL13.

 

 

Skirrid Fawr

We parked in the National Trust car park at the foot of Skirrid and as we set off the first few drops of rain started to fall. A well defined footpath leads in north and north easterly directions up Skirrid, the last outcrop of the Black mountains. You pass through Caer wood and skirt Pant Skirrid wood coming out onto the open hillside. Climbing along Beacons Way, we separated as the fitter people got ahead, and before long were drenched by torrential rain, hitting any bare skin like needles.

A lady wearing trainers, T-shirt and trousers (no waterproofs) passed us at a good speed, followed not long after by a man, similarly clad, and a dog. The rain plastering their clothes to their bodies. Having donned our waterproof trousers we continued and met the lady coming down with the man’s dog. That’s strange we thought! The lady had had a hip replacement 6 months earlier and walked up Skirrid daily as rehabilitation! Her husband and dog were accompanying her at a slower pace.

Looking back we could see the sun over the Bristol Channel and crossed our fingers that it would catch up with us by the time we got to the top. It did. In glorious sunshine we walked through the stone jambs that mark the entrance to St Michael’s Chapel on the summit (the chapel has totally disappeared). We had 360o views of the surrounding hills bathed in threatening black clouds, heavy rain (in England) and a scattering of sunshine. Dramatic! And definitely worth the climb.

Our route now took us east towards the Arwallt, a steep drop and then we were crossing moor land, the remainder of the walk being generally flat. We turned south east towards ’The West’ (of England presumably) and south west towards Llandewi court. On the lower slopes of the Skirrid we could see ‘LIONS‘ cut into the landscape. A road sign on a lane stated ’Wrong Way for Walnut Tree’. I guess there had been a few mishaps.

Continuing south we turned east at Pen-y-flos-goch, towards The Court, then south to Great Blaen-coed. We spent some time on this stretch trying to find our footpath which had been blocked and diverted but with no new signposts, the stiles were not maintained very well either and we got frustrated at times. There was a good example of a gypsy caravan though. Now we turned west towards Green Moors and northeast towards Pontgarreg farm and hence along the road to Brynygwenin, back to the cars. A 6.9miles walk and 1300ft. Map OL13

 

 

 

August Miscellany

 

The Village Show Sept 9th at the Community centre is a must for all villagers. You will see a range of talents from the folk of this parish,its quite unbelievable what some of these people can do. Please go along, these local events take a lot of organisation and foot fall is so important.

At the end of July the allotment holders held a Gardeners Question Time in the Wenvoe Arms. The panel of Joyce, Phil, Trevor and a representative from Pughs Garden Centre answered any queries and Phil brought along samples of produce from his plot. It was entertaining and long may it continue.

We will soon be thinking of Autumn Weed and Feed for our lawns. Don't use any of the product you have been using in the spring or summer as this will have to much nitrogen and will encourage top growth which is not good for this time of year. When applying don't put any more on the grass than the instructions say. If using a spreader check the flow rate. I am as guilty as others for not checking or watering well enough if we have a dry spell after distribution.

If anyone has a potted shrub they no longer want then the environment team would be interested. We will gladly collect and use them to fill in gaps around village.

When the team met on the 7th August Ian Moody put us to work on the village green. While working next to the war memorial two boys of about 10 were talking to each other. One said 'I think that’s a memorial to World War 2' then, on inspection, he said 'no it's not, it's to World War 1.' The other boy then asked 'where's the one for World War 3?'

There will be a lot of shrubs to be cut back at this time of year but be careful as shrubs that flower in spring should be left alone for now. These should be cut back after they flower in the Spring, just after flowering. If you have the patience and room, scoop up autumn leaves, dampen if dry and put into bin bags. Make a couple of holes for aeration and put them away (maybe behind a garden shed) until next autumn. It might seem hard to believe but you will

then have the very best compost for bulbs. When you consider the cost of compost to buy its a good option.

Taking cuttings at this time of year can be very productive and fuschias are very reliable, Take about 4 to 5 ins of new growth, cut just below a joint and leave the top two leaves in place. Dip in rooting compound and pot up. Rose cuttings are a bit hit and miss but they are great if they take. Just cut about 10 to 12 ins of new growth and trim the bottom at a bud. Take an inch off the top, strip the leaves and push into soil to half its length. It will take a long while before it takes but is fantastic if it does.

Going into the Autumn, fences should be checked for loose or rotting panels and posts. A quick fix now will save being out there in high winds, grappling with panels that think they ought to be anywhere other than in your garden.

September is harvest time. Allotments, fruit gardens and veg patches are at their best. There is so much to be had by sharing the spoils with good friends and neighbours. It is one of lifes great pleasures.

Happy gardening

 

 

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