Dining

SALLY’S KITCHEN DIARY

”Hello, I’m Sally. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Maybe I’ll be cooking for you or your loved one soon.

At Briarlea, there’s a real emphasis on making our residents feel at home. And this plays into the food we serve. Sure, we could do fancy, cordon-bleu style meals. Small portions on a big plate. You get the gist! But, honestly, we’ve found this doesn’t quite whet the appetite of our residents.

Residents are seeking food that they’ve grown up with. Food which makes them feel comfortable and that reminds them of the meals they used to cook. So that’s what I do.  Simple, traditional food doesn’t mean sacrificing on quality either. Our veg is local. While everything from our meat pies to puddings are made from scratch.  

For breakfast, residents either come down to our dining room or they’ll take breakfast in bed. I suppose it’s about a 50:50 split. I make breakfast continental in style. Residents will often start with a coffee or tea (some like to drink theirs while perusing the morning paper) followed by cereal, or toast with a choice of spreads. 

Lunch is a leisurely affair. Residents will first make themselves comfortable in our dining or garden room. It’s their choice. Individuals will often mix up their dining venues throughout the week for a change of scenery. 

For the meal, everyone sits family style. This makes our lunchtimes really social. As I prepare lunch from my adjacent kitchen, you can hear the buzz of chatter. In life, socializing and mealtimes always go hand in hand. At Briarlea, we don’t see why this should stop at old age: a slap-up dish complemented by great company can do wonders for our mental health. 

Lunch is typically a classic like Faggots & Mash, Steak-and-Ale Pie, or Roast Chicken. After the main course, I serve pudding, which I make from scratch that day. I confess I have a bit of a sweet-tooth – meaning there’s a long repertoire of desserts I enjoy making. I’ve found some of our residents’ favourites include Sticky Toffee Pudding, Eton Mess and Cheesecake Gateau. Residents end their meal with a lovely cup of tea or coffee – or if it’s summer, perhaps an iced juice. 

Finally, we sit down for tea early in the evening. As we’ve had a big lunch, this tends to be lighter. Maybe a hot, creamy soup, or a selection of freshly made sandwiches. For all our meals, the menu is changed daily and runs in a four-week cycle. And if a meal isn’t to your fancy, we always have an alternative to offer – such as a jacket potato or an omelette.

We’ve recently upgraded to a new state-of-the-art kitchen. I’m looking forward to seeing how this improve our meal service further. Cooking is so fundamental to our care at Briarlea, and by getting everyone excited by wholesome, nourishing food, people are kept in good health. Bon Appétit!”