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Cheat's Fruitcake with Mincemeat

Mincemeat cake 1

If you’re looking to use up leftover mincemeat after Christmas, the Waitrose Cheat’s Fruitcake with Mincemeat recipe is a brilliant option.

It’s wonderfully simple and makes one large, light fruitcake — perfect with an afternoon cup of tea or served warm with custard as a comforting dessert after dinner.

If you have half-empty jars of mincemeat sitting in the cupboard, this recipe is ideal. While the walnuts and sultanas are listed as “optional,” they’re well worth including. I've used pecans and sultanas, which work beautifully, but you could easily substitute:

  • Walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts.

  • Raisins, currants, dried cranberries, or chopped apricots.

  • A mix of your favourite dried fruits and nuts.

It’s a very forgiving recipe, so feel free to adapt it to whatever you have on hand — that’s part of its charm.

Mincemeat cake 2

18:42, 23 Feb 2026 by Paula C

Book Club Meeting

13th February 2026

People on platform 5
It appears that we have hit upon another novel that the group as a whole have enjoyed. All of those who were at the meeting, plus those who sent email feedback, gave Clare Pooley's "The People on Platform 5" the thumbs up.
 
In summary, it was felt that the characters were relatable and well-rounded, the story was fun and easy to read, there was no plot as such, but each character had an engaging and interesting storyline, the diverse cast and range of ages gave for a good coverage of viewpoints, and the working in of more serious topics (such as ageism, bullying, mental health issues, homophobia etc.) was well done.
 
Most people liked the main character of Iona and found her fun and at the centre of everything, a catalyst for change. Finding out about her personal circumstances was unexpected and well handled.
 
Iona Iverson's rules for commuting:

· You must have a job to go to
· Don't consume hot food
· Always pack for any eventuality
· You must never speak to strangers on the train
 
Most people felt that Piers was the character who changed the most throughout the story and was probably the one that we had more assumptions about at the start of the book.
 
Some of us liked the character of Martha and enjoyed the younger person's perspective on things.
 
As expected, the story reminded all of us about our times commuting on the trains, the characters that we observed and the friends that we made.
 
Many of the group have already read other books by Clare Pooley and others among us are very willing to read more from her.
 

The next book to be read will be "Love in a Cold Climate" by Nancy Mitford.

This will be discussed on Friday 13th March 2026.

14:52, 18 Feb 2026 by Paula C

Book Club Meeting

9th January 2026

Town Like Alice

Happy New Year to you all !

It has been a while since we read a book that the group unanimously enjoyed; however, I’m glad to say that A Town Like Alice was one of them.

Although there were some traumatic parts to the book, and it was a book of its time (with many non-PC comments, language and ideas), we agreed that these issues were to be overlooked in favour of the many outweighing positive aspects.

In summary, the group particularly enjoyed the narration of the book by the lawyer Noel. Relaying Jean’s story through what he has been told and the use of letters was a good way to construct the novel.

We all really liked the protagonist, Jean. She was determined, kind, resourceful, clever and in many ways ahead of her time. She was a philanthropist, using her windfall inheritance mostly for the good of others, but she was also an entrepreneur, creating many thriving profitable businesses.

The book was full of jeopardy, which kept you turning the pages and kept up the pace of the story; would Jean survive the unending trek in Malaya, would Joe and Jean find each other, would the drive/ride into the outback have a positive outcome, would the businesses do well?

The book was well written and the descriptions of the heat and ceaseless trudging in Malaya, plus the heat and vastness of Australia, made you really connect with the places. The characters were also well-rounded and believable. Many of us enjoyed reading, what became in the second half of the book, a romance.

Those of us who were unfamiliar with Nevil Shute would be happy to read more from him.

The next book to be read will be "The People on Platform 5" by Clare Pooley.

This will be discussed on Friday 13th February 2026.

11:40, 12 Jan 2026 by Paula C