Food | The Travel Lady In Her Shoes

Reason to Love St Ives #5: The Cornish Pasty

Skys Diner, St Ives, Cornwall

A pasty is a baked pastry, a traditional variety of which is particularly associated with Cornwall and the men who worked in the tin mines. It is made by placing an uncooked filling, typically meat and vegetables, on one half of a flat shortcrust pastry circle, folding the pastry in half to wrap the filling in a semicircle and crimping the curved edge to form a seal before baking. In Cornwall the pasty must be formed in the shape of a “D” with the crimping to the side. The miners had a complete meal that could be easily carried and eaten without utensils and could stay warm for several hours, and if it did get cold, it could easily be warmed up on a shovel over a candle. The pasty was side crimped so the miner might hold the edge of the pastry so his dirty fingers (possibly including traces of arsenic) did not touch his food or his mouth. The edges of the pasty were thrown away. Often pasties were marked at one end with an initial, so the miner could recognize his pasty if it was not eaten all at once. There is a belief that the pastry on a good pasty should be strong enough to withstand a drop down a mine shaft, and the barley flour that was usually used did make hard dense pastry.

The Skys Diner was packed everyday and was also busy with tourists taking out shopping bags full of pasties!

The Pasties

Warrens Bakery, St Ives, Cornwall

The traditional Cornish pasty, is filled with beef, sliced or diced potato, swede (also known as yellow turnip or rutabaga ) and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, and is baked. Today, the pasty is the food most associated with Cornwall. It is regarded as the National Dish and accounts for 6% of the Cornish food economy. And Warrens is the Oldest Cornish Pasty Maker in the World!

Philps Pasties, St Ives

At Philps Pasty you can eat in, take out, or you can get your pasties by Post! Everyone’s needs met! See you again tomorrow in St Ives!

October: A Month of Pumpkins, Day 3, Pumpkins by the Railing

Pumpkins by the Railing

Pumpkins are very good for you. They fit well into a health-conscious diet. And aside from that, they taste good!

Pumpkins are low in calories but high in fiber. They are also low in sodium. The seeds are high in protein, iron, and the B vitamins.

Pumpkins are very high in beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxident. It converts into Vitamin A, which is important to maintain a healthy body.

Researchers believe that eating a diet rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers. They also believe it helps to delay aging. Anything that delays aging is worth the effort, don’t you think?

1 cup of cooked pumpkin flesh contains:

Calories 49
Protein 2 grams
Carbohydrate 12 grams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Calcium 37 mg
Iron 1.4 mg
Magnesium 22 mg
Potassium 564 mgZinc 1 mg
Selenium .50 mg
Vitamin C 12 mg
Niacin 1 mg
Folate 21 mcg
Vitamin A 2650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg

Pumpkins by the Railing in Waterlogue

Reason to Love St Ives #4: The Food

The Rum and Crab

How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways! St Ives, the rustic, charming, seaside town has so many restaurants tucked in here and there! And to our great surprise the food is very good quality and Very, Very, Did I say Very ? Reasonably Priced! No wonder from sunup to sundown the masses are flocking to St Ives! There are large groups of families here to sun and spend a day at the beach………and then Eat. There are retired folks coming from their camper vans to spend their day…… and then Eat! There are folks staying at the large spa on the hill and coming into St Ives for the day……. to Eat. And then once the sun goes down it is quiet and…… we Eat! I never saw any foolishness in the streets (AKA drunks) and I never saw a policeman either. This is the Family Town! No doubt about it. It is made to enjoy! Now let’s look at some more Eateries!

S H Ferrell & Son Bakery, St Ives

There are over 20 bakeries in St Ives! Just try to pick your favorite! I bet you will have a hard time!

The Tea Room, St Ives

The Tea Room, St Ives

I couldn’t get a picture of The Tea Room outside because it would only show a line of people waiting to get in! Get there early and it is worth the wait for an outside table with a view of the beach! As you can see from the pictures they serve more than tea! We ate there more than once too!

St Ives Harbour View Restaurant, St Ives

That’s an Understatement!!!

Look up and down every small lane! You will find the most interesting places tucked away!

The Lifeboat Inn, St Ives

The Mex, St Ives

The Mex meets your burrito, fajitas, BBQ ribs, chili fix!

Bumbles Tea Room, St Ives

Love the Map on Bumbles Windows!

Olives Cafe, St Ives

I love the fish railing at Olives!

Peppers Pizza, St Ives

Did I say YUMMY or what?

The Cornish Deli, St Ives

We LOVED the Cornish Deli and ate there more than once. I was so busy talking to the folks in there I never got a picture of the food! However, my favorite was their homemade crab sandwich!

The Golden Lion Restaurant and Beer Garden, St Ives

And you must not miss the beer garden! As you can see there are oodles of choices to eat at in St Ives! But we MUST have the famous Cornish Pasty! More on that tomorrow!

October: A Month of Pumpkins; Day 2, Pumpkin Field

Pumpkin Field

Without pumpkins many of the early settlers might have died from starvation. The following poem is a testament to the Pilgrims dependence upon pumpkins for food:

For pottage and puddings and custards and pies
Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies,
We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon,
If it were not for pumpkins we should be undoon.”

Pilgrim verse, circa 1633

Pumpkin Field in Brushstroke

October: A Month of Pumpkins, Day 1

The Pumpkins on the Porch

October is one of my favorite months! Let’s celebrate the pumpkin!

The Pumpkins on the Porch Painted in Watercolor

The Pumpkins on the Porch Painted in Brushstroke

Getting from Point A to Point B; Don’t Forget the a’s, b’s and little c’s!

Ash Manor House, Yeovil, UK

What an Inviting Entryway and Check Out the Flowers!

To get from Point A to Point B is more fun if you have shorter driving times and lots of smaller a’s, b’s and c’s along the route. After all we are on vacation! When you have been up all night, or at least not sleeping well on an international flight, it is easier to have small stops to look forward to rather than a long jaunt across the countryside in unfamiliar territory! So, those were the conditions I set for my “2016 English Garden Tour” starting at Heathrow Airport and beginning the “Official” part of the tour in Cornwall. But, I made a few stops along the way and they turned out to be lovely! As you have read in previous blog posts we stopped at two National Trust properties on the journey to Cornwall, Stourhead and Tintinhull. Oh, and we drove past Stonehenge, so we can say we’ve seen that too! And then we planned to stop for the night in Yeovil, and stay at the Ash Manor House. What a delightful stay between Point A and Point B! It was easy to find, there was plenty of parking on the premises, it was spotless and there is a restaurant on site! So if you are making your way to Cornwall this also may be a good option for you! Let’s see some photos!

The Lobby Area at Ash House Manor, Yeovil, UK

The Lady of the Manor House in Her Time! I Wouldn’t Mess With Her!

Notice looking at the “now” pictures of the house and the “original” picture, that the ivy has been removed from the house. I liked the ivy look better, but that’s just me! The ivy softens the stones and gives it a romantic cottage-y look!

Up the Stairs We Go!

A Beautiful Transomed Doorway at the Top of the Landing

Ahh, To Drop Into Bed!

A Quick Peek at LEON and the Village

From Heathrow to Ash Manor House I was trying to adjust to a rental car called LEON. Leon is a diesel engine vehicle that turns off whenever the brake is on for any period of time to save gas. It is like they do in Nascar to save gas when they think they will not make it until the end of the race and try to conserve fuel. The only difference is Leon does it automatically and it is sooooo scary! I was always concerned it wouldn’t start up again just as we got to the tricky round about or stuck in heavy traffic and then needed to go! Just one more thing to add to the adventure! Who would name a car LEON anyway? I learned one more thing early on in my adventure; never let them stick me wth a LEON at the car rental! Maybe I just need a relaxing drink and something to eat! So let’s go to the bar!

The Bar at Ash Manor House, Yeovil, UK

The Dining Room at Ash Manor House, Yeovil, UK

My Yummy Evening Meal at Ash Manor House, Yeovil, UK

And Then Dessert! The Frog is a Cinnamon Dip!

And then the next morning, a scrumptious breakfast in the Morning Room overlooking the back garden.

The Morning Room at Ash Manor House, Yeovil, UK

The Back Garden at Ash Manor House, Yeovil, UK

If you are traveling from London to Cornwall you might consider a rest stop at Ash Manor House. All my boxes for the perfect stay were ticked off!

Well, it’s a brand new day and we are off to another National Trust Property! See you next time at Greenway, home of Agatha Christie! I can hardly wait!

Today is National Ice Cream Sandwich Day!

Chocolate-Chip Ice-Cream-Sandwich Cake With Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients

SERVINGS: MAKES 10 TO 12

Butterscotch Sauce

3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, diced
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces)

3 pints chocolate or vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

Preparation

For Butterscotch Sauce

Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until both sugars dissolve. Increase heat and boil until large bubbles break on surface and sauce drops thickly from spoon, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in cream and vanilla (mixture may bubble vigorously). DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm slightly over low heat before using.

For Cookies

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with parchment paper; butter paper. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until well blended. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop half of dough by large spoonfuls into each prepared pan; spread evenly.
Bake cookies until light golden, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies in pans on racks. Carefully turn out cookies; peel off parchment.
Place 1 cookie, top side up, in 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Drizzle 1/4 cup sauce over. Spread evenly with ice cream; drizzle with 1/2 cup sauce. Top with remaining cookie, top side up; press gently to adhere. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons sauce. Cover pan and freeze ice cream cake at least 5 hours. Cover and chill remaining sauce. DO AHEAD Cake and sauce can be prepared 3 days ahead.
Cut around cake with small knife to loosen. Release pan sides. Let cake stand until ice cream is slightly softened, about 20 minutes. Rewarm butterscotch sauce over low heat. Cut cake into wedges; serve with sauce.
Check out http://www.epicurious.com/ for more recipes!

IPhriday Photo Challenge: The Saturday Market

Artwork on the Coffee Shop

One of the Benches That Was Replaced

The Bakery at the Saturday Market

The Flowers at the Saturday Market

One of Many Vegetable Stands at the Saturday Market

Every other Saturday, during the winter months (Christmas through March) and every Saturday at all other times, our town offers a local Farmers’ Market. It takes place in the parking lot of our coffee shop and spills over into other vacant spaces behind the coffee shop! A few months ago I talked about the Hand Painted Benches that were being replaced by generic, black, mundane benches. I found out about this when I went looking for the Love Bench! Well this week we have a new dilemma; we can no longer bring our dogs to the Saturday Market! This has caused a big brouhaha in our small town! The Saturday Market is THE place to visit with your neighbors, along with the Post Office ( we don’t get mail delivered to our homes) So on Saturdays the folks gather up their cloth bags and their dogs and away they go to the Saturday Market. No longer. We must leave our pets at home!

Saturday Market With Dog

I ask you, does Fido here look like a problem to you? What is your opinion? Dogs or no dogs at the Market? Our small town ways are fading into the dust!

PS I took these photos at O-Up-Early, when the stalls were being set up, before the crowds got there!

I hope you enjoyed our walk in town today! Get out there and see what’s going on in your neighborhood and post it for the IPhriday Photo Challenge! All photos were done with my IPhone!

Color Your World: 120 Days of Crayola; Wild Watermelon

Watermelon Feta Mint Skewers

It’s Day 116 of our 120 Days of Crayola Challenge! We’re almost to the End! Let’s get ready to party! How about some Wild Watermelon appetizers?

First Wild Watermelon Feta Mint Skewers, they look easy enough.

Mint Leaves

1/4 large Watermelon

4 oz Feta Cheese

Balsamic for drizzling

Skewers

For Directions look at picture!

Watermelon Fire and Ice Salsa

And how about a Wild Watermelon Fire and Ice Salsa to serve on those party days?

3 cups chopped Watermelon

1/2 cup Chopped Green Pepper

2 tablespoons Lime Juice

2 tablespoons chopped Fresh Cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped Green Onions

1 tablespoon chopped Jalapeno Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt

Directions: In large bowl combine watermelon, green bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno and garlic salt. Mix well and serve with your favorite salsa chip!

Look for these recipes and more on Yummly! It is my favorite App for recipes!!!

Wild Watermelon was the name given to a fluorescent color known as Ultra Red from 1972 to 1990. It is known as Infra Red in the “Techno Brite” series and Flower Power Pink in the “Retro Colors” set.

This post is just one of many in the Color Your World: 120 Days of Crayola Challenge!

Check out some of the other 150+ challenge participants, it’s amazing what we have done with the Crayola colors!

Color Your World: 120 Days of Crayola; Wild Strawberry

Wild Strawberry

Day 115 and it’s Wild Strawberry Day! Yum! Let’s see, what can we do with strawberries? Summer is right around the corner, let’s party!

Let’s make some Easy Strawberry Lemonade!

1 (12 fluid oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate

4 1/2 cups water

Fresh Strawberries

In a large pitcher mix together lemonade concentrate and water. Stir in Strawberries! Voila ! Done!

Strawberry Lemonade Vodka

Now for the more serious drinker: Strawberry Lemonade Vodka

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 pt Fresh Strawberries

1 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice (about 8 lemons)

6 cups cold water or mixture with ice cubes

1 cup Vodka

Make a simple syrup by combining 1 cup sugar with 1 cup of water in a saucepan.
Place over medium heat until the sugar in completely dissolved; swirl the pan occasionally. Let cool.
Once the simple syrup has cooled, puree strawberries in a food processor or blender with ½ cup water.
In a large pitcher, combine ice, strawberry puree, simple syrup and lemon juice. If using the vodka, add it to the pitcher and stir to combine.
Add 4-6 cups of cold water. The amount of water you use will depend on your tastes, so add as little or as much as you want to achieve desired sweet/tart balance.
Rim your glasses with sugar before pouring, then garnish with fresh strawberries, oranges or lemon slices.

Wild Strawberry has been in the Crayola Collection since 1990. It is known as Rockets’ Red Glare in the “State Crayon Collection.”