WHO knows that the Queen is partial to a jam sandwich?

Those who attended the group meeting do; a special little sandwich on white bread with damson jam and cut to the size of an old penny.

They are served with cucumber sandwiches on brown bread cut to the same size.

Speaker for the meeting was Colin Alderson who was a royal pastry chef for five years.

He was fortunate enough to get a position in the Palace kitchens for a trial period of three months and his first job was boiling cabbage. He soon became a full member of the staff, cooking at all their residences.

He shared that the Queen enjoys chocolate gateau on her birthday in April and has curry once a fortnight.

Colin has cooked on the Royal Yacht and provided picnic lunches for shooting parties and Royal Ascot. He lives in Harrogate now and volunteers as a chef three days a week at a local hospice.

It was a fascinating evening enjoyed by all the visitors from the Mercia, Knutsford and Cloud groups including two members from the Cheshire Executive Committee.

Helen Pearce of Goostrey gave the vote of thanks.

The audience included an unusual guest, a guide dog in training, learning how to behave in an atmosphere of great activity; it passed with flying colours.

Smallwood were the hostess institute; table flowers by Marton and raffle by Astbury. Swettenham provided lovely cakes and scones that were well up to Royal standards.

The winners of the competition “A piece of Royal Memorabilia” were chosen by Colin: 1. Goostrey; 2. Marton; 3. Lower Withington.

The next group meeting is on October 23 at Lower Withington Village Hall with speaker Jean Martyn, a Britain’s Got Talent finalist in 2011.

Margaret Cowap