The Book Binder

Sometime before Christmas, Dan signed himself up for a three day residential activity with the National Youth Orchestra. When it comes to music, he is quite clear on what he wants to do so there's very little conversation about it: often just a "I'm thinking of" followed later by an "I'm going to".

Despite the guitar being his primary instrument, he has, I think, made use of the relative scarcity of double-bass players to ease his way into institutions such as the Royal Northern College of Music and the Westmorland Youth Orchestra, and it was that instrument that he was taking away, this weekend. 

I offered to drive him down, of course, although he did offer to attempt the journey by train. I always enjoy car journeys with him, anyway, but the occasion presented us with an opportunity to visit Bob's new café/bar/restaurant on Lark Lane, The Book Binder, which is where we went for lunch.

Situated on a corner, the Book Binder makes good use of the long wall of windows, so its light and airy, and, as with all Bob's places, the music was excellent. As was the food: I had pressed mushroom pasties. (Dan didn't eat as it was too soon after his characteristically late breakfast.)

After that, I dropped him off at the Notre Dame Catholic College before driving up to Chorley to collect the Minx. I had thought it might be nice for us to drive up to Kirkby Lonsdale via the Trough of Bowland but the presence of Storm Dennis changed our minds.

In the evening, I got my dog-eared copy of Rose Elliot's vegetarian cookbook down off the shelf and made a dish that I haven't made for more than twenty years, mushroom pâté en croute. It's a little dull to prepare - you have to "finely chop" nine hundred grams of mushrooms - but it was well worth the effort.

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-10.3 kgs
Reading: 'The Sound Of Tomorrow' by Mark Brend