Wednesday 30 May 2012

Craggy Cliffs and Accompanying Coughs – A visit to Cornwall in the UK


Another grey day, a bite in the air and of course, rain pending.  I shiver and the clouds collect in a big sky, the waves tumble towards the craggy cliffs with a roar followed by floating, smiling seabirds.

My daughter, Alana and I laugh and cough in unison into the wind, perched atop the Cliffside, clutching our scarves, wondering why we didn’t pack warmer clothing. 


Light headed with cold medicine, yelling to the men members of our family to stop balancing, fearlessly peering over the edge!  Why do they do that?



Each time I visit Cornwall in the U.K.  (my Mister’s homeland) the weather is absolutely god awful, and yet Cornwall is well-known for its sunny and mild climate, where Londoners flock for their mini  vacation time. 
 Despite the weather, this place is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on the planet.  Many Canadians I know, never manage a visit to Cornwall, being so far south, broken from the rest of Britain by the Tamar River and just too much out of the way for most.  There is a pride in the people here who say, they are NOT English, they are CORNISH.  And in many ways there are Very different from the rest of the country and Yes, I will swear that this is SO. 

It is a land of Twisty Turny charming, narrow cobble stoned streets lined with ancient churches and crooked cottages.  Friendly faces greeting with a HiYa or You Alright?  Rolling hills, plump ponies, thick coated curious sheep, tiny dramatic fishing villages, spectacular white sandy beaches and craggy coastlines and most surprisingly it's a SURFER'S Paradise! 



And the food is so Diverse in a Harry Potter Weird kind of way.  Fantastic Indian Curries served in every Pub, Cornish Pasties with Vegetarian options such as, Blue Cheese & Broccoli (this is what I chose - Yum) also, Cheese & Onion and the traditional Steak, Onion & Swede.  Pasties are often locally referred to as oggies. At the Bodmin Parkway Railway Station one of their vegetarion options is, Peanut Butter, grated cheese and Banana Panini! Crikey! (Bit afraid of this one) 

And sorry, I love Fish but couldn’t bring myself to try the STARRYGAZEY pie either.



Television chef Rick Stein has long operated a fish restaurant in Padstow for this reason, and in 2006 Jamie Oliver opened his second restaurant, Fifteen Cornwall, in Watergate Bay near Newquay. One other famous local fish dish is Stargazy pie, a fish-based pie in which the heads of the fish stick through the piecrust, as though "star-gazing".
There are many portable businesses such as this place – Toasties and Tatties! 

 My new favourite snack is Haggis flavoured Crisps!  (Chips).  YUM!


CORNISH ICE Cream!  In a Cornish Fishing Village!


The Prize however for Strange FOODIE ODDITiTY, goes to a tinned dinner offered in a small supermarket in Kilkhampton outside of Bude, called “The Full Monty”

Description on TIN – Baked Beans in Tomato sauce with Large Sausages, potato chunks, button mushrooms, mini bacon steaks and a mini chopped and shaped beef and cereal cutlet. 
WTF?  Does anyone actually eat this for Supper?



Click and Watch below to view this magical land.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boNT46BMyWg&feature=player_embedded

THIS is ONLY Part 1 - Part 2 to follow  - I love this Land.