'Woe To The Cook Whose Sauce Has No Sting'
The words of Geoffrey Chaucer from The Canterbury Tales - specifically - The Cook's Tale.
In other words, a bland sauce is unacceptable & only one with flavour will hit the mark.
I have been in Canterbury for a weekend break with two friends of old. I hope that the author would be pleased that we followed in his footsteps to some extent in that we were together for companionship & to tell stories along the way to entertain each other.
Our home from home was just a few minutes walk away from this beautiful city in Kent.
Our first port of call was an Italian family-run restaurant. We had all had long days before our arrival & this was a perfect spot for a comfort supper before retiring for a well deserved rest.
https://www.pinocchioscanterbury.com
Saturday was a day of pootling around Canterbury & we had thought about a visit to the Cathedral. I had been there many years ago as a teenager and was thoroughly captivated & intrigued by this historic Mother Church at the heart of English history. In 2025 the entrance fee on a weekend was £21.00. We decided that that price was too expensive. Instead we opted for a river trip on the Stour & learnt a lot about pilgrims, flour mills, orchards, low bridges, river-cleaning & how we have the French to thank for the magnificent Cathedral.
Saturday supper was initially disappointing despite the fantastic view. Loud music, they'd pretty much run out of every wine we wanted & the food was a long time coming. Our waitress was wonderful & we felt for her as she made several returns to our table to apologise that they had run out of this, that & the other. Once the food arrived, it was decent. Lamb Cannon, a Soft Shell Crab in a Brioche Bun with Asian Slaw plus a steak ("a bit chewy" said one friend).
There was a much better experience on the Sunday when we went for lunch here ..
https://www.cornerhouserestaurants.co.uk
A fantastic place with garden views should you wish, great service and wonderful food. Smoked Mackerel Pâté, Pork, Prune & Hazelnut Terrine to begin. Roast Beef with Beef Dripping Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding & all the usual plate mates.
Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall
