Thursday, 6 February 2020

Brain Food

Today I am off to my "Green Living Project" group in Christchurch. Last time was just the "intro" - this is the first proper session, dealing with Food, and how we can make lifestyle changes to reduce our carbon footprint in terms of our food choices. It's my turn to 'facilitate' so I have been studying the course materials already - two things have been on my mind. Shop local, and eat less meat. Yesterday I met up with my great friend Pauline at The Lantern Community Cafe, near Ringwood.
This ticked many of the GLP's targets. Much of the food is grown onsite, the breads/cakes produced by the in-house bakery, there is a 'Farm Stand' selling locally grown, organic produce - and Pauline is a vegetarian! The Lantern is a Camphill Community, providing housing, support services and training for adults with different abilities. Click the link above to find out more about this happy, friendly group and all they offer. 
It was lovely to see a "Candlemas Table" - the Community observes the church calendar and celebrates the changing seasons as part of their daily life.

Pauline and I had a good chat, shared a large, well-fruited toasted teacake and meandered round the shop [gifts, books, craft materials and educational toys - as well as organic foods and cosmetics]
I bought a loaf of walnut bread and two meatball pasties from the Bakery. The bread was a little bit dry and crumbly, but the pasties were fabulous. 
And from the Farm Shop I purchased a celeriac. This is mainly because I do not think I have ever bought a celeriac before. But it does look alarmingly like a brain!



6 comments:

  1. Hope your workshop goes well. That community cafe sounds like a very nice place. Too bad the walnut bread was a bit dry; it looks good, though! Much better looking than the celeriac!

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  2. Thank you, I didn’t know this cafe existed but will pay a visit next time I go to Ringwood for some shopping.
    Can’t believe you’ve never bought celeriac! It makes great soup.

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  3. Haha, Celeriac do look like brains!!! My mum grew them last year and every so often we had one in the fridge. My plants didn't come to fruition sadly. Chris makes a Celeriac and Apple soup with crispy sage and browned butter. It is delicious but the recipe makes too much so I get sick of it!! Should really freeze some!
    The shop and community sounds absolutely brilliant!! Often affluent, well-established towns have great schemes like that. It sounds like Hexham.Xx

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  4. We used to grow celeriac. I does make excellent soup.
    Camphill is a wonderful service.

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  5. Niqi gave me a gorgeous recipe for that shredded celeriac salad you get when you're out at posh cafes. I'll send it to you, if you like. I really love that table. In 28 I used the dining room window sill as a sort of nature table. I haven't quite recaptured that in the Meadowplace, ironically! Maybe we just have more of it for real out the back.

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    Replies
    1. Yes please, would like that recipe.iz tells me I should try Nigel Slaters celeriac remoulade

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