Menu for rainbows.

As many people have faced awful journeys home tonight, or worse still, been stranded by floods, we send this colourful rainbow menu of red and yellow and pink and green from an oddly dry Edinburgh. Apologies for the delay in posting, we lost all electricity at home today so we're a bit behind. 


To start
Tomatoes three ways: soup, tart, stuffed.

To follow
Fillet steak, beans, truffle oil, hollandaise.

To finish
Strawberry gratin.

Cake miracles do happen.

Last night, the Edinburgh Cake Ladies, got fruity at Craigie’s Farm.

Despite suffering from terminal lateness, it was a surprise, even to me, that, at ten to six (event starting at seven) we actually only had one egg at home! After a frantic dash to the shops and some very “focused” cake baking, the cake was in the oven and definitely going to be served warm. 

I had originally planned to bake Bill Granger’s banana upside down cake, but decided to change when I revisited the brief and noted the fruity theme was actually in celebration of the fabulous fruit at Craigie’s (not many bananas in their polytunnels). So, I baked Sarah Raven’s sharp and sweet rhubarb upside down cake with toasted almonds and by some minor miracle, it worked and arrived at the Cake Ladies gathering, still warm and only 20 minutes late!

 

It was a great evening with some fantastic cakes and some very friendly new and old Cake Ladies. Every event is different and each venue adds something unique but each time I get a place, I know I’m in for a treat and that the treat continues with a sugar hangover countered only be a sugar top up and more cake the next day!

Chocolate celebration cake of Great British Bake off fame (certainly not one to be attempted last minute).

Swedish fruity delight.

Strawberry sponge.

Layers of raspberry and white chocolate goodness.

 Nectarine and cinnamon cake. 

Summer fruit drizzle cake.

Blackcurrant streusel cake.

And to get me through Thursday (you know just in case I was stranded in a flood or something).

Menu for Laura Robson

My career in PR has left me unable to let a tenuous link pass me by. So, this week, as I've been watching the odd bit of tennis, it's a menu for Laura Robson who was knocked out of Wimbledon but selected for the Olympic Games yesterday.  A selection of fine British ingredients, a punnet or two of strawberries, of course and lots of luck to the other British players.

To start
Langoustine, new potato and smoked bacon salad.

To follow
Wild salmon, wilted lettuce, cucumber, vine tomatoes.

To finish
Strawberry meringues with black pepper ice cream.

For a Scottish Summer, in pictures

Thankfully after a greatly enjoyed supper for our return, we only had to wait a matter of hours before we were back in the kitchen, resetting the table and standing at the front door wondering who we were about to welcome and looking forward to seeing some familiar faces too. A group of 11 lovely ladies and one great guy gathered this night and dined on:

To welcome Stilton gougeres and Seared tuna, radish, wasabi.

To amuse Pappa al pomodoro

To start
Salmon rillettes.

To follow {by special request}
Beef Wellingtons, asparagus, green beans.

To finish 

Lemon, rosemary tarts.

You can also read how one of our diners found it here.

For our return, in pictures.

And so, tonight, we made our comeback and it felt great! Our guests have not long departed. We are buzzing around the kitchen excitedly, emotional, not tired but delighted to be back and looking forward to doing it all again tomorrow. Chris is griddling aubergine as I type, napkins are being spun around the washing machine, we are getting ready.

We were a curious mixture of nerves and excitement all day. Busying ourselves with preparations and getting the flat organised with the added “help” of two little hands untidying as fast as I could tidy.  Before we knew it, the buzzer sounded and it was like putting on a pair of comfortable slippers, cosy, familiar and welcome. We were hosting again.

A lovely crowd gathered at our table this evening, chatting freely, making connections, telling stories and it was an added delight to be many of our guests’ first supper club experience. Preparations with a exploring Eva were at points tricky but she did us proud tonight, stirring only briefly before resuming sleep.

Here are the pictures to tell a story of their own:

To welcome Stilton gougeres.

Seared tuna, radish, wasabi.

To amuse Pappa al pomodoro.

To start Pea, mint risotto, Parmesan crisps.

 To follow Seabass, chive creme fraiche, artichoke, green beans, new potatoes.

To finish Raspberry tarts.

With coffee Handmade truffles with pistachio and milk chocolate.

And, in the spirit of this emotional day/post, we would like to dedicate tonight’s supper (not that we’re in the habit of doing so) to very dear friends and a wonderful, newly completed family, who got to take their beautiful twin girls home today. We are thinking of you all right now.

Menu for a Scottish Summer

Living in Edinburgh, we know better than to count on a proper Summer. The key is to make the most of the sunshine when it appears and not to be afraid to revisit your Winter wardrobe or warming Winter dishes when necessary. Here we've opted for a light start, rich main and a perfectly lemony finale.


To start
Salmon rillettes.

To follow {by special request}
Beef Wellingtons, asparagus, green beans.

To finish
Lemon, rosemary tarts.

Much depends on dinner

We took several long and winding roads to reach our charming destination near Hawick. The event was a long awaited, carefully planned and exciting Saturday supper for friends and families who have been meeting together once a year for a trip that has become a tradition over the last decade or so. We were delighted to be part of it and to work in a kitchen which undoubtedly has the largest island we have ever seen!


The menu balanced comfort and indulgence.


For gathering
Brioche toast, chicken liver, caramelised red onion

Hot smoked salmon mousse, homemade oat biscuits

Pea, pecorino bruschetta

To amuse

Rocket, new potato and Sauvignon blanc cups

To start

Proscuitto watercress, spinach and manchengo cheese salad or

Duck Rillettes, rhubarb, both with home made soda bread

To follow

Venison or beef Wellington 

To finish

Baked chocolate puddings, vanilla ice cream or

Iced ginger meringue slice

Pictures to make your mouths water:

Planning.

A grand table, set for 14.

Canapes in progress.

Beautiful crockery, ours for the evening.

As the guests gathered, we served...

...and...

... and.

To amuse.

To start.

To follow.

To finish.

Menu for our return

As of this weekend, we are back to regular hosting and eagerly preparing for a busy Summer of suppers. This will be the first, served with an equal measure of nerves and excitement:


To start
Pea, mint risotto, Parmesan crisps.

To follow
Seabass, chive creme fraiche, new potatoes, artichoke.

To finish
Raspberry tarts.

The one with the baby and the dog...

It is not usual that we welcome tiny babies or dogs to our supper club. Exceptions can rightly be made 

for friends who are new parents with lots to celebrate and who are currently doing a fabulous job of pouring all of their love and energy into their beautiful boy rather than cooking. That's where we come in. 

With this menu, we used as many pregnancy forbidden ingredients* as we could think of to reward and indulge the birthday girl and new mummy.

The Table.

To welcome Dunsyre blue* mousse, homemade buttery oat biscuits.

To welcome Prawn*, cucumber, mint and feta* spoons.

To amuse Locally foraged wild garlic soup.

To start Asparagus, pecornio shortbread, with or without Parma ham.*

To follow Beef fillet*, mushroom gratin, watercress and spinach puree and potato Dauphinoise.  

To finish Rhubarb and orange tarts, marscapone cream.

Hairy Maclary, the real one.

Birthday lunch for friends old and new

This lunch gathering and this menu made us sure beyond all doubt that we had to get back to hosting soon. 

It is very special to see plans come to fruition, to play a part and to watch friends come together to celebrate a deserving birthday girl at our Table. And, there's something so wonderfully satisfying, for us, about feeding them and serving them as lunch could very easily have rolled into dinner!

The menu for a celebratory Spring lunch:

To start 

Bright beetroot risotto, Parmesan crisps.

To follow 

Black pepper and poppyseed venison loin, port jus, sweetcorn puree and potato rosti.

To finish 

Chocolate 'tart', blood orange mascarpone.

 The Table awaits.

Napkins set with hearts and rosemary for its sweet smell and because it represents love, friendship and loyalty.

 To welcome Hot smoked salmon mousse and homemade buttery oat biscuits.

Tulip petals with goat's cheese.

To start Bright beetroot risotto, Parmesan crisps.

To follow  Black pepper and poppyseed venison loin, port jus, sweetcorn puree and potato rosti.

To finish Chocolate 'tart', blood orange mascarpone.