A Royal Lunch

My daughter and I set off rather late today to do the last trip to the shops before the arrival on Saturday of the family for Christmas.

We had to omit our usual coffee and cheeses scone but I take Sue for lunch each week and had a nice surprise when she said that as a treat today she would take us outside town. After a short drive through a very wet countryside, we ended up at The Gate Inn, Yanwath, where a seat beside a huge log fire was very welcome.

We ordered soup and chips (I had carrot & coriander), and was delighted when the soup arrived, to find the surface had been embellished with cream in the pattern of a Tudor rose - or, to be more accurate, a Plantagenet white rose of York.

Perfect - I celebrated with a toast to Richard III with my brandy!