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June 2024 June 2024
The next excitement was when a playwright said he would like to read my debut MORE FROM THE BERE REGIS RECIPE BOOK
novel and it was subsequently staged in 2019. While having a debut novel
published is incredible, seeing one’s characters come to life on stage is very
exciting. Between publication of my debut novel and its adaptation to the stage,
I was asked to write the updated history of the Harpenden Trust in celebration of At the April meeting Alison cooked a Madeira cake from our recipe book. This
its 70 anniversary. This charity gives a great deal back to those in need in the cake is not named after the islands but after Madeira wine which was often
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town. served with the cake. This cake has more flour than a Victoria sponge and a
denser texture holding its shape often used for novelty cakes.
Although I really enjoy teaching, the paperwork has increased substantially and it
became increasingly difficult for me to write. As I have been a member of the
Society of Authors for some time, in the Society’s newsletter I saw an As it appears in the Bere Regis Recipe Book
advertisement for a flat in Cyril Wood Court. Viewing it wasn’t easy as Covid was Mrs. Bailey Brighton
still around. End result was that I viewed the flat twice and decided to leave
Harpenden, Hertfordshire, for Dorset, in spite of the fact that I knew no-one at all in Madeira cake
Bere Regis. The one town I knew in Dorset was Bridport, to which I had been 4 oz butter
coming for 15 years for its writing events.
4 oz caster sugar
I’ve now been in Bere Regis for two years and am gradually getting to know some 6 oz flour (Self Raising)
lovely people as well as writing/researching most days. In January 2023,
Dorchester library asked me to give an author talk and that led to several other 2 eggs
library requests for talks. Also, Purbeck radio requested an interview and a Some grated Lemon peel and strained juice
journalist wrote a half page article in the Dorset Echo. In June 2023, my third book Some small pieces of crystallized ginger or cherries
was published and I am now working on my fourth, based on climate change which preferred.
and biodiversity in Dorset. Research for this has been helped greatly, first, by local
climate change expert, Ted Cox, who lent me several books. I have ideas for Beat butter and sugar to a cream beat up eggs
several books on this subject and am looking forward to working with experts on and mix in add lemon stir in flour and well beat up
hedgehogs, beavers and butterflies in the Dorset Wildlife Trust. add peel or cherries bake in moderate oven ¾
hour – Not to be moved much in oven grease tin
Finally, thank you to all those in Bere Regis who have made me feel welcome. As I well and flour
said at the outset, friendship has always been important to me and, as I knew no-
one at all in the village, those of you who have been kind and helpful will always Sue cooked the Porter cake made with London Porter a style of beer first brewed
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be special to me. in London in the early 18 Century, Named after its popularity with London Porters.
It is a dark beer and a came to be developed in Ireland as Guinness and Stouts.
During the First World War there were shortages in grain and strict rules introduced
in England meant the Irish were able to develop stronger beers. Stout continued
Editor’s note: Pamela’s novel ‘The Birth of Gossip’ was reviewed by the Social
Bookworms group in the May issue of this magazine. to be popular. We remember, Ena Sharples and her friends in early episodes of
Coronation Street, quaffing stout, in the Rovers Return. Those of us old enough
remember the slogan for Mackeson “It looks good Tastes good and by Golly it
does you good”
I used London Fullers Stout from Waitrose. A half litre bottle which meant I could
drink the excess having taken half pint for the cake and it is pretty good to drink
on its own as well.
Another odd ingredient was the citron. I couldn’t source this and used a mixture
of preserved lemons and a fresh lemon which seemed to work. A citron is a large
ugly thick skinned lemon originating in India and used for pickles and as candied
peel.

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