DLCI 2024 Magazines - September
Million bells flowering since April and still going strong!
NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT
Hello everyone
Well, after a very hectic summer for everyone we can now take a short pause for breath!
As I write this we have just had rain - my grass can’t quite believe this as it now has the appearance of crunchy hay – and I can breathe a sigh of relief as my well will have received a little bit of a top up and not run dry as it has in the past 3 years – yaaaay! My tomatoes and peppers can relax knowing that they are destined to be frozen down in a thousand and one different formats and will last us until next summer and my apples, which have totally lost the plot, have been pureéd, sliced, diced, baked, caked (that is now a word) and donated by the ton!
Now onto club news – we look forward to seeing everyone who can attend at the AGM on the 19th September in the meeting room of the ‘O’ Braises Rouge in Bergerac and afterwards for lunch in the restaurant. We are offering a free cup of tea or coffee as a welcome and water will be available during the meeting……the lunches are very good if you haven’t visited before and the choice is vast.
Moving in to October we have our first big fund raiser the DLCI GRAND QUIZ on 16th October 6-9pm at the salle des fêtes in Creysse. To book please press the link below:
DLCI Grand Quiz - click to book
We do urge everyone to come and support this event as it is so important in providing funds for our chosen charities. As in previous years our wonderful member Pat Sansom and her husband – the multi talented Basil (our auditor and quiz setter) have organised the format, set the questions and provided a multitude of prizes – our grateful thanks to them. Please ask friends and neighbours to join you but don’t worry if you don’t have a team we will make one up. It is a hugely enjoyable night, this year with charcuterie boards for each table, and a very reasonably priced bar!
Finally I wish you a very happy Autumn and look forward to seeing you all soon!
Take care
Lin x
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
To see a full listing of all up and coming events, please see the Forthcoming Events section on the Members Only Home Page.
Thursday September 19th AGM (members only) - Ô Braises Rouges, Bergerac - 10.30am followed by lunch
Wednesday October 16th – GRAND DLCI QUIZ – (FUND RAISER)
Wednesday November 20th – Lunch - Le Café de la Place, Périgueux
Saturday December 7th DLCI CHRISTMAS FAIR at Château La Tilleraie, Lieu-dit, Bergerac, 24100. 10.00am – 7.00pm (FUND RAISER)
Thursday December 12th – Christmas Luncheon at Chateau les Merles
Thursday January 23rd – Chinese New Year Lunch at Asia Royal, Creysse
February - Virtual Horse Racing game at Château la Tilleraie
A WARM WELCOME TO ALL OUR NEW MEMBERS IN AUGUST
| Merle WALLACE | MONCARET |
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS
Apologies, there was a bit of a blip with the birthdays last month and some of our members received a happy (un)birthday wish.
And so, to put things right - belated birthday wishes to:
Florence ASTARIE
Christine DEADMAN
Caroline HARDING
Amanda ROTHWELL
Madeleine THORN-LEESON
SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Kathryn CARR
Lyn HILLIER
Elizabeth MURRAY
Angela SCARLOTT
GARDENING IN FRANCE
By CHRISTINE LEES
Making a herb bed
First I would like to thank Sharon for her brilliant column last month. Hopefully we will be hearing more from her in future!
In the summer we often notice the difference fresh herbs can make to a dish. Unfortunately this year I don't have many tomatoes, but I do have 4 kinds of basil - 2 in the house and 2 in the garden, including Thai basil and purple basil which I bought from a plant sale in the village. The 2 basils and an unusual mint are all growing in a half barrel filled with compost, as my herb bed is overflowing with an overenthusiastic rosemary and lemon verbena, which can be used to make an infusion. Lemon verbena is a lovely plant with very pretty small white flowers and is very scented.
My herb bed and the half barrel are very close to the kitchen door which is the most convenient place to have them.. I always also have mint which grows in a bed around the terrace with lavender and other plants, and I also have sage, thyme and marjoram in the herb bed.
Hardy Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, sage and thyme will grow all year round, and you can also make new plants from cuttings. Mint will come up in the spring and you need to restrict its growth if possible by growing in a pot. You can successfully grow herbs in containers, being careful to cut back any herbs which are growing too vigorously, and you can freeze or dry the cuttings for cooking or make new plants with them. A good combination for a large pot or windowbox would be chives, parsley, bay, sage, savory, rosemary and oregano or marjoram.
Bon appetit!
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
SALMON AND LEEK TART
This month’s recipe comes from Annette Marshall
INGREDIENTS:
2 cooked salmon fillets
100g salted butter
2 leeks cleaned and sliced using the green tops too
2 garlic cloves crushed
Fresh sprig of thyme leaves (or dried thyme 1 tsp)
6 large eggs
3 tbsps. full fat crème fraiche
100g Hard cheese such as cheddar or Comté
Parmesan cheese to sprinkle
Seasoning
Small roasting dish lined with baking parchment
METHOD:
1. Melt butter in shallow pan and soften the leeks until they are translucent, add the garlic and thyme and seasoning
2. In a bowl lightly whisk the eggs and crème fraiche, and then add the hard cheese
3. Flake in the salmon to the egg mixture and add the buttery leeks
4. Place the eggs and flaked salmon into the roasting tin and scatter over the parmesan
5. Cook at 180 degrees for 3 minutes or until the parmesan is browned.
6. Serve with a crisp green salad, asparagus or broccoli.
This dish works well warm with broccoli or green beans, or taken cold for a summer picnic with asparagus and mayonnaise.
DORDOGNE LADIES BOOK CLUB
THE CAT WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD
by Deric Longden
excerpt by Pat Godaillier
This is an hilarious account of the life of small cat and two British writers (Deric Longden and his wife, Aileen who’s almost blind) who adopted him (or, rather, get adopted by him) from their unsuspecting next-door neighbour.
Having a cat myself I really enjoyed this book which was a light, easy read with lots of lovely anecdotes. I especially liked the charm of Longden’s story and the observations of feline and human nature which he told in a really fun way.
“The little cat Deric Longden saw sitting forlornly on an upturned bucket belonged to the neighbours, but somehow when it began to rain it seemed only natural to bring him inside. Once there he slipped so easily into Deric and Aileen’s lives that there was an unspoken agreement that he had found his real home. Little did he know that he had entered the Longden world, in which the unexpected (almost) always happens. . . Aileen being Aileen, it was probably inevitable that sooner or later the kitten would be trapped in the refrigerator. And Deric being Deric, the obvious way to thaw him back to life was to make a little coat for him out of a shrunken thermal vest. Thus the cat who came in from the cold got his name - Thermal - and joined the wonderful cast of characters in the ongoing Longden saga.”
Best wishes and take care
Kathy John Organiser Bergerac Book Club
Lin Green Organiser Sainte Foy Book Club
JUST FOR FUN
MEMBERS EVENTS
Our very talented member Marie-Martine Bollmann is pleased to announce that she is giving a joint piano recital in aid of the restoration of the monastère de Sarrance on 15 September. Here is a link to one of her previous performances https://youtu.be/kb3J9wzRI8w?si=Wx5FivaBXalZRywe
Details of the Recital are shown below:
PHOENIX BOOK FAIR
Saturday 5th October
Please note - Card machines will now be available for payment.
MEMBERS PHOTOS
PETS CORNER
Some more great photos sent in by Ellie Downer
Here are a couple more photos, can't let you have any of the dogs in the pool - they don't like the water ! They are happiest lying under the fans in the coolest of our rooms, but they do sunbathe as the sun goes down! They are very sensible !
'Whippets really do like cats '!!
Also another pic of our cat's kibble bowl - he caches his toys on top of the kibble and rearranges them every day !! He is a Birman named Chouchou ! He is very artistic !
PHOTO REQUEST
We would love to include more of your photos including those for Pets Corner in the next Newsletter. Simply email me at DLCIMagazine@gmail.com (no later than 25th of the month) with the photo and where it is. They will be published in the next months newsletter
LASTLY
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
PLEASE NOTE
Centralised email addresses have been created for DLCI committee members which will automatically forward any emails to the appropriate person in charge.
WELFARE
If you have an accident and need help with transport, errands or some company during convalescence or if you know of another member who is unwell, has a bereavement or you think is going through a difficult patch. We will do all we can to provide support and we will be totally discreet. Please contact Sue at: DLCIWelfare@gmail.com
EMAIL UPDATES, CHANGE OF ADDRESS, NAME/TEL NO.
If any members have changed their email, address or telephone number could they please let Vyvyan know at: DLCIMembers@gmail.com
DLCI COMMITTEE 2024
Please refer to the Contacts page
Information and communications contained in this newsletter are accepted by the Committee in good faith. The DLCI cannot be held responsible for complaints arising from them.
All contributions to the newsletter should be sent to Lin Green at DLCIMagazine@gmail.com by the 25th of each month and we hope to have a new monthly issue to you on the 1st of every month to allow you time to plan your calendar.
A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS NEWSLETTER.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO CURRENT DATA PROTECTION LAWS THIS DOCUMENT MUST NOT BE SHARED
WITH ANYONE WHO IS NOT A CURRENT DLCI MEMBER