The 2026 Alne Street Fayre was a big deal and the money seemed to be pouring in. There were over five hundred cars in the big fields beyond Home Farm and thankfully for the community, the weather played ball all day. It was only at 5pm that I was able to bring our car to Celidih Cottage because until then the streets had been shut off. The entire village was a pedestrianised zone for the day.
Green man carving on the twelfth century font in Alne Church
It was great to spend time with Tony and Pauline. She had some wonderful news to share which I will relate to you in another blogpost. Like us, they don't eat out very often but together we ate out on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings.
Each meal was wonderful and magically, in all three establishments, we were led to the best window tables. I can be quite particular about where I get to sit in a restaurant and in each eatery we got the places I would have picked if left to my own devices.
The Sunday roast in "The George" in Easingwold had been put together with what I often refer to as "love". We all had beef layered on mounds of tasty vegetables and then topped with light and golden Yorkshire puddings the size of side plates. The cauliflower cheese came in separate tureens with extra gravy boats. No morsels were left but I swear we did not lick the plates clean.
On Monday evening we visited the Jaipur Spice curry house by the road to Easingwold from Alne. We all agreed it was an excellent, authentic curry. I ordered onion bhajis before my "Jaipur Special Beef Bhuna" with vegetable rice and one chapati. All quite heavenly and again the conversation flowed like a mountain spring that never dries up.
Tuesday night we went to the only pub in Alne - "The Bluebell Inn" - which is essentially just a restaurant these days. I ordered Italian lasagne with side vegetables. The main dish was gooey and cheesy with a nicely seared top. And I washed it down with a pint of "Theakstons" ale - a famous Yorkshire brew.
Welcome back! Your trip sounds nice, but the food! The food sounds wonderful. One day I want to try to make genuine Yorkshire puddings because I've never tasted one. And the roast and the veggies....yum.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell I haven't had my supper yet? LOL
Never tasted Yorkshire Pudding? Maybe I could help out.
DeleteYou really lived it up with dining out every night, and why not. While my English fish and chip experience wasn't great, your Indian restaurant curries are sublime, and there is nothing like a Sunday pub roast, now being copied here.
ReplyDeleteI am astonished that your English fish and chip experience was not great because this is where the best fish and chips in the world are found. You just need to be directed to the right establishments.
DeleteOne direction is The Magpie at Whitby. Full honours in a 'proper' restaurant, with mushy peas, white bread and butter and a teapot of course, not forgetting fish and chips. It looks like you had a good time in Alne, made me quite homesick for North Yorkshire.
DeleteActually Thelma, "The Magpie Cafe" is just another name for Heaven. I believe that God is in charge of the fish frying.
DeleteWelcome back! A lovely break all around, and I am glad for Alne to have had such a great fayre. Are we going to get to see the inside of the cottage where you were staying?
ReplyDeleteSorry Mrs Nosy! I did not take any interior photos of the cottage but I am very sure it was not as nice as your cottage in Ripon.
DeleteIn my world a "Tombola" is the largest marble in the game and boys all try to win it by knocking it out of the circle with one of their smaller marbles. I think. Does your "Tombola" mean "raffle"?
ReplyDeleteWell, it is a kind of raffle but you pick your folded up tickets randomly from the blue tombola tumble-bin on the left of my picture.
DeleteWow, what a successful tombolo to get all those prizes for £10. I guess you'll have to go back to the treadmill to lose those pounds gained by eating out rich food.
ReplyDeleteI only put on one pound which was a relief to see this morning.
DeleteWelcome home.
ReplyDeleteWhere are the flags and the band?
DeleteSounds like a perfectly wonderful getaway.
ReplyDeleteBut I must ask ... is that Yorkshire butt-crack in the last photo?
Is spotting butt-cracks one of your hobbies Bob?
DeleteAlne - pronounced Arn. Ah yes, the old L goes to R before N in a word ending in a silent E rule. English is such a nuanced language..
ReplyDeleteYes, communication is much easier in Hamsterish.
DeleteThanks for explaining what a tombola was. I had no idea.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I wondered why Alne is pronounced "Arn".
See Wicked Hamster's explanation.
DeleteSounds like a perfectly perfect get-away experience.
ReplyDeleteNow I must ask- was it necessary for us all to see a vulnerable man's slight plumber gap? I would far rather have seen a picture of those Yorkshire puddings the size of dinner plates.
I know you are a prim and proper southern belle so sorry about the builder's crack Miss Mary.
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