Chips and Classic Cars
Aug 4th, 2008 by admin
For the last two years, husband and I have been going to ogle the classic cars at the annual Classics on the Common in Harpenden, Hertfordshire. We’ve owned classic cars in the past and car events are always a great opportunity to see in the flesh what we’ve only ever seen in magazines. Our plan is to go on a rally one day, perhaps across Italy or India. But for that, we first need a new old car…
We also attend Goodwood Revival, the world’s largest classic car race weekend, where some of the rarest cars can be seen either just parked on the grass next to each other or in hair-raising races against each other. It’s also unique because visitors are encouraged to wear period clothing from 1945-66. The food is excellent, ranging from lavish champagne picnics to juicy organic burgers provided by farmer Helen Browning (I can vouch for these because she once cooked one for me in her farmhouse kitchen), and it’s all of the period as well. It’s an expensive event, but very special, even if you’re not a big fan of classic cars.
Harpenden is a very different event however. It’s free for visitors and attracts a totally different, more down-to-earth, crowd of cars, motorbikes and people. And when it comes to food, there is a choice of just two stands (plus several ice cream vans), offering burgers, sausages, fish and chips. We’ve only had the chips from the Hog Roast stand, which are surprisingly delicious. Regular readers will know of my obsession with chips. The Hog Roast chips are fat, crispy, ever so slightly greasy, but lovely with salt and a large splodge of cheap vinegary ketchup. For £2, you get a generous portion too.
It was an insanely hot day and after scoffing the chips down in the shade of a classic van, we hardly had any energy left to wander up and down the common to inspect the parked cars. Many people had transported their entire picnic paraphernalia with them and had set themselves up for the rest of the evening. Although we didn’t stay long, we saw some stunning cars. I’m starting to like rather quirky cars now, but here are a few of our perennial favourites. Now we’re very much looking forward to Goodwood in September, and some exciting picnics until then, albeit in our Fiat Punto! In fact, we’ve decided to go on our first picnic of the year next Sunday, with our picnic hamper from last year’s Goodwood…
