Sunday 21 December 2014

The Firsy Day of Christmas.

The farmer took a friend and I out to lunch today to our favourite farming restaurant in the nearby market town of Hawes.   The place was fully booked and I would guess that almost every table was a farming family of grandma and grandad/sons/daughters and  grandchildren. (I would also guess that Grandad was paying!).   There were a lot of fresh complexions, a lot of rather round tummies and absolutely no airs and graces anywhere.  Good straightforward food of turkey or beef (home reared in both cases) with stuffing, bread sauce, roast and mashed potatoes, sprouts, red cabbage, swede, carrots, roast potatoes and parsnips, good gravy, plenty of sauces and go back to the self-service as many times as you wished.  Oh and I forgot the Yorkshire Puddings (no meal is served without these giants of local food up here).  Puddings, apart from Christmas pudding and brandy sauce, were a selection of various trifles, pavlovas, profiteroles and the like.

And yes, we all partook of everything available.  I now feel as though I shall not eat again until Christmas day itself, although I expect I shall feel totally different come tomorrow morning.

Home again now, travelling through the Dales on a very indifferent kind of day with views limited by heavy mist in places and fine rain falling  - but my goodness, how green the grass was everywhere.  Still growing, says the farmer.

We had a cow this morning aborted a calf six weeks before delivery time - fully formed but born dead.  Always a sad happening.

The photograph is just to show Dales folk enjoying their Christmas dinner.

13 comments:

Gwil W said...

You must feel like a balloon about to burst. I suggest a snooze in front of the TV.

Twiggy said...

Sounds like my kind of dinner and company !! Have a good nap now, how lovely not to have to make dinner or wash up.
Twiggy

Frances said...

Nice meal! How is the cow feeling? Do they grieve?

MorningAJ said...

We've had our Yule dinner today. Roast beef and all the works. Followed by sticky toffee pudding. I know what you mean about being full!

Sorry about the cow. That's a shame.

sonia said...

How nice! I love English food, especially the desserts. My grocery store just started carrying brandy sauce but I don't know what to do with it...? Ideas?

angryparsnip said...

Yes Please, I would have loved to come along.

cheers, parsnip

Cloudia said...

Very kind of you to have us along.





ALOHA from Honolulu
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Frances said...

Oh, that does sound like lots of fun (and lots of delicious food, too.)

I love the photograph of the occasion and the presence of multi-colors of paper crowns. Were the crackers also sources of good jokes/riddles and funny little charms?

What a delight it is for this city dweller to have this look at beautiful Yorkshire and its tradtions.

xo

Cro Magnon said...

Those ceiling decorations are a bit excessive. I can't eat big meals at lunchtime, but show me a full trough in the evening and I'm a happy bunny. I like the sound of all those farmers.

Acornmoon said...

May I wish you and the farmer a joyous Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. I wonder if the farmer has a new jigsaw this year? xxx

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes Valerie, the farmer has a new jigsaw. His niece, Anthea Kitching, produces jigsaws, cards, coasters etc. from her own photography - all to do with farming. We have one to do on Christmas day, when we are on our own. It is called 'Raid on the farm shop' and is a montage from various photos she has taken. She is doing very well.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Go to antheakitching.co.uk for details of all her wares - she loves farming and has some good images.

Heather said...

So sad about the calf - I hope all the others will be born safely.
Your lunch sounds wonderful and from your photo I can almost hear the buzz of conversation from each group in the restaurant.