Du Maurier spent a large part of her life around Fowey, and other beautiful spots in Cornwall from which she drew inspiration. To celebrate her legacy, Fowey Festival holds literary themed events over eleven days which includes author talks, book reviews and debates, celebrity appearances, workshops, guided walks, river cruises and a programme of music.

However, we wanted to see one talk in particular which I’m going to share with you.

The Fifties Mystique

Jessica Mann with one of her children in the 1960s

In her book The Fifties Mystique, Jessica Mann sets out to demolish preconceptions that emerged in a 2012 survey of thirty-something young women who “long[ed] to put the clock back to the post-war years when life seemed prettier and nicer.” Determined to set the record straight, Jessica, put pen to paper to reveal the realities of 1950’s Britain, from her own perspective.

I am thirty-something and do not share the sentiments of these young women. Nevertheless, I was intrigued to find out more about my grandmothers’ era having never spoken with either of them about such things – now sadly they are long gone.

Ignorance and innocence

Jessica sat in a wind-blown marquee to talk passionately about the “period’s very different attitudes to sex, childbirth, motherhood and work [ ... ] and taking hard-won rights for granted”.

She spoke of girls possessing an innocent ignorance about their bodies, sex and childbirth which seemed normal– it wasn’t taught at schools. My memory of sex education at school is extremely sketchy (at best) – despite this, I don’t have a brood the size of a football team. And we certainly weren’t taught anything about childbirth in the 1980s, which in retrospect is alarming.

There were teacher’s strikes around that time in my schooling so perhaps this was one of the many lessons that got cancelled . . .

Hypocrisy and the pill

Image from Prudence and the Pill (Twentieth Century Fox)

Hypocrisy was also a predominant feature of the times, said Jessica, people slept with one another before marriage; though, abortion was illegal and women bearing children before marriage were ostracised. Even in the early 1960s, when the pill first became available my mother recalls much superstition circulating about its dangers and only married women could take it with their husband’s consent.

Heralded as a key factor that helped liberate women, fifty-two years on, I’m grateful that activists such as, Margaret Sanger, and Katherine McCormick, amongst many others strove hard for the contraceptive pill’s introduction and use, and that medical research is continually underway to decrease side effects that affect some women.

Jessica went onto say that right up until the 1980s, women followed their “husband’s careers” around the country as it was expected women would marry and have children. My mother adds that child care for some was too expensive (nothing much has changed here!) and that women often relied on family and friends or worked in the evenings.

Limited careers talks

Mum’s careers talk at school involved discussions about nursing or secretarial work. I remember being taught health and safety signs for dangerous workplaces – this was during the times of the miners’ strikes (I still appreciate the importance of ear defenders in noisy workplaces). When asked, I said I wanted to be a journalist but I was neither encouraged to go to college nor to take A Levels or a degree course.

I left the festival thinking how many ways my life might be easier or harder compared with the experiences of women decades before me, and I wrestle with Jessica’s final thought: that the challenges women face now are very different – granted. Conversely she believed young women now had more of a raw deal due to higher expectations of life, an ideal of “having it all”.

I hate that phrase, but as an educated thirty-something voter who has no children yet, I’m doing alright. After a thoroughly enjoyable day we drove back to the hotel with reflection. It will be interesting to see how future generations raise their families, particularly girls – will past women’s struggles be forgotten? It’s up to us to make sure this doesn’t happen.

Mullion Cove Hotel

The premier sea view room had a stunning view across the Atlantic Ocean in which we ruminated about the festival. The spring weather was also kind to us and we managed walks along the cliff tops before dinner. The truly amazing aspect of our jaunts was the wild, untouched feel of Cornwall. There were many other guests staying at the hotel and others taking a stroll yet it still felt like we had the place to ourselves.

Our Cornish Festival Break included a three-course dinner each evening in the Atlantic View Restaurant; favourites included, scallops with black pudding, ray wings with dill and cream tagliatelle, and a lemon posset dessert with mint topping and tuiled brandy basket. Our nightcaps included twelve-year-old Oben single malt which followed our espressos with coconut and chocolate hand-made truffles. The restaurant is highly recommended.

Festivals of Cornwall Hotel Break round-up

The varied literary festivals held annually make me love this county, and this hotel break in Cornwall provided an opportunity to explore my passion. For this, and the stunning views, good food and great service I give it a huge thumbs-up! Thanks to all at the hotel for making our stay so special.

Jakki and Laurie Magowan

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Share your experiences

Would you like to write a guest blog? If so, contact us today. We’re interested in reading about your experience at the hotel and what you get up to around the county.

As long as your story is connected to the hotel and our area, we’d love to hear from you.

If you love gardens, flowers, peaceful landscapes and breezy, meandering walks amongst the shade of leaves and rays of spring sunshine, let this snapshot guide be the gin and tonic in your hand – an appetizer (if you will), a precursor, of how you could be spending your time right now in Cornwall.

In springtime the gardens of Cornwall are in full bloom from daffodils and bluebells to rhododendrons and azaleas – the colours are dazzling, so-much-so we almost feel guilty about having such splendid places to ourselves (almost).

So, to help you discover and explore the wonderful gardens in Cornwall, we’ve given our thoughts on our favourite five of the moment.  Come along and enjoy them!

Trebah Garden

Trebah aptly claim their garden is a sub-tropical paradise with a stunning coastal backdrop. We’re certainly always impressed by their collection of black, yellow and green cane bamboo every time we visit, and the humongous Japanese Maples that are officially the largest of their kind in the country.

It’s also a real treat to have a pit stop and munch a few rich tea biscuits at Alice’s Seat, their cob and thatch summer house, named after Trebah’s 1907’s co-owner Alice Hext.

Good stuff you can look at now on their website:

1.  Seasonal Notes  What looks good in the garden this springtime

2.  Year In Flower  Before booking your holiday, find out what you can expect at Trebah throughout the year

Trebah are also offering discounted entry in May to anyone booking a Gardens of Cornwall Hotel Break with us at Mullion Cove Hotel. Click here for more details.

Bonython Garden Estate

“I have put so much of myself into the garden, and it has given me so much joy, that I want to share it with others.” Sue Nathan, Bonython Gardens Estate

Only a stone’s throw from Mullion Cove Hotel, Bonython Estate Gardens is one of our favourites. The estate comprises an 18th century Manor, farm and woodland stretching almost from one side of the peninsular (The Helford River) to the other (the beach at Poldhu Cove).

We love their walled garden with herbaceous borders and the traditional Potager Garden. It’s magnificent in springtime with traditional Cornish rhododendrons, azaleas, woodland flowers and bulbs.

Our recommendations:

1.  Explore the three lakes that run through the garden from a natural stream towards the sea

2.  Take in the rhododendrons, irises, pontedera cordata , pampas grass and spring daffodils

3.  Seek out the cannas, rubeckias, proteas, restios and dahlias on the lush banks of the second lake

Trelissick Garden 

Trelissick is tranquil, has epic views and a superb collection of exotic plants. The garden is also open to dog owners and sells dog biscuits from their picnic area kiosk – major bonus!

The courtyard houses a lovely old farm building which has been converted into a shop, and a barn that showcases local artists’ work which is definitely worth a snoop. The garden itself is elevated so you can see wooded valleys and glimpses of the sea.

Their rhododendrons, bluebells, daffodils and hydrangeas are a proper treat in the springtime.

Recommendations they give on their website:

1.  Take the Trelissick to Roundwood Quay Walk and discover defensive and industrial earthworks ruins

2.  See stunning views from the tennis lawn or upriver to Tregothnan

3.  Enjoy our four summerhouses

Glendurgan Garden

Glendurgan boasts that there are 50 things you should do at the Garden before you’re 11¾, oh to have that much energy again! In lieu of a fair few youthful kilojoules, we’ve put together a list of four much more attainable antics:

1.  Have an amble round their maze with a packed lunch in case you need to leave breadcrumbs

2.  Enjoy a sunny spot in the sheltered cove at Durgan on the Helford River

3.  Find peace in The Valley Garden, hidden by a belt of glorious woodland with sea glimpses

4.  Stroll around and enjoy wild flowers, a young  orchard, exotic tree ferns and lovely dogwoods

Lost Gardens of Heligan

Far from being lost in the 21st century, the Lost Gardens of Heligan is one of the most popular attractions in Cornwall, and we love it. If you’re a sucker for a good story (like we are), then Heligan will not disappoint.

From the 1200s through to the present day, Heligan’s history unfolds like a chapter in an ancient manuscript, cataloging the Tremayne family ownership, years of abandonment and its final restoration. We particularly love the Lost Valley, a peaceful home to ancient trees and carpets of bluebells.

Other stuff that makes them unique:

1.  Victorian Productive Garden  Housing over 200 varieties of heritage fruit, vegetables, salad and herbs. Yum!

2.  Gardener’s Blog  Great for picking up tips on pruning, fleecing, netting, and the suchlike

3.  The Horsemoor Hide  Witness nature outside and inside through a quirky x-ray vision display

Gardens of Cornwall Hotel Break

Why not book a hotel break in Cornwall and explore these beautiful gardens? Our Gardens of Cornwall Break is available for the month of May 2013 only on a per room per night basis for two people sharing, includes three-course evening dinner, coffee and full English breakfast daily and welcome drinks at reception.

You can also include a garden hamper of locally-produced Cornish goodies and a bottle of bubbly as part of your stay for £30, with doggy treats for furry guests.

Share your experiences

Have you visited a beautiful Cornish garden recently? Or have you booked a hotel break with us this spring? Share your thoughts and comments with us in the box below or tell us about your experiences through our social media pages.

We always love to hear from you!

With this in mind, we thought we’d undertake a seafood recipe book review to give you some Cornish gastronomic inspiration. We’ve chosen books by two celebrated seafood chefs located in Cornwall: Rick Stein’s 100 Fish & Seafood Recipes (My Kitchen Table), and Nathan Outlaw’s Modern Seafood (Lyons Press).

The wonderful chefs at Mullion Cove Hotel also love sourcing and preparing local seafood for our delicious seafood platters. Read on for their top fish buying tips or visit us in the Atlantic View Restaurant and taste their exquisite dishes first hand!

“I’ve always thought that a good fish soup is the best way to test the quality of a good fish restaurant. It’s all to do with the depth of flavour that comes from using lots of fish and shellfish…” Rick Stein

And so it begins, as Rick Stein tantalisingly goes onto describe the ingredients of his Classic Fish Soup with Rouille and Croutons. It’s the first of 24 soups and starters that comprise the first section of this handy kitchen pocket book, which then works its mouth-watering way through light bites and lunches, rice, pasta and noodles, and simple suppers, before suggesting dishes which are ideal to cook for friends.

Unlike Rick Stein’s farther flung recipes of the Far East, the ingredients listed in the majority of these recipes are easy to purchase. There’s also a mixture of mezze plate suggestions that serve more than four people – ideal for entertaining. It’s great to see Rick using some lesser known species in some of his recipes, such as dog fish, gurnard and grey mullet which are cheaper on the pocket and classed as sustainable.

Each recipe is split into easy to follow sections which guide you through making the dish, though there are no step-by-step instructions for preparing seafood. Often it’s the case that people prefer to cook meat rather than fish at home as they’re unsure how to handle seafood. Despite this, you need never fear fish eyes or skate bones here!

Rick makes fish cookery easy and simple, mainly using fillets rather than whole fish, alongside some stunning ideas for enhancing your fish dishes.

Recipes we love by Rick Stein

Page 8  Sardines stuffed with pine nuts, currants, capers, parsley and orange zest

Page 60  Devilled mackerel with mint and tomato salad

Page 103  Mussels in pilau rice with a coconut, cucumber and tomato relish

Page 171  Haddock and Cornish Yarg pie

“Fish and the sea fascinate me to the point of sitting in a daze watching the waves roll in, or searching around rock pools for any crab that might have got stuck behind when the tide has gone out.” Nathan Outlaw

In contrast, the size of Nathan Outlaw’s large recipe book would command pride of place in your kitchen, or would make a great gift. It’s an image-led comprehensive guide to seafood cookery ideal for first-time fish cooks unsure about types of species or cooking techniques. Separated into recipe sections of flat white fish, round white fish, oily fish, smoked fish and shellfish, this book also includes base recipes for stocks and sauces before moving onto fish preparation techniques.

At the start, a handy buying and choosing seafood section guides you through what to look out for when purchasing seafood, such as how to choose the freshest fish. Cooking technique tips follow, from roasting to pan-frying and steaming. The book then delves into the particulars of each fish type, starting with Brill, which includes a physical description, seasonal availability and the suchlike. Our favourite feature is the cooking and accompaniment suggestions that appear in a handy graph.

The recipes are well thought out and easy to follow, though we would advise choosing a weekend or free week night to try them out as they’re on the long side. Approximate preparation times would be handy but are lacking. Despite this minor grumble, each recipe sports an accompanying description that makes you want to try every dish in the book!

The base recipes section is also delightful as it offers more ways in which to flavour fish such as with orange oil or pickled grapes.

Recipes we love by Nathan Outlaw

Page 26  Dover sole fillets with lemon sauce and wild garlic dumplings

Page 74  Red gurnard soup with samphire and orange

Page 100  Ling burger with shallot and cider mustard relish

Page 130  Citrus marinated sea trout with crispy oysters

Mullion Cove Hotel verdict

Both books are worth purchasing if you love seafood and want to re-create the quality dining experience of restaurants in Cornwall! Rick Stein’s pocket book is a handier guide to fixing quick meals as well as simple main course dishes. Alternatively, Nathan Outlaw’s Modern Seafood is suited to those of you who are adventurous but less initiated with our finned friends.

Peruse the recipes in either book and you’ll find it hard to pass a fishmonger’s display case without making a purchase. Cooking fish is neither difficult nor tricky so why not give one of them a go?

Our Head Chef’s top fish buying tips

“We’re lucky to have all types of fish swimming just off shore at Mullion Cove Hotel,” says our Head Chef, Lee Brooking. “When they arrive in our kitchen fresh from local boats you can really taste this in the flavour. To buy fish at its best for home cooking, my advice is to follow these simple rules:

Rule #1   Buy from local fishmongers rather than supermarkets as fish will be fresher

Rule #2   Always ask where your fish as been sourced to check its provenance, local is best

Rule #3   Look for bright eyes, red gills, shiny skin, good colour and a sea fresh aroma

Rule #4   Keep it cool in the fridge before cooking and ideally eat the same day

Rule #5   Fish on the bone keeps longer but you need to keep it cool and wrapped in damp cloth

Next time you visit the Atlantic View Restaurant ask us about our Cornish seafood. We’ll be delighted to tell you about our catch of the day. Enjoy your cooking!”

Foodie Sites We Love

For further cooking inspiration, check out these great sites:

• Kitchlit More great recipe book reviews from blogger, Eleanor Busing
• St Ives Food and Drink Festival Check out the next food festival in Cornwall this springtime
• BBC Good Food A selection of seafood recipes from the UK’s greatest chefs
• Saffronbunny Local foodie, Rachel Wilson-Couch, burrows into the heart of food
• Atlantic View Restaurant Check out our Pinterest board for recipes and ideas

Cornish Festival Hotel Break

Why not book a hotel break in Cornwall and catch the St Ives Food and Drink Festival? Our Cornish Festivals Hotel Break is available for the month of May 2013 only on a per room per night basis for two people sharing, which includes three-course evening dinner, coffee and full English breakfast daily and welcome drinks at reception.

Share your experiences

Have you tasted some lovely fresh fish recently at a restaurant in Cornwall? Or have you eaten a fabulous seafood platter in our Atlantic Restaurant this year? Share your thoughts and comments with us in the box below or tell us about your experiences through our social media pages.

We always love to hear from you!

In springtime Cornwall hosts many unique festivals, from celebrating the arts in Truro or literature and music in Fowey, to sampling tasty fare at an artisan food and drink festival, and the lively fun inherent at ancient town gatherings.

To help you make the most of these fantastic events, we’ve created these seven simple steps for planning a Cornish festival hotel break in Cornwall.

#1 | Research your festivals

Research is vital. We’re not teaching you to suck eggs – but knowing the time and location of the festivals in which you’re interested will make it easier to create an itinerary. If you’re carrying out online research, VisitCornwall.co.uk are a great resource as they list each event by date and town.

Check the location of each festival carefully so you’re not exhausted from blazing a trail round the entire county! You could also keep an eye on our Pinterest We Celebrate Festivals board for inspiration.

Check it out: The Porthleven Food Festival on 20th April focuses on produce ‘Sourced from the Sea’ where you can sample local fishermen’s catches including crab and lobster.

#2 | Contact tourist information

“Our festival offers a chance to engage with life on the Fal River and discover its history and heritage, and to celebrate the places, people, history and culture that are connected by this Cornish river,” says Dot Peryer, director of Fal River Festival.

There’s nothing better than seeking advice from the local folk of Cornwall. To discover events that capture the true flavour of traditional Cornish culture speak to the team at Helston Tourist Information, they certainly know their stuff. Drop in and see them on Meneage Street in Helston when you’re in the area or give them a call on 01326 565431 before booking your hotel break.

Staff members at Mullion Cove Hotel reception are also a good source for local event information.

Check it out: The Fal River Festival 24th May to 2nd June includes over 150 events ranging from music and drama, arts and heritage to gig racing, harbour jazz bands and film showings on moored ferries.

#3 | Consider dog friendly events

As we are a dog friendly hotel, a question often asked is which places and attractions allow animals. If holidaying with your hound, we advise you to check dog policies in advance. However, the beauty about most Cornish festivals is they take place outdoors so pets are usually in attendance! That said, be prepared for some tented areas such as talks, demonstrations and food and drink stalls to prohibit animals.

Check it out: At Fowey Festival of Words & Music 8th to 18th of May novelists bring their works to life, TV presenters share their experiences (including Monty Halls), and famous comedians provide lots of laughter.

#4 | Create an itinerary

You don’t have to go crazy with details but if you’re keen to visit a clutch of festivals during your hotel break in Cornwall, it pays to be organised. We’ve put together a sample itinerary for our Cornish Festival Hotel Break which you could use as a starting point. But there are many other festivals happening across the county – so get searching!

#5 | Book our festival hotel break

We’ve done all the hard work for you! Our Cornish Festival Break is available during April or May 2013 only on a per room per night basis for two people sharing, which includes three-course evening dinner, coffee and full English breakfast daily and welcome drinks at reception. You can also include a festival hamper of Cornish produce and a bottle of bubbly as part of your stay for £30, with doggy treats for furry guests.

#6 | Enter our competition

If a festival hotel break in Cornwall sounds like a jolly good show to you then why not enter our competition to win a Cornish Festival Break B&B weekend for two? Simply post a picture on our Facebook page,  send us your picture by email, or Tweet us with a photo attached of you at your favourite festival or celebratory event – the year doesn’t matter!

Make sure you include your name, the name of the festival and year – we’ll choose our three favourites. Two runners-up will each receive a Cornish seafood cook book; either, Modern Seafood by Nathan Outlaw or My Kitchen Table: 100 Fish and Seafood Recipes by Rick Stein. So get posting!

Competition deadline is 9am Monday 27^th May 2013.

#7| Share your experiences

Now it’s your turn! Have you visited a Cornish festival already? Or have you booked a festival hotel break with us this year? Share your thoughts and comments with us in the box below or tell us about your experiences through our social media pages. We’d love to hear from you!

MCH dream team

On 8th November some of the team attended the Visit Cornwall Tourism Awards Dinner
at Newquay and (drumroll please…..) we walked away with the Bronze award for “Small Hotel of the Year”!

Well, what a night – some of us are still recovering from the ensuing celebrations!
It is a source of great pride for all of us to have won this award especially if you consider
the establishments we were up against….a very welcome early Christmas present
indeed.

After three months of hard graft we are pleased to have completed work on our new bar.  On the 1st April 2012 we celebrated accordingly with friends and fizz!!

The Glenbervie Bar is a magnificent Art Deco inspired bar.  The style is refined yet relaxed: a perfect spot to enjoy a perfectly prepared cocktail or a chilled glass served by our knowledgeable bar staff. 

The new bar also offers a superb yet less formal dining venue where we serve a blend of classics such as moules frites or the Mullion Cove Hotel signature Seafood Platter (24 hours notice). As you would expect, the menu is prepared with produce sourced from the chef’s favourite fishermen, farmers and growers from around the Lizard and Cornwall.

The Glenbervie Bar is a nod to our past taking inspiration from the hotel’s hay days of the early twentieth century.  This stretch of coastline is notorious for shipwrecks and The Glenbervie is one of its more famous. She ran aground in 1902 carrying a cargo of 600 barrels of whisky and several hundred barrels of rum and brandy. Since it was easy to reach her at low tide she was the toast of locals for many years. All crew and what was left of the cargo were saved.

Wishing all our friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year – we hope to see you in 2012! 
In the meantime its back to looking after a full hotel of relaxed residents who have all settled in for their special Christmas break – the hotel, as always, is looking wonderfully festive and there are plenty of treats in store for all our thoroughly spoiled guests! Best Wishes from us all!

The Mullion Cove Hotel Food and Wine Weekend drew to a close yesterday and has to have gone down as our best yet!  We kicked the weekend off with a cheery and fascinating tasting of Cornwall’s own Camel Valley wines hosted by the UK’s three time Wine Maker of the Year Sam Lindo.

Sam treated us to  a fabulous insight into his wines including the chance to sample his Camel Valley Pinot Rosé 2009 which has just been awarded the Trophy for International Sparkling  Rosé at Bollicini del Mondo for the second year in a row!  A true world champion!

On Saturday night we were treated to  a talk and tasting from our wine merchant (and local cricket hero) Mark Rowe.  Mark and his brother Andrew run Constantine Stores which has been a family business in the drinks trade for over fifty years and they boast one of the largest ranges of wines and spirits in the South West (they stock over 1000 different whiskies!)  As usual Mark entertained us all and treated us to a variety of wines from around the world and one of his whiskies!

The Chefs worked their magic all weekend culminating in a six course gala dinner on Saturday night.  Adam (the MCH in-house wine guru) skillfully matched the dishes to some fantastic wines to the enjoyment of all concerned.

Detox starts now!