Out and About Last Weekend

 It's the start of the Autumn Fayre season. Fundraisers for villages all around. From November they will be called Christmas Fayres, but basically the same thing! 

At the first one I went to in the United Reform Church in Debenham I found a crime fiction new-to-me author, I've read it already as I was out of library books. It was slightly cosy-crime but readable. Also bought a home made lemon cake to take home which has lasted me all week.

At the second Autumn sale in Thornham Magna village hall, I just bought a jar of lemon and lime marmalade from a local small business but it will be the last one I buy from them as they're now using 8oz jars whereas they used to sell in 12oz jars, but charging the same price for the smaller. As well as selling at all the craft/autumn/Christmas sales, they've just opened a shop in a unit at the hardware/gift place - maybe they had to put prices up to cover that.

Lots of people selling Christmas bits at last Sunday's boot sale. I have enough really now I only do a Christmas tree and the seasonal bits on the bookshelf but I liked this Christmas Goose and bought it for £1. The man had a whole box full of these and similar new tree decorations, originally from The Range and originally priced at £1.99 or £2.99. Maybe he bought them in the January sales last year? 

Also splashed out 20p on another crime fiction which I wasn't sure if I'd read or not as there are a whole series of these short story collections. Luckily it's one I've not  read  so that's added to my shelves for reading 'emergencies!'

I do like to get out and about at the weekends while I can.

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St Margaret's Thrandeston

 I drove round and round part of the village of Thrandeston without finding the church when I went here first time, then stopped to ask where it was and eventually found it. The village is just off the A140 in North Suffolk but there are so many little lanes it's easy to get lost.

Later I looked at Simon Knott's Suffolk Churches Website and found I'd missed taking photos of the interesting bench ends so had to go back for another look.

So here are the curious carvings that I missed first time round, some in the nave but others in the chancel

The first thing you see when you step in is this  - a 17th century poor box, changed to a collection for the church.

And then in the chancel is what looks like another old collection box or maybe for storage for the items used in the communion service?

Interesting tiling around the altar

The font dates from the 15th century

Up above  are the Victorian corbels of heads and some serious cracks!

A brass plate dated 1533 that was lost for three hundred years

And a few more interesting things

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Veggie Burger Comparison

Thanks everyone for comments about the old photos, not ever so interesting to other parts of the country but a good look at Edwardian life - and villages everywhere would have looked similar I guess.

 Having discovered that Aldi do a mozzarella vegetarian burger that sounds just like the Linda McCartney ones I've tried and enjoyed in the past I though a  comparison would be a good idea.

Price-wise Linda McCartney were £2.50 for the two from Morrisons. Aldi's were £1.75 for two

Above is how they look when still frozen. There is an obvious difference. The Linda McCartney is thinner and darker with visible pieces of mozzarella, while Aldi's on the right is thicker and pinker. 

Ingredients in the Linda McCartney are Soya Protein, rapeseed oil, mozzarella cheese, onion, chickpea flour, flavouring, yeast extract, stabiliser: methyl cellulose; garlic puree, malted barley extract, onion powder,salt, garlic powder.

Calories 266 after cooking

The Linda McCartney looked like this, nicely browned after 25 minutes in the oven

 

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And in a bread roll with a little mayo, my red tomato relish and lettuce with fresh beetroot and my homemade cucumber pickles on the side

 As usual it was nice and moist with lots of flavour , making a filling meal.

Then a week later I tried the Aldi Burger..............

Ingredients in the Aldi burger are Soya Protein, mozzarella cheese 9%, rapeseed oil, thickener: Methyl cellulose; shea oil, flavourings, bamboo fibre (!), rice flour, coconut oil, chickpea flour, dried yeast, yeast extract, onion powder, barley malt extract, colour:beetroot red; sea salt, maltodextrin, cornflour, salt, dextrose.

Calories 211 when cooked.

When cooked the Aldi one looked like this.

and I used the same accompaniments in a bread roll with lettuce,  a smidge of mayo and my homemade red relish. With homemade cucumber pickle and fresh beetroot on the side.

I found this just about OK but a bit too thick and rather dry. Not a huge amount of flavour so I was glad of all my extras. Quite filling and enough for a meal. 

So you pays your money and makes your choice! Mine is the Linda McCartney brand, and Not every week either!

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