Fondue... it's the future!

Fondue... it's the future! 

Last Friday, I played host to a TV crew from the BBC who came to my house to film for the One Show, which is broadcast every weekday night after the news on BBC1. 

Their Scottish presenter Hardeep Singh Kohli, also came along to front the programme. 

The production company approached me after I appeared on the Sunday Life programme a couple of months ago, as I’d enjoyed it so much and offered to get involved in any future productions the were doing in the area. 

This time, it was for a feature on retro foods, and they wanted me to host a fondue party for my friends. 

I have to admit never having been to such a party or had fondue myself before. I know it’s still popular in European skiing resorts but I haven’t ventured onto the slopes yet so I’m a fondue virgin. 

I agreed to be the host as long as I wasn’t being relied upon to do the cooking too. I’m much more comfortable telling jokes in the dining room to keep guests entertained than donning my pinny in the kitchen. 

I invited 4 friends around including Sylvia from Leeds City Council and Sarah from Lightmedia who’s company provide those giant tv screens used at outdoor events, plus my Mum, Sister and Michael’s Mum Val. They were all really nervous about being filmed - it’s one thing to be on TV but another to be filmed with hot cheese dribbling down your chin! 

Hardeep was lovely, putting everyone at ease and he’s got a great sense of humour. My Mum was on top form too as she loves to tell stories, and recounted how years ago when she worked on the cheese counter at Schofields in Leeds she put on 3 stone in 2 years from nibbling cheese all day! 

It was a lovely intimate gathering, everyone had great fun. They let me keep the fondue set too so I’m trying to get a fondue revival going and bring it back in vogue. 

Anything the Europeans can do….. 


Rain stops play……twice! 

I’m definitely joining in with the moaning about the weather at the moment. It has spoilt my plans for the last 2 weekends, and not only that worthy causes have lost out on thousands of pounds of fundraising as a result. 

Firstly, Michael and I were attending Blackshaw Head village fete near Hebden Bridge and had organised various events including a tug of war contest where we each had a team. 

We also spent most of last week baking buns and cakes for Michael’s cake stall at the fete Our friends Gillian and Shirley were doing most of the baking to be honest but we were doing lots of sampling for them! 

Two days before, the organisers took the reluctant decision to cancel the event as the field was waterlogged so we had to do a quick rethink. 

We couldn’t possibly eat all the lovely cakes and buns between us, especially as we are both still on healthy eating campaigns. We phoned the Piece Hall market in Halifax who very kindly agreed to let us have a stall for the day. 

I went into the loft and got together boxes of nic nacs that I don’t use any more and took them along to sell too. 

The cakes went down a treat and the money we raised will go towards Stainland Community Centre’s roof fund - they’ll need the money more urgently now with this rain! 

My second disappointment was the cancellation of the RSPCA’s K9 Dog show which Michael and I were due to judge yesterday. 

We were also entering our own dogs into the competition, and were taking lots of family and friends with us to the event so it was a real shame. 

The organisers had worked so hard to put everything together, it must be soul destroying to see that going to waste, and also the missed opportunity to raise around £5,000. 

They were so worried about people slipping, and the cost of repairing damage to the park due to the mud etc. that they were forced to cancel. 

I’m lucky that I spent a few days in Morocco last week which was incredibly hot but I’m tempted to get back on a plane to escape this misery. 

At least we don’t have hurricanes in Britain…..yet.