Saturday 30th January 2010 Curried Parsnip Pie

Saturday is traditionally a lie-in day in our household. But as there is a by-election in the neighbouring District, we went out leafleting with Comrade K.

On our return we decided to have a chip butty and a drink down the Oss. We used to go down the Oss a lot - perhaps too much. It was always a busy, friendly village pub.

But over the last few months it has declined. K is a big fan of real ale, but increasingly the real ale is not on. Traditional beer has been replaced by super-chilled pump. I drink red wine, but prefer a decent glass. Sometimes there's none on at all - and recently there has been a French Merlot that I'm not keen on. We have mentioned this a few times... Inevitably, our visits to the pub have declined.

However yesterday we were dismayed to see that they had now put a pool table in the centre of the main room of the pub, where most people like to sit. It dominates the room, and seemingly on Friday night some regulars were unable to take their favourite spots.

Usually if we go for a chip butty we might stay for two, three drinks, but yesterday I think we were so depressed about the way the pub was going that we had our chips (reduced portions)and went home after one. It's a shame. It could be a brilliant pub with a bit of enthusiasm.

Back at home, it was a sorting out day. We're still not straight from the holiday. We put some of the photos on a USB stick to drive one of the two digital frames which people have bought us.

For dinner, it was Parsnip pie - mainly because I boughta bag of parsnips reduced from the Co-op on Thursday. There is a recipe for Curried Parsnip Pie in Roz Denny's Ultimate Vegetarian Cookbook which I've made before.

But is it a pie? Frankly the recipe is more like a stew with a crust on top, though in this recipe the filling is part cooked under the pie. I prefer my pies to be a bit more solid and have a bottom crust as well as a top. So the recipe was modified. I also left out the curry as hubs isn't good with trigeminal flavours. Instead I subbed coriander, cumin and paprika which are spicy without being hot.

I was quite pleased how it turned out. I'm getting more confident with pastry. My photos are all in the same style though. Hubs received a book about photography at Xmans. Perhaps I had better have a look!!!!