One of the many benefits of living at Timken Grange is the food. I’ll be honest, I was never an enthusiastic chef. I know that for many people, cooking is a well-loved pastime, for me, not so much. I cooked every day and I got quite adept at it, but I can’t say that I enjoyed it. Now I never have to cook and that, for me is wonderful. 

The food here is lovely, the chef cooks up tasty, nutritional food every day and we all get a say in menu planning. Mealtimes are fun social occasions, and the best part is that there is no washing up.

On Wednesday we were delighted to be invited to a fine dining experience. The cinema room was transformed into an intimate restaurant, set with fairy lights twinkling and smooth jazz music playing. The tables were laid beautifully. 

The menu consisted of a choice of a wonderfully fresh classic prawn cocktail or mushrooms that had been expertly stuffed with cheese and bacon and topped with a mixture of breadcrumbs and herbs. The main course choices were a fragrant Pimm’s chicken, or a beautifully baked salmon fillet served with lemon and herb potatoes and a strawberry salad. I’ve never tried strawberries in a salad before, it was tasty.
We finished the meal with a banoffee pie and a glass of Baileys liqueur.  

Sadly, for some of us it has become more difficult to get out and visit restaurants, so this event was really very special. So much thought had gone into making it such an authentic dining experience for us. It was so nice to be able to mix with other residents, and lovely to hear the reactions of our newer residents who joked that they hadn’t expected this level of dining experience or the open bar. It makes us feel very proud to receive such positive feedback from our new friends.

Events such as this are a delight to be a part of. I am grateful that so much attention is paid to our standard of living, not just in the level of care and facilities but also to our lifestyle. There was a real buzz in the air in that restaurant, it was a huge success all round.