< Previous40 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING Valentine’s Day may only be the 14th but there’s no law that says you can’t treat your partner repeatedly through the month. Here are some ideas and ways to treat them - be that to a meal, breakfast in bed, or a nice snack. Lemon drizzle cake Method: * Pre-heat oven to 180C/160C Fan (Gas mark 4) * Grease a loaf baking tin with butter (not the 200g saved butter) and line it with baking paper. * Mix butter and sugar in a blender and mix. Add the eggs one at a time, blending each before adding the next. Once mixed, add the flour and some grated lemon zest and blend all together until smooth. * Pour the mixture into the baking tin, flattening the top with a spoon or knife, and set in the oven to bake for 50-55 minutes. * Stir together lemon juice and icing sugar and when the cake is finished and has cooled, drizzle the mixture over the top. Alternatively, you can also poke some holes into the top of the cake so that some of the icing mixture penetrates deeper for flavour. Optional: Slice some lemon and lay decoratively on top, or add your own preferred decorations to give it that personal touch Ingredients: * 200g unsalted butter * 200g caster sugar * 200g self-raising flower * 3 Eggs * Lemon to zest and juice * 4tbsp icing sugar treats A sweet cake perfect for sharing. © stock.adobe.com/ vm2002FOOD & DINING LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 41 Slow cooked lamb shoulder © stock.adobe.com/ fazeful A super easy meal that tastes great, is easy to make and is the perfect way to warm up on a cold afternoon. Don’t be turned off by its simplicity as this is a firm favourite and tastes delicious. Ingredients: * Lamb Shoulder (Vary weight by servings) * Olive or vegetable oil * Onions * Carrots * Garlic * Lamb stock * Salt & Pepper Method: * Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the lamb on all sides. * Dice onions and carrots into a slow cooker and place the browned lamb on top. * Dice some garlic into the pot along with some rosemary leaves if you have any, then season with salt and pepper * Pour in lamb stock - ideally, this should be about to halfway up or two-thirds of the way up the shoulder of lamb, fully covering the vegetables beneath. * Cook on high for 5 hours. * Remove lamb and leave to rest for 30 minutes. We suggest using the remaining stock and juices to make a gravy to serve alongside the lamb shoulder and vegetables. Definitely a more substantial and full dinner, this is sure to wow - but keep in mind that it’s easy to make too much.42 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING Eggs Florentine with Watercress Method: 1. In a pan of boiling water, poach the eggs to your preference. 2. Meanwhile, slice each muffin in half and toast. Spread with a little butter. 3. Assemble the muffins on plates, topping with the watercress and eventually, a poached egg on each muffin slice. Drizzle with Hollandaise and cracked black pepper. Recipe courtesy of www.thewatercresscompany.com Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 5 mins Serves 2 Ingredients * Hollandaise sauce * 4 eggs * 2 English muffins * Butter * 80g Watercress * Black pepper Treat your significant other to breakfast in bed. This recipe is even healthy. © stock.adobe.com/Pixel-ShotFOOD & DINING LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 43 Woolliss & Son Butchers –– AWARD-WINNING LINCOLNSHIRE BUTCHERS –– LOOKING FOR A TOP QUALITY BUTCHERS IN LINCOLNSHIRE? Look no further, we have a proven track record when it comes to providing top quality cuts of meat and home made pastries at a competitive price. We are proud of our locally sourced produce and our 5 star hygiene rating. 29-31 Mercer Row, Louth LN11 9JG. T: 01507 603230 E: orders@woolliss-butchers.co.uk W: woolliss-butchers.co.uk Rose Sangria © stock.adobe.com/Brent Hofacker A quick and simple drink with a romantic pink colour. Ingredients * 1 bottle grapefruit sparkling rose * 1/4 cup brandy * 1/4 cup grapefruit juice * 1/4 cup lemon juice * 1/4 cup orange juice * 2 slices of lemon * 2 slices of orange * Handful of strawberries * Ice * Mint Method: Add all ingredients to a large jug and stir well, mixing thoroughly to ensure the flavours are well combined. Decanter into wine glasses and apply a fresh sprig of mint to the top to serve. VALENTINE’S DAY © stock.adobe.com/Impact Photography FormingLINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 45 VALENTINE’S DAY I t goes without saying that 2023 has been a tough year. War, cost, inflation, politics and misery have dominated headlines and conversations, and many a family has probably had to have difficult conversations on topics ranging from jobs to household finances. More than a few will have led to raised tensions and arguments. With all that in mind, relationships are likely to be strained for many – and even if they’re not strained to the breaking point, they’ll be tense. Valentine’s Day is a holiday that has been over-commercialised in the recent years (as so many holidays end up being) but its roots still lay in romantic themes surrounding love, but also connection. And when things have been as difficult as they have for many over the last year, it can be more important than ever before to put a little time and effort into a relationship, if only to remind your partner that you care. Copious amounts of research has shown © stock.adobe.com/alfa27 46 Á Valentine’s Day has been commercialised to death, but the core values still hold true. This year, focus less on the day and more on forming a meaningful connection with your partner. We look into how. 46 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY VALENTINE’S DAY that the key to a healthy relationship is good communication, and Valentine’s Day is an excellent opportunity to reconnect and reminisce. That is, as long as more effort is put into the day than simply buying some chocolates and flowers. That’s not to say those gifts aren’t a great place to start (they are) but they should be a foundation for something more intimate. Valentine’s Day can be a lonely day for many singles, but it can also end up feeling lonely for those in relationships, primarily because they’ll see other couples being wowed in more expressive ways than they are. Our advice is to dedicate the day itself to your partner. Or, failing that, to dedicate the weekend (since the day falls on a Wednesday this year) and make sure your partner knows in advance. It’s important to put aside all other concerns before the event as well because the last thing a relationship needs is for a day out that’s meant to be romantic to instead turn into yet another discussion about family finances, or your children, or how your mother-in-law doesn’t like you. A Valentine’s Day out should be all about the two of you, and focus should be kept on that to the exclusion of almost all else if possible. Lincolnshire has a lot of restaurants to have meals and dinners at, but it also plays host to plenty of hotels and spas that offer everything from massage days to hot tub visits, to full on relaxation days. A lot of these places will have Valentine’s Days offers, and many extend beyond the 14th of February due to it being the middle of the week. You can book for a day, a half day, or even a full weekend if you really want to step away from busy life and spend the weekend with your partner. We heartily suggest informing family and friends that you’ll be unavailable and turning off (or at least limiting) your access to phones and the outside world. There’s nothing quite like someone scrolling through their social media feed to kill the mood. Booking a hotel or spa day is a great opportunity to put aside worldly troubles and just unwind with your partner, and since many of them free you from distractions from the outside world, it’s also a great chance to get you both talking and building some communication. Relationship experts say that some of the best topics to talk about if you want to form meaningful connections include: “What are you both happy about in your relationship”, “what things would you like to see improved”, and “what support do you need from one another this year”? As any good relationship is meant to be a partnership of two people supporting one another, it’s important to make yourself emotionally available to your partner – so focus on making sure you’re there if they need you. However, you should also highlight the good times that have come and gone, as these not only serve for happy memories, but a reminder that even if times do get rough, you’ve had some great ones as well. Finally, it’s also good to talk of the future – and this doesn’t need to be heavy or risky topics, either. You can talk about your hopes, what things you’d both like to try, new hobbies, activities or even just movies you’re both interested in seeing. Make plans beyond Valentine’s Day and leave your date with plenty of hope and excitement for what’s to come. It may be tempting to do all this at home if the day is to be just about talking, but experts agree this is a bad idea. Familiar locations can evoke feelings of comfort, but they can also become connected with familiar worries. If you often argue or have difficult conversations with your partner in the LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 47 VALENTINE’S DAY © stock.adobe.com/tashechka 62HIGHSTREET,CAYTHORPE, LINCOLNSHIRE, NG323DN 01400272632 WWW.REDLIONCAYTHORPE.COM HELLO@REDLIONCAYTHORPE.COM DISCOVERANEWLEVELOFTASTE The Caythorpe DogFriendly Locallysourcedproduce . . Vegan/vegetarianoptions ChineseNewYear CelebrateChineseNewYear2024atTheRed Lionwithourdeliciousspecials,designedto usheringoodfortuneintheYearoftheDragon. Saturday10thFebruary MothersDay Enjoyadelightfulatmosphere,deliciouscuisine, andcreatelastingmemorieswithyourlovedones. MakeMother'sDaymemorableattheRedLion Sunday10thMarch living or dining room, then you may both find conversation stilted if you try and have a romantic dinner there. The area itself has become too steeped in memories and our minds quickly become conditioned to associating (or remembering) past occurrences. If you want to reconnect anew then it’s best to go somewhere new, and to experience something new, so that you can both let go of emotional baggage and unwind with one another. Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about couples, after all. It’s not meant to be about commercialism, so even if you have to spend a lot, remember that it’s less about fulfilling a social obligation and more about reinforcing your relationship. 48 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY GAINSBOROUGH There’s so much to love when in comes to Gainsborough. Whether you live there, you’re just visiting, or haven’t yet had the pleasure, we explore this charming market town. W hen the Vikings were settling our shores in 1013, Gainsborough became the capital of England, and the capital of Denmark in one fell swoop. It was only for five short weeks, but there was plenty of precedent in its importance as a landing base for our Danish arrivals. If you’re intrigued to find out more about this understated town now, then well you should be. Nestled in the lazy loops of the River Trent, Gainsborough looks like a place out of time when seen from the water. But as much as its outside edges promise escape from the tensions of modern life, its centre is a vibrant market town with all the shopping, dining and sightseeing experiences you need for a packed day out. This town is a testament to the Glorious LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 49 GAINSBOROUGH © stock.adobe.com/Electric Egg Ltd. power in doing both, and doing them well; reliable creature comforts and attractions that never overpower the pretty cobblestone streets, or their old buildings still whispering of history. Gainsborough’s historical narrative has layers of significance that come to the surface with exploration, and time spent getting to know the story of the town. While the Roman era saw its early settlements, it’s the medieval period that truly marks the town’s ascent. From its advantageous position on the Trent, which wasn’t just of use to Viking invaders, Gainsborough soon grew into a thriving market town. It would become a crucial nexus for trade and commerce in the region, and prove its resilience and adaptability time and again over centuries. The Gainsborough Old Hall, dating back to the late 15th century, still stands as a tangible embodiment of the town’s medieval majesty as it reached the heights of its influence. By this time, it was a key player in the regional trade network, blossoming in economic growth and affluence. As a medieval manor 50 ÁNext >