Summer in Tintagel by Amanda James

 

"Everything she had ever known to be true was being pushed to the limit. Surety in the scientific and rational explanation was diminishing, shifting out of focus like the edges of a sepia photograph. She wanted to scream but instead out of her mouth came, "I can't begin to understand how this all works, I-".

Summer in Tintagel by Amanda James is a modern-day romance with a paranormal twist, set in Cornwall. 

Rosa Fernley is a travel journalist. Her assignments take her to often far-flung places, and she finds her job exciting and fulfilling. 

Visiting her dying grandmother Jocelyn, Rosa is burdened with a tragic secret from the distant past. She listens in disbelief to the story of what has happened in August 1968, when her grandmother had a short-lived affair in Cornwall. There was no happy ending. Jocelyn had a young daughter who she couldn't abandon to the care of her abusive husband. Jocelyn thinks of those six days in Tintagel as the best days of her life, and tells Rosa that she had never been so happy before or since. 

Jocelyn confides in Rosa that she had a dream of her lover Jory the night before and he told her they would be reunited, and that she needs to tell her granddaughter to visit the castle. Rosa is dubious about the task, thinking it doesn't make any sense, and that her grandmother is clearly under the influence of her medication. She begs and begs, and reluctantly, Rosa agrees to travel to Tintagel, as this could well be the very last request from her beloved grandmother.

When she arrives to Cornwall, she embraces the spirit of adventure. "She began to feel for the first time that she was no longer chasing after Jocelyn's wild goose, but was here for an important reason. That reason was as yet unknown, but Rosa had the unshakeable notion that it wouldn't be too long before she discovered what it was".

While on a mission to discover her grandmother's lost love, she manages to antagonise quite a few locals. She appears rude, whether it's due to her nerves, or the feeling of superiority towards the villagers, for example, she tells the waiter in the pub that "people come here with all sorts of twaddle in their heads, don't they?" and claims the locals just "fool the gullible city folk".

On her first evening in Tintagel she has a strange encounter which she cannot explain rationally. And then another one the next day. Is it her imagination playing up?

Rosa meets a handsome local guide Talan, who bears a distinctive resemblance to Jory. He is as unpredictable as the Cornish weather, and as mysterious.

"Into her hitherto normal and carefully planned life had come the spirit world, legends, unfathomable messages from a dead man, sightings of the aforementioned dead man, no idea about what was going to happen next, and of course the incredibly lovely Talan. Ah yes, the incredibly lovely Talan... the look-alike of the dead man".

Will Rosa be able to accept that life is not always explained in rational terms, and help her grandmother to come to terms with her past? Will Tintagel work its magic on her?

Rosa has to confront her own hidden secrets, buried deep inside her childhood memories and psyche. It's hard for her, as she's been brought up to be a rational human being, who finds a scientific explanation to everything.

She also has to work on her manners, as she is a bit of a social disaster.

Even during her fist date with Talan, she sends contradictory messages. She is described a few times as having two personalities: one shy, another over-confident who "flirts outrageously". 

For having the sixth sense, Rosa is pretty clueless at reading other people's reactions and moods. She appears to be a very naive 28-year-old, who enjoys cracking juvenile jokes which are not funny at all.

It's difficult to relate to her.

Talan can also be incredibly rude. He makes a wrong judgment, based on the previous tragic events related to someone he deeply cares about, but his rudeness has no excuses.

There are so many misunderstandings and misinterpretations, it's almost a "comedy of errors". And the romantic story is rather predictable.

The sex scene made me laugh, because it was so cheesy. "He had taken her to the most wonderful places already that morning. Places she'd never dreamed of". 

The Cornish setting was the most attractive element of the novel for me. I bought the book, based on the title and melancholy image of the rugged coastline. And atmospheric descriptions of Tintagel didn't fail.

Amanda James does a stellar job, describing the coastal village, the castle and church, as the land steeped in mystery. I could see in my mind the route the main character was taking, going down the sheer path towards the castle. The rendition of the unpredictable Cornish weather rings true as well.

We visited Tintagel a year ago, when we stayed in Cornwall. We didn't go all the way up to see the ruins of the castle, as it was a spontaneous visit, and you have to book everything in advance these days.

We saw that bridge from below, and I was glad I didn't have to walk across it, just the sight of it gave me palpitations.

Summer in Tintagel will remind you why Cornwall is so special. You will want to pack your bags and book the train ticket. A quirky and certainly unusual story and a great sense of place. 

Photo diary: week 34, project 365

 

I have abandoned my Project 365 some time ago in May, as life has been pretty hectic and I was considering shutting up the blog for good, but I did miss the camaraderie of the group, and hope to re-join it with this catch-up. 

Summer was super busy and stressful at times. There was just too much going on. 

Sash is starting a new college in September, and I'm anxious how he will adjust to a new place. He will be starting slowly, with two three-hour-long sessions each week, gradually building on the hours and days. Not the best of options for me, as it means I'd hardly have any time for myself, and also won't be able to help Eddie to get to school and back. He believes I shouldn't even accompany him to school, but it's a long distance to walk, crossing busy roads, and I will be worried about it. 

Last week we finished buying his uniform and school shoes. As it's a secondaty school with its own style of uniform, we had to order online via the link the school provided, like some blinking Hogwarts. It cost over £200. A total racket, if you ask me.

And we're still waiting for Sasha's transport to college to be sorted out. 

The highlight of our summer was a week in Cornwall, and it was almost idyllic (see my post A week of joy: our Cornish holidays).

My DH is away this week, gallivanting in Italy. He's a grown up, of course, and has been double-vaxxed, so if he wants to take risks, it's his business. But it was not a necessary trip, rather a self-indulgence, and the timing is pretty awful.

I don't dare to go out in town on my own with the boys. Sash doesn't like to deviate from his familiar pattern, and gets upset, if things are different. When the previous week Eddie had his summer school, and I have accompanied Sash and his father to the cafe, he didn't appreciate me staying with them, as this is not how things are done, according to him. And to be honest, he is so fast, that I have to semi-run to catch up with his long stride. 

Last Sunday we did our outing into town, visiting the cafe for a quick bite and coffee and doing groceries (I know, my social life is super exciting). 

And from Monday onwards we're staying at home. We do manage to have different activities, like reading, gaming, watching TV, baking and playing in the garden. It's just we don't leave the front door. Hence all the photos from the last week are of our garden and indoors.

I've been taking snaps of the foods from the last Degustabox, including these cute little cinnamon pastries from Gifflar. I first discovered them last year, when I was looking at Tesco groceries for gluten free products. Our friend who took us to Cornwall in his mini van is a coeliac. Since then I also bought Gifflar pastries made with wheat (not gluten free). Obviously, nothing can beat the taste of freshly baked cinnamon pastries, but these little bites are pretty good, especially with coffee or tea. My boys enjoy them.

These are the tomatoes which I have been growing from seeds, collected last year. I had a delivery from The Tomato Stall last summer, and these stripy green tomatoes were amazing, sweet and juicy. I saved some seeds, and have planted them this year. They are growing ever so slowly, and are not ripe yet. I should have probably started to propagate them earlier in the spring.

Hollyhocks which my Mum planted over four years ago, are very tall this year, taller than me. They are not the prized botanical specimens, but I love them, because it's like a Hello from my Mum, every time I pop in the garden. I haven't seen her for two years, and I do miss her.

On the plus side, staying at home gives me more time to read. One of the books I've just finished is Secrets of the Railway Girls by Maisie Thomas (2nd book in the series. You might have even read my book review of The Railway Girls earlier this year). Set in Manchester during the WWII, it portrays the lives of women from different backgrounds and social standing, who were brought together by their desire to help the war effort and keep the railway network functioning. I'm going to do a proper review of this book, and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I was looking for some paperwork I need, and came across some of my old watercolours which my Mum brought with her the last time she was able to travel here. This is an old watercolour I did either in my late teens or early 20s. 

I was an incorrigible romantic. When my friends were busy chasing boys, I was absorbed in my studies, books and painting.

OK, there was a boy I was very much attracted to. He was so handsome, and kind too, but he was not interested in me romantically. Years later I knew he got married, and had several kids, but we lost touch completely. I tried to find him online to say Hi and tell him about my family, but my search didn't return any result. It didn't help that his name is very common in Russia.

This summer I had a dream about him, where we met and I told him about my boys. It was a very vivid dream. I woke up, and decided to search his name again. Bizarelly, I found an article written by his wife, where she says he was killed in a car accident seven years ago. All these years he's been dead, and I didn't know it. And now this particular article appeared in the search, when I failed to find it before. I felt very sad. I told my Mum, and we both cried over the phone. 

It's three weeks since we came back from Cornwall, and I feel like having withdrawl symtoms, I miss it. I don't know why Cornwall means so much to me. I never visited it as a child, in fact I never even travelled to the UK or anywhere abroad as a child. Yes, I read and loved myths and legends of King Arthur, but surely that's not the reason which draws me to Cornwall. It's as if I lived there in my previous life, I feel so at home there. 

We started watching Marvel films again with Eddie. We also follow What If? on Disney +, which is quite entertaining. The last episode was good.

After cooking lunch for my boys, I decided I want cheese and crackers. Abel and Cole introduced a Monthly Cheese Club, and it's a beautiful selection this month. A perfect lunch.

And how was your week?

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The Summoner's Sins (Sandal Castle medieval thriller #2) by Keith Moray

 

"...the Earl of Lancaster was executed as a traitor... he was far from being a saint... And ever since then we have been plagued by pilgrims, literally hundreds of them. They come every day to visit his execution site, what they call his place of martyrdom, and then they go to visit his tomb, which they call a shrine. The monks erected a big cross on the execution ground and it attracts pilgrims like oths to a flame"

"Everywhere in England is dangerous these days..."

The reign of Edward II was a turbulent and violent, politically charged and generally considered disastrous period of history. It was marked by conflict with the powerful barons and reliance on the greedy favourites. 

The Summoner's Sins (Sandal Castle medieval thriller #2) by Keith Moray is a medieval mystery set in Yorkshire in 1323. It's a heady mix of high treason, nauseating torture and executions, necromancy and curses galore - all these elements make a disturbingly good read.

A year earlier Thomas, the Earl of Lancaster is beheaded. Before he is executed, he curses the King and those who betrayed him, including Andrew Harclay whom he knighted back in 1303. "You knave! You traitor! I curse you to eternity and the fires of hell. You, miserable dog, Andrew Harclay will die a traitor's death within one year, as the Lord is my witness".

"...it had been mere days after Lancaster's death that miracles were reported in his name, and he was not only declared a martyr, but a saintly one. Such was the perfidious nature of the people that even those who harangued Thomas of Lancaster at his death turned to praise and exalt him but days after".

Harclay's star appeares to be on the rise, as the King has appointed him the Earl of Carlisle as a reward for winning the battle and bringing Lancaster to his end. "As a commoner who had become a knight and had then been elevated to the nobility and given the task of guarding his section of the Scottish borders above Carlisle, it seemed his star could not fail to rise." 

But the King's moods are fickle; a year after the Lancaster's death, Harclay's good fortune comes to an end and he is executed as traitor to the crown. With his final breath, he also cries out a curse, "I, Andrew Harclay... curse the King... curse his man lover Hugh le Despenser... I curse Lancaster, the traitor... and all his evil... I curse every person with a hand in this, my murder... and any who defile my body when I'm gone".

"The talk of the two curses passed from mouth to mouth in the markets, taverns and churches within the city. The curse of the saintly Thomas of Lncaster was said to have been proven when Andrew Harclay was executed".

When shortly the royal executioner Perkin Cratwell is found dead in Pontefract, the rumours allude his demise to the curse. "Within weeks, talk of the two curses spread far and wide across the country to reach every commoner, lord and lady, passing ever upwards until it reached the Royal Court".

The King is deeply troubled when he hears this, and sends Sir Richard Lee, Circuit Judge of the Northern Realm to investigate the death and prove that it is the rebels' actions rather than the curse which have caused the executioner's death.

More gruesome deaths follow. Is Harclay's curse working its lethal magic? Sir Richard suspects that all the deaths are connected and have a more down-to-earth explanation. He is searching for the missing link, helped by his loyal sidekick Hubert. But if he doesn't tread carefully, he might come to the similar grisly end.

Moray revels in the gory details. His recreation of the offensive sights and smells is impressive, he truly bring the early 14th C to life.

The Summoner's Sins is a suspenseful. unforgettable addition to the medieval mystery series. A vivid and haunting tale of dark and perilous times.

Potential triggers: graphic violence, torture, murder, discrimination and social prejudice against people with leprosy.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Keith Moray and Sapere Books for my e-copy of the book!

The Tenth Gift by Jane Johnson

 

"I put the book aside, astonished. I don't know what I had been expecting other than notes on the patterns that the book contained, thoughts about the colours of thread and the type of stitch one might use to execute the design, but this sudden window into the past was like a glimpse of treasure".

How many times in the past years did I say that when we travel to Cornwall, I take a couple of paperbacks with me, set in Cornwall?! I lost count. But I've continued with this tradition this summer as well. I was over-optimistic, thinking I'd have time to read two books. As it happened, I only started reading one of them, but managed to take some in-situ photos with the second book.

This holiday was so eventful, we managed to do a lot of activities, as there were six of us, and I just didn't have much opportunity to read. By the time my head hit the pillow, I could only manage a few pages.

The Tenth Gift by Jane Johnson was one of the lucky finds in The Works. I didn't even need to read the blurb to buy it. Seeing St Michael's Mount on the cover was enough to make me want to read it.

It is a historical romance, told in a dualtime setting.

We encounter Julia Lovat due to meet her lover in a fancy London restaurant. Michael arrives late and drops a bombshell into their conversation. His wife and he are going to give their marriage another go, a fresh start, and he cannot see Julia any more. 

As a parting gift, he gives Julia an antique book. "It was a book. An antique book, with a cover of buttery-brown calfskin, simple decorative blind lines on the boards and four raised, rounded ridges at even intervals along the spine... Inside, the title page was foxed and faded. The Needle-Woman's Glorie, it read in bold characters..."

Julia is devastated to be dumped. But don't hurry to pity her. Julia knows perfectly well about Michael's wife Anna, in fact, she has been one of her best friends for many years.

"I was angry with him; furious in fact, before admitting to myself that I had to take at least as much of the blame for the situation. Anna was, after all, my friend. I had felt ashamed of the affair, my betrayal of our friendship, from the start. But shame is an uncomfortable emotion, one we don't much like to confront". Feeling ashamed doesn't stop Julia from conducting an affair for seven (!!) years, finding excuses for her own abysmal behaviour. Michael is a total cad, and has no redeeming qualities. 

Not only he's an incorrigible cheat, Michael is quite unpleasant overall, and when he realises he gave his ex-lover a wrong gift, he pursues her mercilessly to obtain it back. There were two copies of the Jacobean embroidery in his possession, one of them turns out to be a diary of a young Cornish girl. 

Julia begins to transcribe the writings from the 17C and unravels the mystery behind the antique book, at the same time trying to sort out her love life.

The story of Cat Tregenna is fascinating. A servant in the affluent Cornish manor house, she is a talented and ambitious embroiderer. Her duties are non-taxing, and the lady of the house favours her. She dreams of creating her own patterns and designs and becoming a master embroiderer (only men could aspire to achieve that in the 17C). 

Julia is engrossed in Cat's story. "...for all the difference between our times, I felt a strong connection with Catherine Anne Tregenna; and not just for our shared love of embroidery. I too had grown up in Cornwall and, like her, had dreamed of escape".

Having being found in a compromising situation, Cat is ordered by her masters to marry her cousin Robert Bolitho. Robert is quite  a catch, according to the local maids. He's handsome and loyal, and loves Cat, but she finds him boring and dreads her future, trapped forever at Kenegy and wed to her dull cousin, "living in a hovel behind the cow-sheds, large with childe year after year, rasyng a pack of brattes & dying in obscuritee".

Then one fateful Sunday, Cat happens to be at the church service, when the Barbary pirates raid Mount's Bay and capture 60 men, women and children, and take them into slavery. The trip and treatment of prisoners is horrific. The conditions on board the ship are atrocious. When Cat's called up to be separated from her fellow captives, her skills as a needlewoman get tested in the most stressful circumstances.

On arrival to Salé, Cat is sold into slavery, without knowing the identity of her master.

When Cat's story stops abruptly, Julia is intent to travel to Mororcco to try to trace her fate. There she meets a mysterious tour guide Idriss who helps her unravel the story and discover herself.

Quite often with the dual timeline stories, the modern-day plotline is just a vessel designed to introduce and enhance the historical part of the book. This is the interweaving tale of two women from different historical periods and backgrounds.

Utterly absorbing and deeply researched, The Tenth Gift captures the horrors of human trafficking and slavery. "According to various sources over a million Europeans had been abducted and enslaved by North African pirates between the early sixteenth and late eighteenth centuries. A fraction of the estimated twelve million Africans taken and sold into slavery in the Americas, but still a hugely significant number." 

[Slavery is an abomination, whatever race or nationality loses freedom. Not many people wish to know of the Istanbul's slave imports from the Black sea region, which may have totalled around two and a half million from mid-15C to 18C. But even as late as 1908 female slaves were sold in the Ottoman Empire. But I digress...]

There is a big East meets West element in the storylines of both women: a cultural misundertsanding, shock, slow immersion and acception.

I didn't warm up to the main protagonist of the modern-day plot. Julia is self-centered and self-absorbed. She also appears uneducated. Going abroad with her own pre-conceptions and ideas is super arrogant (when, for example, she is offended that she cannot visit the mosque, or when she compares her guide to the guard dog, totally disregarding the cultural sensitivities). 

The Tenth Gift is an original, sizzling and page-turning story, which had me hooked from the start.

I was reading this book, staying in a small village outside Penzance. On our regular walks along the coast we looked upon St Michael's Mount from different angles. 

I loved the descriptions of this place through the book. "Through the trees she had a clear view of St Michael's Mount, rising like a legendary Avalon out of the still sea, the close waters of the bay gleaming turquoise as the sun struck through to the pale sands beneath". The Cornish setting is very atmospheric, with its misty and rugged coastline.

Of course, I couldn't resist having a photo taken - when the view matches the book cover.

SPOLER ALERT!!!

If you haven't read the book and plan to, please skip this bit. If you have read it, I would like to know if you agree with me.

The controversial character of the corsair as a romantic lead didn't work for me. 

As much as I admire Cat's stamina and her assimilation within the Muslim culture, I don't quite comprehend how she could forgive everything that's been done to her and her fellow captives, knowing how tragic their lives were in slavery. She seems happy to forgive and forget, not interested in what's happened to her mother etc. Her obsession with the ruthless pirate Al-Andalusi could be only explained as Stockholm syndrome.

Going back to Julia. While I can see how Anna decides to forgive her cheating husband and make a fresh start (many women do, for different reasons), her exonerating Julia's behaviour is stretching the credulity. You just don't excuse your best friend's seven-years-old affair with your husband. Well, unless you're a saint.

A week of joy: our Cornish holidays

 

Decades ago, when I was a child, I loved reading books about King Arthur and Merlin. Cornwall appeared to me such an exotic faraway place. I couldn't even imagine then that years later I would be visiting and re-visiting this magic land again and again.

Just a couple of weeks ago I read a weekly column by Caitlyn Moran, who is generally acknowledged to be a great wit, where she dismisses holidays in Cornwall as "the contractual obligation of the British middle classes in summer". How sniffy and presumptious! 

I really don't care much about the middle class's ambitions and expectations. Cornwall is the place we've been visiting for the last twenty five years in all seasons, and I never get bored of it. It's the highlight of my summer, if not the whole year.

Having a family member with autism who thrives on routine and familiar places and patterns, we tend to stay in the same place for his sake. A few years ago we were too late to book a week in "our" cottage, which Sasha loves so much. Lesson learnt, he didn't enjoy staying somewhere else, and now we book our holidays over a year in advance. 

Last year it was touch and go, as we didn't know until the last moment whether the lockdown would be lifted for us to travel. This summer I also worried that something would go wrong. 

If you have a peek inside our house, we have photos and pictures of Cornwall in almost every single room (bar toilets). And it's no wonder: you want to surround yourselves with things which remind you of happy times.

The trip itself is always long and tiring, but my heart lifts up when I see the wind turbines. It's a sign that we're getting closer to our destination.

We stopped by at Tanya's (Bodmin) for a coffee takeaway, and it turned out to be an unforgettable experience. The rudeness of the lady behind the counter was epic. Since then I read reviews on TripAdvisor, and laughed aloud. We were also greeted with "What do you want?"

The cakes were displayed behind the "family-friendly" sign. Service with a snarl and suboptimal coffee guaranteed that we won't be returning to Tanya's ever again. 

We arrived at our cottage in Perranuthnoe just after 6pm. The sea view from our bedroom always gladdens my heart.

Whatever the weather, we rush to the beach as soon as we have had taken all our luggage in and had a quick cuppa. The first sight of the sea makes me beam from ear to ear and want to jump with joy like a 5-year-old. The salty air, the breeze, the sound of the waves restore my energy, and my tiredness dissolves.

We were lucky with the weather. The forecast was pretty gloomy, it was supposed to rain most of the week, but it turned out to be much much better. It only rained one day, and though it was never hot, it was lovely. The boys spent most of the time on the beach, surfing and digging themselves into the sand. Our group was bigger this time, and Eddie had a companion of his age to share all the crazy antics.

Our friend J has a great sense of humour, and is so good with camera. He was forever snapping us, like our personal paparazzi. We were larking around a lot, like kids.

Eddie had a blast with his surfing board, getting soaked through and through in the cold water. I only dared to dip my feet and didn't fancy to go in the deep.

In the evenings we often walk to the other side of the village, along the coast towards Marazion and St Michael's Mount. We call it the rocky beach, but I'm sure it has an official name. On the way there we often stop by someone's villa with an old cannon looking at the sea. 

We actually visited St Michael's Mount this year. I booked our trip online several weeks in advance. We were lucky to have a chance to walk on the causeway early in the morning towards the castle. On the way back, the tide was coming in and we travelled by boat.

Since we were booked to arrive at a specific time, I thought that would mean there would be fewer people in the castle at a given time. It was packed full. So much for social distancing. You could hardly move around some rooms without bumping into the other people. The rooms are pretty small as they are.

We visited St Michael's before, around twelve years ago, and it was as busy then, but naively I expected a more organised influx of visitors this time.

We still enjoyed climbing up the hill, looking around from above, and admiring the interior and art collection.

I just love the library at St Michael's with this cosy reading nook.

I have hundreds of photos from our trip, and looking at them makes me feel happy and a little bit nostalgic. I wish we lived closer and could visit Cornwall more often.

I've been reading in the papers and social media that the Cornish are fed up with the tourists and appear as surly and inhospitable. We didn't feel unwelcome at all (apart from Tanya's, who probably had a bad day). The Tesco driver who brought our grocery order was very polite, asked where we came from and wished us a good week.

The Cornish food company, where we also placed a food order, were an absolute delight to communicate with. The food arrived when we were still travelling to the cottage. 

Everyone in the hospitality business, was polite and professional, and what more can you ask?! 

On the way back we stopped for a quick bite in Marazion. 

If you happen to visit Marazion, do stop by the Ruby's ice cream shop. I tried a Cornish cream tea flavour, made with clotted cream, strawberries and pieces of scones, and it was a pure delight.

A trip to Penzance is a must, when you stay in this part of Cornwall. Sadly, the Admiral Benbow pub where we usually go for lunch, was closed on that day, so instead we had a meal in the cafe On the Bay, looking at the harbour. 

There were six of us with different diet and food preferences, but they catered to all our tastes: we had a gluten free meal, two vegetarian, one pescatarian and two meat-eaters. The food was fresh and tasty. And the views across the bay towards St Michael's are scenic.

The beach in Perranuthnoe is amazingly clean. Walking around, we didn't see any discarded rubbish. Many people had picnics and BBQs on the beach, but they clearly took all the rubbish with them.

One evening, as we arrived for a stroll and splash, there was a big company on the beach, with a tent and a table next to the BBQ. They had a big spread on the table with all the condiments. I chuckled appreciatively at how organised they were. 

It's not just the kids who enjoyed splashing around, the big guys were in the water as well.

When it was getting too teeth-chatteringly cold in the sea, the boys would dig themsleves in the sand to warm up.

Sash was in his element. He loves the sea, and always has had, since he was a little child and we first stayed by the sea in Italy. He jumps in the waves, flapping his arms, and doesn't care if anyone is watching. 

Years ago we used to go on horse-riding holidays in Cornwall. We stayed in the B&B in St Hilary's. The family has sold the B&B since then, but they still own the stables. The last time we've seen them was when I was pregnant with Eddie. 

We passed by the stables in the car and called them to ask if we could visit the horses. I didn't expect they would be able to offer us a slot, as it was really an impromptu call, but they were happy to offer us a slot in the morning.

The place is called Churchtown Morgans.

When I say that Sasha was ecstatic, I do not exaggerate. He was so happy to ride. And the horses are marvellous, they don't mind that he was agitated when he arrived at the stables and was jumping with joy at the sight of them. They must sense how happy he is next to them. 

It was Eddie's first time riding a horse, and he enjoyed every minute of it. He asked if we could do it again next time we go to Cornwall. I should hope so.

The summer is almost over, and the week in Cornwall will be forever etched in our memories as the week of joy and happiness.

Summer & Grazing Degustabox

We're back from Cornwall, and what a lovely week it was! We were lucky with weather most of the time, and enjoyed delicious meals, cooked with the local produce, and some of the lovely treats from the latest Degustabox food box which I packed to take with us on the trip.

Summer & Grazing is the theme of the latest Degustabox selection. 

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I otherwise wouldn't have tried.

Each time a monthly box arribes, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3 off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order.

Let's have a look at what we got in the Summer & Grazing box.

Fox's Glacier boiled sweets (£1) are a British classic.

"At Fox's we believe life is better when you take things slowly. These principles go back to 1918, when Eric Fox first established Fox's Glaciers as long lasting sweets with flavours that are worth savouring and taking time over."

These are satisfyingly long-lasting sweet treats, great for a long car journey. There were three items in the box.

Fox's Glacier Moments Little Lifts offer an uplifting selection of fruits, botanicals and a hint of mint - choose from four delicious flavours: lemon, mint and elderflowr, peach and passionfruit, strawberry with a hint of hibiscus and apple, pear and spearmint.

Suitable for vegans. 386kcal and 72.2g of sugar per 100g.

Fox's Summer Punch is an assortment of strawberry, sunshine orange, elderflower spritz and fruit punch glaciers. Suitable for vegans. 385kcal and 70.6g of sugar per 100g.

Fox's Glacier Moments After Darks - an indulgent selection of dark fruits, rich cream and decadent caramel. Choose from four delicious flavours: cherry bakewell tart, smooth Irish cream, dark fruits with a hint of liquorice and decadent banoffee.

Suitable for vegans. 386kcal and 72g of sugar per 100g.

Little Lifts and After Darks are available at Sainsbury's. Summer Punch Limited Edition is available at Home Bargains.

Nestle Smarties chocolate sharing bag (£1) are well-known milk chocolate buttons in a crisp sugar shell. I took this pack of Smarties with us on holidays and we enjoyed eating them on the wind-swept beach.

These fun chocolate buttons contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. 

Nutritional information: 89kcal and 11.9g of sugar per 16 sweets. Paper bag is made from responsible sources. Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Lindt Noccionoir Dark Hazelnut and Nocciolatte Milk Hazelnut (£0.85) are chocolate bars with hazelnut filling and whole hazelnuts. If you enjoy a combination of smooth praline and whole hazelnuts, these are chocolate bars for you. They're utterly delicious.

Nutritional information: 564kcal/554kcal and 48g/of sugar per bar.

You should receive two items in your box. Lindt Nocciolatte is available at all major supermarkets. Lindt Noccionoir is available in Tesco from July, and rolling out in the other retailers later in the year.

McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Blackcurrant Flavour (£1.20) - a product of the month - are a tangy twist on a classic Jaffa cake. McVitie's have been expanding their range of Jaffa cakes, experimenting with the fruity flavours. So far we have tried a Passionfruit, Cherry, Pineapple and Orange & Cranberry flavours. We can't decide which flavour is the tastiest, though Cherry is probably my top flavour.

Nutritional information: 46kcal and 6.1g of sugar per each cake. 

You get a crackly dark chocolate top, sponge on the bottom and a tangy blackcurrant fruity layer in the middle. Blackcurrant works well with the dark chocolate.

Available at Tesco.

Love Corn Cheese & Onion flavour (£0.70 for a single mini bag, or £16 for a pack of 24) - is a premium crunchy corn, gluten-free and vegan - made with corn, sunflower oil, onion, garlic, chives, vegan cheese flavouring, sea salt, natural onion and garlic extracts etc. 

This is a tasty snack with a satisfying crunch. 

We're fans of Love Corn, and enjoyed trying the new flavour.

Available in all major supermarket chains and online.

The new McCoy's Fire Pit range (£0.90) is inspired by the rustic smoky and chargrilled flavours which come with cooking meat over an open fire. There are three tasty varieties to try. You should receive two of 3 flavours in the box.

The Real McCoys Fire Pit Flame Smoked Chorizo flavour ridge cut potato crisps, with a smoky paprika punch. 236kcal and 0.54g of salt per pack.

The Real McCoy's Fire Pit Flame Roasted Peri Peri flavour ridge cut potato crisps, with a fiery tangy tussle 236kcal and 0.43g of salt per pack.

Multipacks are availble in Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons and Sainsbury's. Singles are available in convenience and impulse channels.

St Pierre Brioche Hot Dog Rolls (£1.40) are soft and rich-tasting rolls, which will take your hot dogs to the new level of scrumptiousness. 

Find recipe inspiration at www.stpierrebakery.co.uk

Available at selected Tesco and Morrions nationwide.

Pot Pasta Creamy Carbonara/Bolognese/Tomatoey Mozzarella (£1.19) are the latest addition to the Pot Noodle range. Now you can have a quick and easy pot of pasta in just five minutes. There are three flavours to choose from, and you should receive two in your box.

Tomatoey Mozzarella: 221kcal and 7g of sugar

Creamy Carbonara: 223kcal and 2.4g of sugar

They are a source of protein, no added MSG, no artificial colours or preservatives.

Now the moment of truth: if you are used to eating proper al dente pasta, then perhaps look elsewhere for your pasta fix. Pot Pasta is a soggy variety of pasta, swimming in a thin soupy sauce. Taste-wise it is OK, but the appearance and texture are not to my liking (but then again, I'm not a fan of Pot Noodle overall).

Available in all major supermarkets.

Taylors Coffee bags - Rich Italian/Hot Lava Java (£1.50) work just like teabags but for ground coffee. Brew for 2 minutes and give a really good squeeze for lots of flavour.

Available in all major supermarket chains and online.

I had a cup of Rich Italian, while enjoying a slice of saffron cake with clotted cream, sitting outside our holiday cottage. 

I usually take a big bag of ground coffee with us, but I'm quite converted to this way of making coffee. It's so convenient, and no mess whatsoever.

Firefly Peach & Green Tea revitalising botanical drink (£1.55) is made with green tea, kola nut, yerba mate and rosemary. Contains only naturally occurring sugars, no added colours or preservatives, vegan-friendly. These are refreshing elegant drinks, full of flavour. 

"Collaborating with industry experts, award-winning mixologists and world-renowned herbalists, we've created the perfect range of sophisticated drinks which can be enjoyed neat or pimped up".

You can get 15% off at www.fireflydrinks.com - use code DEGUSTA15 at checkout.

You should receive 1 of 2 items in your box.

Available online at www.fireflydrinks.com, Ocado and  at Waitrose.

Three Fold Hard Seltzer Citrus/Red Berries/Tropical (£2).

Tropical seltzer is a sparkling drink with natural fruit (mango, pineapple and watermelon) and 4% alcohol. Contains no artificial sweetenrs. It's naturally gluten free, vegan. has natural flavourings and sugar from agave. Its a clear, crisp drink, best served chilled. 93kcal per can.

You should receive 1 of 3 items in your box.

Available at Morrisons, Bargain Booze and on Ocado, Amazon and Revl.

And finally, Bull's Eye Original BBQ Sauce (£2.50).

BBQ sauce is a great condiment for any red meat. It is sweet and smoky.

Ingredients include tomato puree, sugar, spirit vinegar, bell pepper, salt, mustard, dried onion, modified starch, spice and garlic. 181kcal and 38g of sugar per 100ml. 

Available at Tesco, Sainsbury's. ASDA, Morrisons and Ocado.

As you can see, it was another super selection from Degustabox.