Back to my roots…….. life in Cornwall

Posted by Life with Lizzi on August 17, 2012 · 2 Comments 

After 6 weeks in Brittany in my ‘twin home town’ of Concarneau (which is covered in The Beach House blog by the way!), I’ve finally arrived back in Penzance, Cornwall.  Aside from the Cornish weather (boy you think it’s wet in Brussels – well no-one does sea mist any thicker or wetter than the Cornish!), and the fact that I am now back in jeans and clogs after a long summer of flip flops and shorts, …….it’s great to be home!!

Avoiding the intense desire to just hole up and bury myself in a book, I am trying to introduce the cultural side of Cornwall to the kids, to show them it’s not just pubs, pasties and pixies, and so far on my itinerary this year I’ve added the Tate (which went down badly!) and the Seal Sanctuary (which was a huge hit!).

However before we could start on the cultural tour, we had some hospital visiting to do, as my Dad had fallen down stairs the night before we arrived and broken his collar bone and 2 ribs.  Not the result of too much whiskey the evening before, but due to taking 2 cups of tea up to my Mum in bed on a spiral metal staircase at about 3 in the morning (insomnia – note to myself -> stay in bed, much safer!).  He should never have been in the room with the metal staircase, but that’s another story involving us coming to stay and me complaining that we had to sleep with the kids again (and my mum volunteering to do it instead of just cleaning out the other spare bedroom – ho hum).  Needless to say I owe big time now, and am now sleeping up those metal stairs with the kids and a snoring husband……..

Dad was obviously keen to get out of hospital asap, as although they were doing a great job looking after him, you DO NOT want to spend any second longer than necessary in an English hospital.  24 hours later he escaped, literally, as we got bored waiting for him to be signed out (so we all snuck down to M&S Truro to stock up on goodies, as you do).  We did go back later to do the paperwork and pick up the drugs (a half hundred weight), which still involved another wait, but finally he was free.  However at 82, it’s no fun with broken ribs, and the pain has been causing him problems all week, so no further escapades are currently planned and I can tell he’s gutted to be missing out on my cultural tour (and my Mum has the perfect excuse to stay at home with him).

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At least this raised a giggle as we left the hospital!

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The first night at home, we started the ‘cult’ural extravaganza by celebrating Inigo’s birthday at the Meadery Newlyn, with the rest of the family.  This is a family Institution that we have been visiting for over 40 years which holds many fond memories (including my first taste of alcohol – a mead fizz, made from mead wine and lemonade!) and I’ve written many a teenage quote in their visitors books which still exist!.  It wasn’t quite the same without the head of the household, but we got our fingers stuck into the chicken and chips and caught up with all the news.  The Meadery girls were very sad to hear about my Dad (well he is their most popular customer due to the fact he still visits at least once and more often twice a week) so they sent us home with a bottle of Cornish Mead to speed up his recovery.

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The Meadery’s are all about family and fun, finger food, but still delicious.  Weeks before I arrive back in Cornwall I’m already dreaming of my menu choice (and I admit to having a menu at home!) and trying to starve myself enough to justify a scampi starter, chicken in the rough (chicken and chips), a meringue glace (meringue/ice cream and clotted cream) and a cornish coffee (coffee with mead!).  I always fail, and wonder how I managed to eat that much when I was younger, and half the size………. life can be so unfair!

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More info on the restaurants (if you are ever in the Penzance area!)

Newlyn Meadery – Family Restaurant.

Trewellard Meadery Restaurant | Penzance. -> this one is still my favourite….. my memories are all in their guest books from over 40 years ago, and I loved our cross country (literally) drive that involved rabbit spotting!

There is also the Waterside Meadery at Penzance harbour, which hasn’t gone digital but is still successfully up and running!  I wouldn’t advise Bramwells though in Penzance, as to me that isn’t one of the true old Meaderys from my youth!

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Filed under Family Life, Home Life · Tagged with Chicken in the Rough, Cornwall, Mead Wine, Meadery, Newlyn, Penzance, Restaurants, Scampi, The Newlyn Meadery