This was a much-anticipated event which actually lived up to my expectations.

The ambience at l’Enclume was good and the organisation superb.  They coped amazingly well with our party: the seven guests included a highly-allergic coeliac disease sufferer, someone highly allergic to fish and nuts, two vegetarians/pisctatorians (I think that’s what the head waiter described us as – people who don’t eat meat, but do eat everything else).

There were over twenty courses.  The first one (I had to put the third one at the top because it was so spectacular) was oyster pebbles! The oyster pebbles were fish-flavoured marange, which was a light grey colour, with creamed oysters within.

 

 

 

The “icicles” were little radishes with special sweet vinegar

 

 

 

 

 

These were an example of how they coped with vegetarians, non-fish eaters, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ragstone cheese is a goats cheese.  The ingredients are mostly local, or obtained locally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I asked the waiter what these were, and had to be told that the “sacks” were ceramic, and it would be better if I didn’t try to eat them.  I’m not sure what “calamint” is, but the overall taste sensation was, well, sensational.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atlas carrots are a local variety.  “Chicken of the woods” is a type of mushroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was one of the dishes that I did not taste, but John told me it was one of the highlights for him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scallop and grilled cauliflower – who would think of putting these together? It worked well.

 

 

 

 

 

A selection of edible flowers from the area around Cartmel!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the few things which didn’t work: most of these tiny “ice creams” were fine, but sea buckthorn was not particularly nice.  I don’t know what it is.  The ice creams were about 3cm long, and mounted in a large pebble with six holes bored in it.

I’m staying in Cark with Mark and John, in their very nice house.  See pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went out yesterday to visit Gleason Mill, an old water mill on the Furness Peninsula.  Very interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also went to Furness Abbey.  Torn down in Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the monasteries.

 

 

 

Unfortunately it is cracking, and there are huge constructions to hold it up.

Nevertheless an impressive sight, and site.

I (David) am in England at the moment, though the rest of the family are at home.  I am visiting my brothers prior to the European Cardiac Society conference in Amsterdam.

We are in the Lake District, and had an excellent walk yesterday.  John came with me as I climbed Harter Fell from Seathwaite.

 

 

It was a hot (!) day for England.

We had an excellent walk over to the Esk Valley, where we met Mark, who had driven around.

 

 

 

 

Beautiful views over the English lakes from the summit of Harter Fell.