EDitorial ± 30-Apr-2017
130Story: Marine / Eager / Parents / Restaurant / Pretty
The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.
Marine
Gazing through the mist from a seaside Caffe Nero
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 29, 2017
I picture Jenny Seagrove's webbed marine biologist
In Bill Foysyth's Local Hero#130story
Eager
Desperate to do Daugavpils and longing to take a look at Liepaja but above all I'm eager to enjoy Latvia's capital city. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 28, 2017
Parents
He hadn't met the parents but the head already knew the type.
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 26, 2017
"Ah, Mr & Mrs Bell. Thanks for coming. We need to talk about Huey." #130story
Restaurant
Specials:
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 26, 2017
* If ye love meatballs
* Spam in alium
* Lemon torte of Jeremiah
You can get anything you want at Tallis's restaurant.#130story
Pretty
On the river path, transfixed by the shimmering cascade, Paul reaches for his notebook and writes:
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 24, 2017
Weir
So pretty
Oh so pretty#130story
EDitorial ± 24-Apr-2017
Light Lunches: La Hogue Farm Cafe
Browsing the latest list of Suffolk FADA nominations while lunching in what rightly emerged as the Best Cafe, G&T's, we discovered a category entitled "family dining". FADA website, a bit rubbish, had only the names with no accompanying links or locations, which left us pondering what and where these places might be.
Finalists were:
- The Four Horseshoes at Thornham Magna near Eye, eventual winner
- The Crown at Stowupland near Stowmarket
- and La Hogue Farm Shop and Cafe at Chippenham near Newmarket
I'm off to Newmarket on Sunday morning, said that Andy. How's about we do breakfast at La Hogue? Which is what we did once we'd lugged an old eBayed six foot sideboard upstairs to its new home.
About 10 minutes from Newmarket close to the confluence of the A14 and A11 is "your local farm shop and cafe". We arrived around 10:15am, not long after opening time, and that car park was filling up. Shop is a cross between Suffolk Food Hall and Wyevale and leads through to the capaciously classy caff. Chop chop busy busy in there, the well-heeled of Ely chowing down on home-cooked English breakfasts.
Andy ordered while I grabbed a table. There's outdoor seating plus a separate area seemingly designated as a quiet zone, presumably free of screaming brats. Bit weird? I was lucky to land the last of the morning's specials, a rather fine combo of eggs, potato and bacon, while the driver settled for the regular breakfast. Stacks of stuff on the menu from salad to scampi to soup to sandwiches. Much like the similar-ish farmcafe, there's stacks of Stokes, always a good sign. None the wiser about that name and a bit out of the way for us over here in the far east but worth a trip.
- website -- La Hogue Cafe
If it was a car -- Venturi Eclectic.
If they were passing by -- Dan Snow.
EDitorial ± 23-Apr-2017
130Story: Victims / Does / Paint / Keep
The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.
Victims
Bellow wrote &
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 22, 2017
Bogarde played &
Boy George sung
Victims, one and all
#130story
Does
County show carnage. Two tractors ran amok. Multiple casualties. Police have set up one tent for John Deeres, one for John Does. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 21, 2017
Paint
Matt Goss (from Bros)
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 19, 2017
Requires one tiny 'L'
To spell two types of paint
One dull
One shiny#130story
Keep
Radio 4 need me to confirm my final record. The Pastoral? Perhaps. Eroica? Maybe. The Choral? No. I've decided to keep The Fifth. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 19, 2017
EDitorial ± 21-Apr-2017
Light Lunches: G&T's, Yoxford
And thrice they shall visit the venerable High Street of yonder Yoxford:
- first occasion, stardate 2013, 'twas the actual Post Office with in-built caff
- second occasion, stardate 2015, 'twas the not long lived Louie Lou's
- third time, stardate 2017, 'tis the award-winning G&T's
We spent a quality lunchtime there on Friday 21st April. Three days later they won the highly covetable award for Best Coffee stroke Tea Shop in the 2017 EADT Suffolk Food & Drink Awards. Coincidence? Probably, though we were aware of their nomination along with Aldeburgh's Cragg Sisters and The Tea Hut. NB winner in 2016 was Applaud, the pride of Ipswich.
G and T are Gina and Thalia, busy cooking up a storm here since 2016. I'd been here a couple of times previously with various friends and family and been v. impressed. Savoury choices for me and Andy were the smoked chicken and mango salad (I know) and a pork & chorizo sausage roll, both highly original, with a Bottle Green and Fentimans on the side. Loadsa local goodies, too, inc. Stokes, Scarlet and Mustard, local choc and Earl Soham's very own Paddy and Scotts.
Come for the savoury but stay for the cakes. Given the distance from Martlesham, we ran out of time and had to settle for a takeaway slab of choc truffle cake with a knockout flat white. They're busy, busy, and open on the odd evening too. Go To G&T's.
If it was a car -- MGB GT.
If they were passing by -- Glenn Tilbrook.
EDitorial ± 16-Apr-2017
130Story: Popularity / Worthy / Propaganda / Terrific / Thrown
The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.
Popularity
Despite her best efforts, Sophie won the year 11 popularity contest. She's now through to the regionals. We won't see her again. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 14, 2017
Worthy
Doc vanished overnight. Then came the emails with photos of Doc by Stonehenge, Big Ben, etc. This was a prank worthy of the gnome. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 13, 2017
Propaganda
Claimed we were unproductive. Said we were unprofitable. Pure propaganda. They shut our steelworks. No more Manufacturing Consett. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 12, 2017
Terrific
Earlier, Jon uttered a killer phrase. That, I said, would make a terrific short story title. Now I can't remember one lousy word. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 11, 2017
Thrown
A piano. When you told me, I became that broken piano, tethered to a giant trebuchet. And like that battered piano, I was thrown. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 10, 2017
EDitorial ± 13-Apr-2017
Light Lunches: Goslings Garden Cafe, Trimley
En route to some early morning McD's pancakes yonks ago, I made passing reference to the local landmark that is the Trimley sausage shop roundabout. Shame, I lamented to Andy as we were about to pass it one lunchtime, that the venerable shop doesn't have a caff attached. Which was when bespectacled Andy spotted the "hot pies" sign sitting outside. Lunch!
One handbrake turn later, us pair were picking our pies inside The Real Sausage Co.. Chicken balti for yours truly and a steak and stilton for the driver, not a favourite of the proprietor, it turned out. Only a couple of quid with no extra charge for an unashamed zap in the microwave. Not quite the the finesse of John Hutton, to be sure, though most likely a darn sight cheaper. No internal seats and no hot drinks on offer, so not strictly on the list. Took advantage of a handy non-memorial wonky bench right outside, however, to down our meat products and sip my Barr cherryade.
That was all a precursor to the main event, a revisit to Goslings. Myself and Andy came here way back with good old Grenvyle and ate our lunch among the labyrinthine polytunnels. Sure I wrote that up at the time, but I cannae find it. So, here's the two of us back again for kaffee und kuchen in what we believe is the new-ish Garden Cafe.
Big shed reminds me of Sax's Pear Tree Cafe and him of Yoxford's Flying Goose Cafe. Ignoring the hooooge range of options on the long laminated menu since we're both pied up, we headed straight for sugary treats. Bakewell for the driver and a top notch white choc and pecan blondie for me. Decent coffee, too. Out through the external tables and it was busy busy busy. John Shuttleworth would love it here. Oof!
If it was a car -- BAV 485.
If they were passing by -- Drake.
EDitorial ± 9-Apr-2017
130Story: Lucky / Operation / Watch / Opinion / Kingdom
The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.
Lucky
Rivers Ranked By Karma:
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 7, 2017
* the charmed Worfe
* the fluky Vyrnwy
* the blessed Avon
* the auspicious Wye
* the lucky Severn#130story
Operation
Pre my operation
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 6, 2017
Doc in conversation
Says my belief
Is you didn't send that cheque to me
So zero pain relief
For your appendectomy#130story
Watch
Irked by the tick, Fritz removed the second hand from his watch. Next day he discarded the other hands. Now he's never late. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 6, 2017
Opinion
Nod, they said, and try to smile. Carl finds it a challenge but he doesn't want to end up back inside just for voicing an opinion. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 4, 2017
Kingdom
One kingdom will rule supreme in a battle between animal (lion!), mineral (diamond!) and vegetable. Why are you here, curly kale? #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) April 4, 2017
EDitorial ± 6-Apr-2017
Light Lunches: Red Poll Tearooms, Darsham
Despite my comprehensive education at the local comprehensive, I did not know that Yoxford landmark Satis House takes its name from Great Expectations. I don't doubt that the Latin scholars among us would know that "satis" means "enough", as in enough of my yakkin'.
Past San Souci on the right, past Satis House on the left and follow that give-us-a-sign pointing right to Westleton. Half a mile later, right again, not into Prime Irrigation (love that name) but the Emmerdale Farm Shop. I know, Emmerdale in Suffolk, eh? They've got the holy trinity of butchery, farm market and, for us, the Red Poll Tearooms. Always a warm welcome, reads the sign, and you have to admire the lack of an exclamation mark. Nicely played.
Stacks o' seating inside including a sofa upstairs. Sun's out, though, so we'll grab an outside table with attached blanket per chair, another quality touch. Hoorah for hygge. Many menu options but that'll be a breakfast bap for Andy and a self-assembly BLT for me with bacon worthy of John Hutton. Seemingly all possible San Pellegrino flavours available, too, and bonus points for the gamut of tourist information leaflets.
Apparently no discount for bringing in your own plates, sadly. Family-run business and it seemed that we met most of them that single lunchtime, every single one most welcoming, like the sign said. Given that we were at the very limits of our lunchtime range, didn't really have the time for coffee and cake but seemed rude not to. Very good Bury St Edmunds originating coffee with a satisfying slab of Victoria sponge. Super savoury and sweet and a soupcon of sun.
- website -- Red Poll Tearooms, Emmerdale Farm Shop
If it was a car -- John Deere Gator HPX.
If they were passing by -- Adam Henson.
EDitorial ± 2-Apr-2017
130Story: Invitation / Dining / Beautiful / Ocean / Adjust
The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.
Invitation
"My garden at 6," he'd said.
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) March 31, 2017
5:55, I was there.
"Regard," said Vlad, raising his loppers. This was an invitation to a deadheading. #130story
Dining
Epic ping-pong matches.
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) March 30, 2017
Marathon Ticket To Ride games.
Long Carcassonne sessions.
Oh, and the dining table's also used for eating.#130story
Beautiful
We examined it from all angles. Such curves, such precision. None of us could name it yet we all agreed: it was a beautiful thing. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) March 30, 2017
Ocean
I spent minutes drifting in a droplet, hours lost in a puddle, days diving deep into a pond, but sometimes it takes a great ocean. #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) March 28, 2017
Adjust
I'm struggling to adjust to this new numbering scheme. We've been on BC for years. Now they tell me it's AD 1. I blame the monks! #130story
— Ed Broom (@edbroom) March 27, 2017