Wednesday 25 Jan. The Haggis Ride

The title of this blog is a bit misleading. I only use it because the date of this particular Wednesday Ride is that of Burns Night, and not because we had Haggis Butties in our jersey pockets. I am a big fan of Haggis and, in our restaurant days used to serve chargrilled slices of this 'Chieftain o' the Pudding Race' with a rasher of bacon and a Dijon mustard sauce, on mashed potato and wrapped in one of the savoury pancakes that were our speciality. Still possible at home on our little griddle, and one of the very few things that I cook these days.

Since we were nine or ten, we thought that we would take a chance on a visit to No1 Deli in Clare. If Richard didn't have enough room we could always arrange a re-structured loan facility and go to Cavendish Tea Room. We vaguely followed the Suffolk Punch route, going left when we reached the main road after Poslingford. We were warmly greeted, and took over (as you can see) a large part of the room. Richard was offering a special of 'Stollen' the delicious fruitbread-derived confection with a core of marzipan - it came as lightly toasted slices, and several of us ordered it. My picture of the counter area gives a good impression (rather better than the one on their website imho) of the generous profusion of goodies on display. If any of you haven't yet been, then do try. I have an idea that they don't open on Sundays - but as I sit here writing, I'm uncertain.

For a change on the return, after Poslingford we took the right turn that takes one through Assington Green - where we paused to repair a puncture for Matt the racing motorist; took rather longer than an F1 Pit Team. (confusingly about 20 miles north of Assington) and thence, via Denston to cross the A143 to Wickhambrook pick up the route into Bury that used to be such a feature of Sunday clubruns back in the day when we used the Stradishall Café (then called 'Hard Times') at least three times a month. There are so many more possibilities these days but, regrettably, Stradishall isn't really one of them. It's still there, but we've become such sophisticated bunch that we insist on freshly baked cakes and scones!