The Crown, Groombridge

Beautiful shot!

Admired in: www.ipernity.com/group/tolerance

Gorgeous photo.

Is that a pub?

Yes, a family-run, very olde-worlde one, though they know how to charge. I know because I had lunch there. But better it should be viable and survive, unlike so many others.

The sign isn't very olde worlde. Looks like the boring grey so loved by self-righteous Liberals.
What did you have for lunch?

No it, isn't very, but the heraldic crest above the door is probably more original and interesting.

Toasted Ciabatta - pork filling, with roast potatoes (fortunately I noticed the "with gravy" and ordered it without). For pub lunches I prefer a sandwich or baguette to a plated meal, but it was a Sunday and Sunday Menu only. It was OK but at £11.95 no bargain, especially with their automatically adding a 15% service charge and over £6 for a pint of shandy, plus £3.50 for a black coffee afterwards.

Why don't you take sandwiches from home?

1. Because I like pub lunches (to be able to sit in comfort outside or in cold weather inside, get a pint of shandy without having to cart it with me, have coffee afterwards without needing to carry a flask, and if necessary to use the loo. Most pubs don't allow own food to be eaten on the premises.

2. When necessary - when I know there'll be nowhere to get food - I do, but when at home I make and have a roll or sandwich every single day, and it's nice to have a break from that.

3. Occasionally I'll go on a walk, expecting to get food but can't (usually because the pub shown on the map no longer exists). That situation is catered for (literally) by my keeping a flapjack and water in my rucksack. A flapjack contains as many calories as a sandwich.

Oh well, perhaps you could get a reduction for the gravy.

So should everyone - for having it.

Anyone living with you would need to have a list of rules displayed in the kitchen.

Don't ask my advice on cooking, because I can't even get a simple omelette to come out right. I've tried adding (and not adding) milk and water to the beaten egg, higher and lower gas under the frying pan. Whatever I do, they just turn solid and won't fold.

See private message about another matter.

They say that adding milk makes them too heavy.

This looks like a good recipe from the BBC.
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/basic-omelette

Another method is to separate the yolk and white, whisk the white to a froth and then gently fold them together before adding to the pan. When the base appears to be cooked, place the pan under the grill and the top rises like a souffle. I used to to do them for a friend, but it's too fiddly to bother with just for oneself.

I'm glad you have some good news.

Thanks for that. He uses butter, not oil, to grease the pan, and he pre-heats the butter to sizzling temperature before adding the egg. I will try both.

Let me know how you get on, or send a sample through the post.

I will. My kitchen is quite small, but for the amount (and type) of cooking that I do, it's more than adequate.

No pictures this weekend. I'd planned a day-trip to Bedwyn but decided to stay at home. As well, because here at least, at the moment, the trees are waving about and the rain is falling at 45 degrees.

You should have come to Oxford. Big clouds, sun and breeze.