November 2012 meeting.

In November, the club night is an opportunity for members to socialise and for Peter to let us all know what is happening for the following year. We have a buffet, provided by the members, and a singer to entertain us. The photo below shows the table groaning with a good selection of food:

The food table.

Peter gave everybody the 2013 programme of speakers and also told us about the winter visit to Anglesey Abbey Gardens and Lode Mill, Cambridge. This is on Friday 15th February 2013. The cost is £22. Please see Kathy if you want to go & haven't informed her yet as seats are selling fast.

The caretaker was presented with a gift from us all, in recognition of all his help over the course of the year. There had also been a collection for Peter and Kathy, and they were presented with some biscuits and tokens from Tesco, to thank them for all their hard work.

Next on the agenda was Susie, (not the Susie from the club), who sang us a good selection of songs and encouraged everybody to sing along as well. Jeannette, the other Susie and Kathy even took to the floor and had a little dance. I did get a piece of video, but after the trouble we have had recently with getting photos onto the Blog, I thought it wise not to attempt to put it on here. During the course of the singing we all enjoyed food and drinks from the buffet.

Susie singing.

Kathy, Susie & Jeannette have a dance.

The "Top Table"

Everybody had a most enjoyable evening, the raffle was called and many prizes distributed. I had hoped that the cute little snowman on the counter was amongst them, but alas, he was part of the festive decorations. As none of my numbers came up, it was irrelevant, anyway. But he was rather gorgeous!

Hilda's favourite decoration.

My contribution to the buffet was the Ginger Biscuit Cake. In response to many requests, here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 can mandarin oranges in light SYRUP (juice tastes bitter).

Half pint double cream

2 tops Jersey milk or single cream

1 teaspoon caster sugar

sherry or Madeira

8 ozs round ginger biscuits

Method:

Drain a small can of Mandarin oranges.

Add the tops of milk or single cream & a heaped teaspoon of caster sugar to the double cream & whip until it's very stiff.

Fill a small dish with Madeira if you're feeling extravagant or cheap British cream sherry if you're not.

Dip 2 biscuits into the booze, not long enough for them to get soggy,  and sandwich them together with the cream.

Stand them upright on the edge of an 8 inch plate. Quickly add another layer of cream and another dunked biscuit before they fall over. Do it again & again till you have formed a complete ring around the plate with a hollow in the centre - getting the last one in is less tricky than it sounds because it is easy to wiggle the whole thing.

Spread the top with the remaining cream and top that with the Mandarin oranges, outside up.

Chill in the fridge.

For the club, I made double the amount, so did not make them into a circle, just doing several lines.

The combination of flavours is delicious, even people who do not like ginger go for this.

A non alcoholic version can also be made, using the juice from the oranges instead of the booze, although the flavour is not so nice.