Three care homes in Bury St Edmunds have teamed up with local children to join a nationwide campaign to stop traditional recipes like Arctic roll and jam roly-poly from being forgotten.
Care UK, which operates Mildenhall Lodge, on St John’s Close, Davers Court, on Shakers Lane, and Glastonbury Court, on Glastonbury Road has launched a free downloadable recipe book –Recipes to Remember, featuring recipes shared by care home residents across the UK, to ensure they don't get lost to history.
From food enjoyed during World War Two to quirky desserts from the 1970s, the book includes residents’ picks, alongside recipes tailored to support older people by Care UK’s chefs.
To join in the scheme, residents from Mildenhall Lodge donned their aprons and teamed up with nursery pupils from Great Heath Primary School to showcase their beloved dishes.
Youngsters joined residents Jessie Slater, aged 87, Marianne Clarke, aged 79, and Sylvia Lovell, aged 85, to make chocolate spring nests – made from melted chocolate, shredded wheat, and mini eggs.
After the baking session, the children tucked into the delicious nests, enjoying them before the chocolate even had a chance to set. The remaining creations were taken home by the youngsters to share with their families.
Jessie said: “I remember cooking with my mother growing up and picking the apples from the farmers' crops to make dishes for my brothers and dad for tea.”
At Glastonbury Court and Davers Court, the residents’ grandchildren and great-grandchildren spent an afternoon baking “melting moments” (chocolate chip oat cookies) from resident Phyllis Hubbard’s own cookbook.
The Head Chef at Glastonbury Court also designed a special menu using the residents’ original recipes.
The soup of the day was Phyllis Copping’s pea and ham soup and her homity pie was the delicious main course.
For dessert the chef baked a chocolate crunch cake, inspired by Phyllis Hubbard.
Phyllis said: “It is very important to keep history alive as there are so many fast-food places around now and children need proper food.”
When asked how she felt seeing the children laughing and taking part in the cooking activity, Phyllis Copping added: “It was all lovely!”
Ana Mihai, Home Manager at Glastonbury Court, said: "Just like a photograph, a family recipe can be a way to revisit the past and reminisce on a cherished memory or loved ones.
"How something tastes or smells can be a powerful tool for triggering memories and positive feelings, especially for those living with dementia, which is why we’re delighted to be taking part in Care UK’s Recipes to remember campaign.”
Sophie Evans, Home Manager at Davers Court, said: “From jam roly-poly to homity pie, it’s been wonderful seeing the residents revisit some of their favourite foods with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
"Arctic rolls might be out of favour but it’s clear from how well the resident’s recipes were enjoyed that there’s still a hunger for foods from the past today.”
Hannah Nurse, Home Manager at Mildenhall Lodge, said: “It was fantastic to welcome pupils from Great Heath Primary School for an afternoon spent cooking. Everyone had a great time talking about their favourite foods – and seeing the pupils get into a pickle with weird and wonderful names of foods from the 70s was certainly the cherry on the cake!”
To find out more about Care UK’s Recipes to remember initiative or to download your copy of the recipe book, visit: www.careuk.com/recipes-to-remember
Mildenhall Lodge, Glastonbury Court and Davers Court provide full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care, with Davers Court having also recently opened its new day centre.
To find out more, email bonnie.hall@careuk.com.
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