Christmas in February

A day trip to Newark in Nottinghamshire.

Just an hour & twenty minutes by train from London.

Great service on LNER too. The option of a British Smoked Bacon Roll (red or brown sauce, a given) on the 1103 plus other really decent choices. Friendly crew who were genuinely sorry to have to tell a passenger boarding at Peterborough that the kitchen had run out of bacon cobs.

Though sorely tempted, I resisted because I knew what lay ahead. Lunch with friends here:

https://www.fivebellsbassingham.co.uk/gallery/

Here's a sample Sunday menu:

https://www.fivebellsbassingham.co.uk/menu/sunday/

The five of us shared two starters of Crab Doughnuts (I know .. but we were all intrigued & the sweet shellfish quenelles did not disappoint ..). The second choice was a light & colourful salad of Beetroot & Brie

I had already decided upon my main course three days earlier.

Roast Turkey Crown, pig in blanket (it was HUGE), sage & onion stuffing, roasties, mash, veg, cauliflower cheese, roast parsnips & gravy.

Happy Christmas to me.

Photo ©Anne-Marie Minhall

It was fantastic & three of us went for the full on reenactment of the Christmas lunch.

Pudding was less traditional festive fayre which was fair enough. It’s February after all. I plumped for Sticky Toffee Pudding, Toffee Popcorn & Ice Cream.

Pudding was not required, but, still taken.

Photo ©Anne-Marie Minhall

On the train home there was a nap post-Grantham. The only thing missing was The Sound of Music on the telly once back indoors.

AMM