10:57am Sunday 21st September 2008
By Alana Lewis
Three Wiltshire WI members got their just desserts on the BBC cookery programme Step up to the Plate, beating professional chefs with their final course.
Ann Hines, 72, from Christian Malford WI, Sue Cowell,64, of Bushton and Clyffe Pypard WI, and Jan Bowd, 60, of Charlton and Hankerton WI took on celebrity chefs John Burton-Race and Ed Baines.
The menu, which was prepared by Mrs Hines for a WI competition, included seared scallops on pea puree and pork with apricot and Stilton sauce.
The Moonrakers team beat 80 teams at the audition stage but they lost out to the Michelin-starred chefs on the starter and main course. However the proof of their cooking skills was in the pudding, as they won the dessert round with lemon truffles and lemon curd.
Mrs Hines said: "We used one of my menus, but had to modify it to fit into the 25 minute time limit."
The show was hosted by Anton du Beke, while food critic Lloyd Grossman judged the results.
Mrs Hines said: "Anton was good fun, but everyone has said that the chefs could have been more friendly. Our friends thought they were very rude."
The episode was shown on BBC 2 on September 8.
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