This is an exciting week for me. Hakaru Pony Club, of which I was a founding member at the age of 11 (and yes, that was quite a long time ago), is having a celebratory reunion.
I have so many great memories of those carefree days when lifelong friendships were formed around our love of horses and the great outdoors.
I look back now on the amazing commitment all the parents showed to get the children to pony club and events around the countryside most weekends, come rain or shine.
Dad would drive us with the horses in the horse truck and mum would follow later with unforgettable picnic lunches which we would jump on, ravenous after a morning’s riding.
The families would all sit together, relaxing in the shade of the trees to eat great food washed down with juice or cups of tea hot out of the Thermos. Mum put so much thought into our picnics there’d be home-made bread rolls and hot soup on cold days, bacon and egg pie, cakes and biscuits.
This sausage pie was an all-time favourite. Mum used the sausages from the farm that were 100 per cent meat, so ensuring a tasty, dense pie. I suggest you buy good quality sausages and remove the skin, it’s well worth the effort.
Mum would wrap the pie, straight out of the oven, in tinfoil and then a tea towel to transport it, so it was still warm and smelling delicious at lunchtime. She would also bring tomato sauce to serve on the side.
We had home-made bread rolls for our hot dogs but if that’s not on your agenda, buy bread slices and fill them with your favourites. On a picnic, it’s probably easier to keep the fillings simple with the sausage and some sauce. Again, wrap the sausages up to keep them warm.
This marshmallow slice was made by our grandparents and was always popular with the children. White and pink (depending on how much colouring was added), we loved the texture and sweetness.
I love how food and memories are so intertwined.
Recipes:
• Sausage Pie
