Canal Boat — November 2017

canalboat.co.uk Canal Boat November 2017 83

W

hat lifts your
spirits more
than hearing a
blackbird
singing from its high perch in
the trees, or seeing a robin
picking around under a
hedge to find some grubs for
its chicks?
Sunrises and sunsets,
mackerel skies and vanishing
harvest moons that make you
want to reach for the camera:
these are just some of the most
uplifting aspects of life afloat.
Floating along the network
of canals and rivers gives us
a unique view of our
industrial heritage and a
chance to appreciate nature
in all its varied surroundings.
In Stourport we ventured into

an old canalside cemetery

adjacent to the towpath

beyond the Lidl store. The

birds were singing,

butterflies alighted on the

wild flowers and on every

few steps there were the

sights and sounds of a

thriving population of

beasties.

Ivy intertwined over the

time-worn headstones and

ox-eye daisies intermingled

with foxgloves humming

with busy bees make it

such a beautiful place;

calm and serene.

Of course when most of

these graves were placed,

Stourport was a thriving,

busy, noisy place with men

and women bustling about

their daily toil. Manufacturing

chimneys pumped out black

smoke, the inland port was a

thriving and important hub in

the movement of goods.

Ships came in with raw

materials and left with

goods from the region for

destinations around the

country and even the world

• all via the canal network
  and the River Severn.
  How different is Stourport
  today. The thankfully largely
  intact port is a leisure spot
  for boaters and holiday
  makers alike. Elsewhere in a
  slow but sure process of
  redevelopment old industrial
  works become small thriving
  housing estates, new shops
  have arrived in the High

Street and even the old

boater’s pub by the towpath,

once run down and sorry for

its self is now refurbished,

traditionally painted, busy

and an enjoyable place to sit

and have a pie and a pint.

After a long day

retreading the towpath and

a walk to Bewdley along the

banks of the Severn, it was

time for a very quick supper

and there’s not much that’s

quicker than my

Mediterranean pastry. I

doubt that any of the exotic

perishable items in this

recipe came into Stourport

in those earlier times but

thankfully a walk to the

supermarket will supply just

what we need for this meal.

After a blissful day out, who wants to spend their evening in front of a hot stove?

A deliciously quick bite

Vicky Blick COOKING :BACK CABIN

Ingredients 

1 block of defrosted puff pastry

1 red pepper

1 aubergine

1 small pack of goats cheese

Small red onion

A few sprigs of basil leaves.

Tub of hummus

2 garlic cloves

MEDITERRANEAN PASTRY

METHOD

Turn the oven onto gas mark 6. Prepare two cloves of garlic and

fry along with some chunks of red pepper. Wash the skin of the

aubergine and cut it longways into four equal slices. Place them

into the frying pan and cook until each side of the aubergine is

golden brown.

Cut the block of pastry in half and roll each pice into an oblong

around 12in x 9in and then cut each of these in half, thus making four

equal pieces. Place onto a large baking tray or roasting tin. Using a

small knife and a ruler, make a cut around 1/4 in from the edge of

each piece of pastry but do not cut all the way through. This will

enable the edge of the pastry to rise above the middle during cooking.

Spread each piece of pastry with a layer of hummus but don’t

let it go outside the cut line. Place a slice of aubergine

neatly within the cut line onto each hummus coated

slice and arrange the pepper in the same way along

with the garlic and the juices from the frying pan.

Slice a small red onion into quarters and place

pieces of onion onto each pastry. Add a few thin

slices of goats cheese to each pastry and place

your tray onto the top shelf of the oven. Cook for

30 minutes until the pastry is golden and crispy.

Prepare a colourful crispy salad as a side dish.