Wells WI December 2020 meeting report.

We met via Zoom again, which was a very different experience to our usual Christmas gatherings but lovely nevertheless.

Many members work sparkly clothes and a couple sported reindeer antlers in an effort to be festive. We welcomed Keinton Mandeville WI who joined us online.

Wells members were reminded of our imminent book club Zoom meeting, reviewing The Wildflowers by Harriet Evans. Our photography group will be meeting online and discussing capturing Christmas images.

The cold weather has put paid to the socially distanced outdoors coffee meetings, but we hope to hold one or two small group walks once restrictions allow.

Our speaker was Debbie Towlson from Debbie's Kitchen. Debbie has a background in cooking and teaching, and now provides catering services as well as giving demonstrations.

Before the pandemic she only delivered sessions in person, but has now done them online to groups across the country, from Liverpool to Kent and Somerset.

Debbie showed us how to make traditional Italian chocolate salami (no meat involved) which is the Italian equivalent of our familiar chocolate yule log.

Ingredients include amaretti biscuits, amaretto liqueur, butter, sugar, cocoa powder, chopped fruit and nuts as well as melted dark chocolate.

It gets its name because it is formed into a sausage shape, rolled in icing sugar and tied with string and wrapped to look like salami.

Having been told to have paper and string ready, we all joined in from home as Debbie showed us how to wrangle our salami rolls with string in the same fashion as butchers making a neat joint of meat for the oven. We had fun grappling with our rolled up tea towels.

Debbie also demonstrated how to make mendiants: petit fours in the shape of little chocolate circles topped with chopped nuts and dried fruit.

We all had a go at making small paper piping bags. We were hungry by then so it was quite disappointing not to be able to smell or taste the finished goods.

Our president Anne then became quiz show host for a virtual game of The Price Is Right. We were shown a selection of traditional game show prizes - ranging from a lawn mower, a Casio watch, a Teasmade, a foot spa and a sexy Santa outfit to a poo head game - and invited to guess the prices.

The final round required members to guess the combined price of a Rolls Royce Ghost car, a luxury all-inclusive beach holiday for two and a two-carat Tiffany diamond ring.

The total was £201,150. The winner, having guessed closest to that figure, was Janette who obviously has a taste for luxury.

Members enjoyed the opportunity to chat to each other via computer, laptop or phone before the meeting ended.

One topic of conversation was members' Christmas Eve traditions which, for many, is watching a Christmas film, Santa the Movie and The Muppets Christmas Carol being firm favourites.

It only remained to wish each other a very happy Christmas and good health. What a year it's been!

New women are always welcome – see our Facebook page for more information https://www.facebook.com/Wellssomersetwi/

By Valerie Pettman and Veronica Howe