Once everybody had arrived at Beth’s we settled around the table, toasted our hostess and the Bailey Bookworms and chowed down on Grant’s starter of queen scallops in a fiery chilli dressing. I collected the plates, having volunteered to do waitressing for the night, and distributed slices of my mother’s homemade soda bread to accompany the blue cheese and asparagus soup cooked by Olivia.

We made our way through the courses slowly. Beth had made it clear that it would be a Slow Food event - the very opposite of the fast food she despises. “Tasting your food takes time, flavours take time, and friendship takes time,” she announced at one point, nearly dipping her dangling silk scarf in a bowl of soup as she spoke. We all cheered.

Yes, there was a lot of cheering and loud music. Th...

Please subscribe to keep reading.