Month: October 2022

We Need More Volunteers!

ADVENT WINDOWS 2022

We need more volunteers!

We are planning Wenvoe Advent Windows 2022 following the success of the last two years. Since September’s What’s On we have been pleased to receive a number of requests to take part. However, we need more volunteers to fill the 24 slots of December.

There will be a new window to see each night leading up to Christmas Eve when of course there will be all 24 on display. The final window will be at St. Mary’s Church.

There is no entry fee, it’s not a competition, and, adults and children can be involved. Participants will be allocated a date when they will light up their window for the first time and continue lighting up each day until 24th December. The windows can be designed and constructed from any media; and will need to be lit from 5.00pm to 9.00pm each evening. All the displays should relate to Advent / Christmas and can be humorous, artistic or topical.

If you would like to participate you need to live in a house that has a window (upstairs or down) that can clearly be seen from the street and you will need to keep the window illuminated each evening after it is ‘opened’ until December 24th.

For more information contact Jude Billingham: on 07516 112897 or judebillingham@ yahoo.co.uk

We would be delighted to hear from you.

This is a St. Mary’s initiative for the whole community

 

Marmalade & Whisky Bread & Butter Pudding

Marmalade & Whisky Bread & Butter Pudding

Instead of white bread, use any leftover fruit bread or croissants

8 slices day old crusty white bread crusts removed

50g very soft butter

4 tbsp Seville orange marmalade plus 4 tsp

300ml full fat milk

284ml pot of double cream

3 large eggs

seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp golden caster sugar

1 tbsp whisky (plus a little for the cook)

Icing sugar, for dusting

Butter each piece of bread on both sides, then spread 4 with 1 tbsp marmalade each. Pop the remaining

bread on top to make 4 marmalade sandwiches. Cut into triangles and nestle in rows in a large baking tray. Heat oven to 140C fan. Beat the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, sugar and whisky together, then pour over the bread. Leave to soak for about 30 mins. Dot the remaining marmalade all over the top of the pudding and dust with icing sugar. Bake for 45 mins – 1 hr until puffy and starting to caramelise where the bread breaks out of the custard. Serve hot or cold with ice cream

 

White Fish with Spicey Beans and Chorizo

White Fish with Spicey Beans and Chorizo

1tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

small rosemary sprig, leaves chopped

25g chorizo or other spicy sausage chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped

700g jar or carton passata (thick tomato liquid)

410g can cannellini beans in water, drained

200g shredded green cabbage

pinch sugar

4 skinless chunky fillets haddock or cod

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then soften the onion for about 5 mins. Add the rosemary, chorizo and garlic, then fry for 2 mins more until the chorizo is starting to crisp. Tip in the passata, beans, cabbage and sugar, season, then simmer for about 5 mins. Pat the fish dry to remove any water and add to the pan, leaving the tops of the fillets peeking out of the sauce, Cover with a lid and leave to cook for about 3 -5 mins until the fish flakes easily. Delicious served with fresh crusty bread

 

Fruity Pork Steaks 

Fruity Pork Steaks 

4 boneless pork loin steaks, trimmed of any fat

2 tsp Chinese five spice powder

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 large red onion, cut into wedges through the root

4 red apples, cored and cut into thin wedges (Jazz would be good)

2 tbsp red currant jelly

1 tbsp red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

200ml chicken stock (cube)

Dust the pork steaks with the Chinese five spice powder. Heat half the oil in a frying pan and fry the pork for about 3 mins on each side until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan, reduce the heat slightly and fry the onion wedges for two minutes. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally for a further 3 mins. Add the redcurrant jelly to the pan, followed by the vinegar and then the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer rapidly, uncovered for about 8 mins until the sauce is slightly syrupy and the apples are tender, Gently reheat the pork in the sauce, turning to glaze each side. Serve with boiled Basmati rice.

 

 

All Change For The Royal Mint

ALL CHANGE FOR THE ROYAL MINT

The accession of King Charles III to the throne, brings with it the need for changes to British coins and notes. As important as that is, it is not the only challenge currently facing the Royal Mint, with some recent predictions claiming that in ten years time only one in ten transactions will involve cash.

It is re-assuring that Wenvoe’s shops, pubs and cafes still accept cash as a means of payment. Many of us still prefer to have notes in our purses or wallets and are more than willing to put up with the rattle of coins in our pockets when we are given excess change. All good news for charity tins and buckets.

Despite predictions of a cashless society on the horizon, the future of the Royal Mint seems secure for some time to come. After all, coins have a long history, having been around as a method of payment since the 6th century BC. Those early Lydian coins (made of electrum, an alloy of silver and gold) were minted by merchants, in what is now western Turkey, as tokens for trade transactions. Coins have a long and proud history in the UK as well of course, with the Royal Mint having been in existence for more than 1,100 years. It is in fact Britain’s oldest company and is owned by HM Treasury.

The Royal Mint is the world’s leading export mint, making coins and medals for an average of 60 countries every year and still making an annual profit of over £8 million. More than 900 people are employed at the Llantrisant site where some 90 million coins and blanks – metal discs which are minted into coins – can be produced in a single week. That adds up to almost five billion coins a year! No wonder, then, that the Ministry of Defence is responsible for the round-the-clock, 52 weeks a year security of the 35-acre site. The Mint also regularly produces very popular and collectable special edition coins to mark or celebrate important British events. Some have become very valuable.

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Mint will be designing and minting new coins featuring the head of King Charles III. These will show him facing to the left. Elizabeth II’s effigy faces to the right. It is a tradition from the 17th century to alternate the way successive monarchs are facing.

The new Charles III coins and notes are not likely to appear in general circulation for some time. The Royal Mint Advisory Committee needs to send recommendations for them to the Chancellor and obtain royal approval. Designs are then chosen and the final choices approved by the Chancellor followed by the King. The Queen’s coins did not appear until 1953 – the year after her accession. Elizabeth II’s coins are expected to stay in use until they are gradually replaced.

If you still love coins why not visit the Royal Mint? The Royal Mint has its own fascinating museum and website through which you can book ‘The Royal Mint Experience’ – one of Wales’ top tourist attractions. A guided tour of the site costs from £13.50 for adults, £10.35 for children between 5 and 15 and £11.25 for seniors. There is in fact a full calendar of other activities – ranging from creative workshops to special guest speakers exploring The Royal Mint’s traditions through fun-filled, interactive sessions

 

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