Members of the Foodie Group consist of people interested in all aspects of food and, in particular, opening up areas we have never tackled ourselves.

Discussing    Planning   Preparing     Cooking     Eating      Assessing

The main focus is to have fun. Topics are chosen for each meeting and anyone with an expertise in the subject leads the session.  We have made spaghetti, bread, Chinese food, simnel cakes, chocolate designs, looked at regional food, food from other countries, fish recipes, and had BBQ’s.

We have also held events on a barge, when we all contributed our favourite foods. We have also visited restaurants.

This year is was decided that we ought to show members of the U3a what we have achieved and it was agreed that we hold two lunchtime Chinese Meal sessions around the time of the Chinese New Year 2015.

Denis (CHEF) drew up the menu – Chinese Tea, 3 Starters and 10 Main Courses.

Members listed all the equipment which would be required from bin liners to heated trays and a Rice Cooker. We all turned up laden with bags; then working in pairs began to prepare a tray of ingredients for each meal for the Chef and his helpers to cook.  It was a mammoth task.

The tables were decorated in red and gold with Chinese serviettes, menu cards and birthday scrolls for each member.

Eating commenced at 12.30 p.m., and continued until 2.15 p.m. when everyone felt they could not eat another morsel (a good job as there were not many morsels left)

The diners were very effusive in their praise of the food and for the attention that was given to every detail.  Off they went, seemingly to have nap when they got home.

Off we all went into the kitchen to begin the process of finding all our own equipment and cleaning every work surface – ready for the ladies to make coffee the next morning.

In 2014 some of the group attended a Carribean demonstration which we all enjoyed.  This year we had Grace come over one Saturday night and cook a Carribean meal, it turned out to be a very enjoyable night.