On Wednesday 13 September, 10 priests gathered in the Alba Restaurant, Melling (The old Pear Tree Pub, just off the M58) for what might have been a first in the Archdiocese– a cooking course for priests.

The course was led by Adam Franklin – chef proprietor of Alba. Adam has worked extensively with Feeding Liverpool to provide nutritious meals on a budget, and had designed an educational day for the priests all about using a slow cooker.

The day started with learning how to make nutritious porridge in the slow cooker. The priests tried some “Blue Peter” style porridge - some that Adam had made earlier!

The day progressed with a basic soup recipe, and how to make bread to go with it.

Adam shared some tips about how to cook multiple things at once and use the timers – this was shown with a slow cooker gammon joint and a slow cooker chicken.  The gammon was then made into sandwiches in the bread the attendees had made, and the chicken was shared around, with some added to the basic soup mix.

Everyone was then invited to make scouse without cooking it - it was then packed and ready to be taken home for an evening meal in their newly acquired slow cookers.

There was lunch of a slow cooker vegetable chilli and self-made vegetable pasties. The day ended with apple crumble made in the slow cooker.

It wasn’t just valuable cooking skills the priests gained - Fr Philip Inch, ho attended the course, observed that “for the priests who came on the course, there was areal experience of fellowship in a very different learning environment.”

"The idea for this course came directly from the work done after our Synod in the Pastoral Plan commitment of area six to be a Church that cares for its priests. Making sure that we eat healthily and within a sensible budget is a vital aspect of the way we care for ourselves and each other."

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