Autumn breaks and old fashioned bread making!

Posted 5 November 2007 by Cathy Moore

 I have just returned from a week in Majorca which made a lovely break.  We often visit the island and it is particularly pleasant in the Autumn as the weather is still warm but there are less tourists around.  One reason for the visit was that our daughter has a friend on the island and with social media they communicate on a daily basis and wanted to spend some time together.  This meant that Neil and I got to know Laura’s parents and a little more about the culture of the Majorcan people.  Laura speaks excellent English whereas her parents do not, our Spanish is also very basic but we got by!  It seems that although many Majorcans  leave the island when they are young and work on mainland Spain they usually return as they love their home.  We were invited to dinner at Laura’s house and her mother cooked us a variety of dishes that they only usually eat at their feast days.  It was all delicious and so much thought went into it; we felt very spoilt.

Michelle, our social media manager, also spent part of last week in Spain but on the mainland.  She took her young family for a few days away in the sunshine.  Philip, based in Residential Lettings in Storrington, spent the weekend in Dublin although his visit was slightly marred by a bout of food poisoning!

I am incredibly envious of Marion, our New Homes Manager from Horsham Office.  Marion and a friend treated themselves to a bread making course at Hugh Fernley Whittingstall's River Cottage last Friday. Although they already knew how to make bread they particularly wanted to learn how to make Sour dough. Well what an education it was as they learnt how to make bread using  "Mother" - this just using flour and water to make a yeast and you have to feed her every day!  She doubles up and you just take what you need when you are making your sourdough.

At the end of the course they were given Mother in small jars so that they could start when they got home – as they were staying the night down there Mother was left her in the car overnight and the next morning she was trying to escape from the jar!  Marion had visions of her taking over the car... it was amazing how active she was!

Anyway the whole day was fantastic - they each made two loaves plus soda bread and Focaccia plus they made some flatbreads and pizzas (which they thought was lunch but then were given a two course lunch on top!).   Marion spent yesterday feeding "mother" and making bread which the office will be sampling!  I might have to spend some time in Horsham Office!!

On a different note Neil, Emily and I went to The Capitol at Horsham on Saturday evening to see the new James Bond film, Skyfall.  I am not a huge Bond fan but I have to say it was a terrific film; Daniel Craig is, in my opinion, perfect for the role and they have introduced some new characters one being Gareth Mallory played by Ralph Fiennes, another favourite of mine.  They now have a new look ‘Q’ .. a much younger actor Ben Wishaw .. he was brilliant and very amusing. 

Finally we are still waiting to finalise the total money raised from our 20th Anniversary Ball for the Dame Vera Lynn Trust... we hope this will be approaching £4,500.00!

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