The Cross Ways, West Huntspill

So, closer to home for my next expedition then! It's a Wednesday, the middle of my first full week back at work, and I'm too tired to cook (that's my excuse!). The pubs in town don't really do food - so if you want a decent pub meal you have to drive.

Luckily the Cross Ways isn't too far away, and despite two changes of owners since the "glory days" when Mick Ronca had it, it still does a good pint (of beer) and good food.  Of course, it's changed a lot since then, it's been opened up, new windows, new paint, new toilets ... in a way it's lost some of its charm, but the open fires are still there, the staff are lovely and the locals are the same old faces! Unfortunately Wednesday seems to be the main catering staff's night off and it's left to a young eager-to-please chap to fulfill our order.  Mine was easy ... "I'll have the tuna mayonnaise baguette please" ...

And a pint of Thatcher's Gold ... It seems to me that a lot of pubs now make a big thing about how they have "local farmhouse" ciders on sale.  However, the ones that really, genuinely do are few and far between - I'm afraid that as far as I'm concerned Thatcher's are no longer the business they were, they are fast becoming the new Taunton Cider company.  A view I've held even before I saw the very early morning delivery of french apple concentrate being delivered to the factory in Sandford.  But I digress ...  The Cross Ways do sell a couple of other types of cider - they have Long Ashton (or is it Stowford, I can never remember) on tap, and they may have even had some Black Rat - but I was still feeling a bit fragile, so further research will have to take place!

After an hour wait (yes ... an hour, but it was quite busy and the young lad was trying his best!) the food arrives.  My tuna baguette is more a six inch wide slice of thick white French stick with ample tuna, mayonniase and spring onion filling served with a salad garnish (lettuce, cucumber and tomato) and a handful of crisps.  I have to cut the baguette into more manageable mouthfuls, and once again have to resort to a napkin and the handbag for half of it ...

Yes, the bread was thick and not what I would call a baguette but the addition of the spring onion gave it an extra little kick, but an hour wait is pushing it!

And now for the score ...  (You will recall that I am giving a mark out of five for the cider availability, another mark out of five for the tuna baguette, and a further mark out of five for the general atmosphere of the pub ... So on that basis The Cross Ways scores ... 2 - 2 - 3  (Although I am going to have to go back to double check the cider and on a day when the "real" chef is in the house.)