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Dear Fellow-Twinners,

After 3 years this is my last communication to you as Chairman. As I leave office, I wish twinning every success for the future and shall no doubt con- tinue to see many of you at the Association’s activities.

The recent Italian Evening was a very con- vivial occasion, enjoyed by all who attended. It was also very successful financially and made a profit of £216.

Since then, the Bring and Buy Sale and Coffee Morning was also a worthwhile event and added just over £120 to the funds. My thanks go to all who helped to make both these occasions so successful.

Enclosed with this Newsletter is the formal notification of this year’s A.G.M. next month at Churcher’s College. I hope as many members as possible will be able to attend. After the business part of the meeting there will be a chance to socialize with some refreshments and see an interesting DVD.

Visit to Barentin: 24^th - 27^th May: As some of you will already know, we have had to cancel the coach for this visit because of lack of numbers, even for Mr. Richardson’s new, smaller 29-seater. With numbers as they stood, the cost to those travelling in this way would have been quite prohibitive at well over £100 per person for the four-day weekend. Nonetheless, the visit is still very much on, and we hope as many as possible of those wishing to travel will be able to make their own way by car, per- haps getting together with others to share the cost, which should, in fact, be consid- erably lower than originally envisaged. We can recommend, for instance, Norfolk- line’s Dover-Dunkerque route for which we have already booked a crossing at £39 return for the car and 2 passengers (£75 for a car and 4 passengers). Dover-Bou- logne costs rather more but is very quick with a 45-minute crossing. In either case, there is a handy motorway just outside the French ports which can get you to the Rouen area in just over a couple of hours.
We can’t really recommend the Portsmouth-Le Havre or Newhaven-Dieppe crossings as they sail at rather unsociable hours, but they are obviously another option if you wish to investigate them. Both Seafrance and P & O sail from Dover to Calais but we understand that there are problems with one of the P & O ships which may have to be withdrawn from service, thus affecting other sailings. Ports- mouth-Caen and Portsmouth-Cherbourg are also possibilities but with much longer journey times.
The French have indicated that they can host up to 40 people. At present our numbers stand at 28, so there is room for another dozen. Please let us know as soon as possible whether you would now like to join the group, so we can arrange matters accordingly. We are always assured of a warm welcome. We have been told that this year our hosts are planning to take us to the Pays d’Auge, an attractive part of Lower Normandy, not unlike Somerset, with numerous apple orchards.

Visit to Petersfield from Warendorf, 5^th - 12^th July: Our German friends are looking forward to this visit, as are we. A programme for the week is currently being plan- ned. We have had a number of offers of host families but we would still welcome a few more, so if you (or friends who may not be members of the Association) can help and have not yet told us, please get in touch as soon as you can. Most of the Warendorfers speak reasonable (some, excellent) English, so language should not be a problem.

Youth Travel Bursary: We have had several enquiries about this but, as the closing date for applications is not till the end of this month, there is still time for others to apply. If you know of any young people living in or near Petersfield, aged between 16 and 22, whether in education or not, please tell them to get in touch for full in- formation. They should either telephone 01730 302862 or e-mail

honsec@petersfieldtwinningassociation.org.uk

The committee is considering several possible future activities, details of which will be sent to you when finalized. Meanwhile, you might like to try making and enjoying either of these 2 recipes, both of which are delicious. One is from France and the other from Germany.

Reibekuchen (Potato Cakes) (for 2 - 3 people)
Ingredients
200 gm. potatoes (the type that mash easily)
2-3 dessertspoonfuls of thick sour cream
1 egg
2-3 dessertspoonfuls of semolina or plain flour
Salt to taste
1 grated onion (optional)
Cooking fat or oil
Method
1. Quickly grate the washed and peeled potatoes finely. If any liquid comes from the potatoes, drain this.
2. Mix together with the sour cream quickly to prevent any change of colour.
3. Add the egg, semolina or flour, salt, and grated onion (if used).
4. With a dessertspoon put small amounts of the mixture into hot fat or oil in a heated frying pan. Press flat with the back of the spoon.
5. Cook on both sides until golden brown.
6. Serve immediately on hot plates and consume at once. Delicious with salad.

Clafoutis aux Fruits
Preparation time: 15 mins.
Cooking time: approx. 30 mins.
Ingredients
80gm plain flour
40gm corn flour
2 eggs
Milk - sufficient to make a liquid batter not too thick, not too thin.
Pinch of salt
20gm butter
100gm of gran. sugar
Vanilla flavouring
500gm stoned cherries (or a tin of cherries or apricots. If using tinned fruit, drain off the liquid)
2 dessertspoonfuls icing sugar (for sieving over the cooked dish)
Method
1. Sieve the flour into a bowl. Make a well in the flour.
2. Add the 100gm sugar, vanilla flavouring, salt, eggs and the corn flour.
3. Gradually stir the mixture together.
4. When the mixture thickens, add the milk little by little to achieve a smooth mix without lumps.
5. Butter an ovenproof dish, arrange the fruit on the bottom of the dish and gently pour the clafoutis mixture over.
6. Sprinkle one or two small pieces of butter on top before cooking in a hot oven (gas mark 6-7, electric 218-220C) for about 30 mins. As all ovens vary, be guided by your own oven.
Best served warm, with cream if wished.
The clafoutis can be made also with plums, peaches, pears and apples.

Bon appétit! Guten Appetit!

I hope to see as many of you as possible at the A.G.M.
With best wishes,

John Kent
Chairman

__________________________________________________________________________
Please note that we still wish to add e-mail addresses to the membership list. If you have an e-mail address, would you, please, telephone us on 01730 302862 … or even e-mail us on honsec@petersfieldtwinningassociation.org.uk

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To see the Winter 2007 /2008 Newsletter click on this link

To see the September 2007 Newsletter click on this link

To see the July 2007 Newsletter click on this link

To see the Spring 2007 Newsletter click on this link

To see the New Year 2007 Newsletter click on this link

To see the September 2006 Newsletter click on this link

To see the May 2006 Newsletter click on this link