For a happy hat trick, in pictures.

The third of our weekend's supper clubs was a very happy one. Happy hosts, happy guests, clean plates and even dessert wines. After a busy weekend, conquering the washing up mountain and very full recycling boxes tell their own story! We're so grateful that we're doing this and to all of our guests for being curious and enthusiastic enough to attend. Here's a peek at Saturday's supper.

Menu for that Friday feeling

Summer days, Glasgow 2014, happy times and reason enough to celebrate and #eatscottish. That's what our guests will be doing on Friday. We're serving:

To start
Hot smoked salmon and spring onion tart

To follow
Venison with tomato, parsley and olive salad

To finish
Summer fruits, mascarpone and white chocolate ice cream, petite chocolate brownies.

Hello Three

Finally getting around to sharing this before the birthday month is out. Our little lady is three. THREE. In some ways it seems impossible. Life is undoubtedly fuller, lovelier, funnier and more exhausting than ever and that's deserving of a rather pink celebration. 

At very short notice, the birthday girl specifically and determinedly requested a Hello Kitty theme - too late for any online shopping, Mummy was left to work her birthday fairy magic with a little help from Sainsbury's and excellent cake making Granny Scotland. 

This is the first time E has had a theme of her choice, proper party bags and games of Pass the Parcel and Musical Bumps and she completely loved it.

The pink table all set and the party bags stuffed.

We kept the menu simple for the little guests with finger sandwiches, crisps, fruit and hummus with crudites (ha ha) and chocolate treats and birthday cake of course. The contented crunch of pom bears around the table, summed it up. And, to keep the grown up tummy's from rumbling Chris made three incredible quiche: Beetroot and Goat's Cheese, Ham and Anster cheese and Hot Smoked Salmon and Spring Onion with a mountain of green salad (they went down so well, we didn't get chance to try them). Then grown ups finished off with a slice of lemon and elderflower drizzle before trying to explain to their adorable children the rules of the party games! 

Ham and Anster.

Beetroot and Goat's Cheese.

Hot smoked Salmon and Spring Onion.

Chocolate treats and chocolate fingers!

Hello Kitty cake.

I'll just check this icing...

More cake!

Three.

Happy third birthday little darling. Watching you grow has been the biggest, sweetest treat.

A Late Summer Lunch

Last weekend was filled with nervous excitement for our return to catering for more than just our family and friends with a fabulous Christening party. 

One of the major things we have learned to date is not to make a menu or logistics unnecessarily complicated and to let premium quality ingredients and our personalitites shine through. With this in mind and working with like-minded parents (their beautiful daughter is just weeks older than our new addition) we offered a selection beautiful oak boards filled with delicious meat, fish and cheese all served up with jars of flavoursome hummous, pates, our classic chutneys, crunchy green salad and Herbies baguettes. For pudding, we made vast meringues and smashed them together with sweet Fife strawberries and cream individual Eton or "Martha's Mess" as we renamed it in honour of the little lady's special day.

 Rosemary hummus in the making.

 Ready to go.

 Strathdon blue mousse.

 Mackerel soon to be pated.

 Spiced and roasted root vegetables for the ultimate cous cous.

 

The Ultimate cous cous.

 Roasted vegetables.

 Prawn, feta cucumber and mint skewers.

 

Labels.

 Jars of Martha's Mess.

 

The boards taking shape.

 Blue skies and balloons.

Waiting for guests.

 For carnivores.

 For vegetarians.

 Sweetcorn pickle hiding behind a stack of roasted vegetables.

 Sun dried tomatoes, grissini, roasted veg, rosemary and Moroccan spiced hummus.

Hot smoked salmon with dill.

 Super smoked salmon pate and rye bread.

 Cold smoked salmon with fennel and smoked mackerel pate.

 Baguettes.

For the last days of summer, in pictures.

After a busy day transforming the house and preparing a feast, we welcomed a group of diners, some from near some from afar, all new to the concept and experience of a home supper club. They discovered us here, here and in Woman and Home magazine (which I don't know if I ever shared on the blog.. hum...). Many told us that they had spent the day explaining to intrigued friends what it was all about. Now they were here to discover for themselves and to celebrate the last days of Summer with us: 

To welcome Armstrong's hot smoked salmon with cucumber.

 Tandoori stuffed button mushrooms.

The table with candlelight and sweet stocks.

 To amuse Sweetcorn soup, truffled popcorn.

To start Scallops, crab, avocado and pink grapefruit.

 

Wild seabass queueing for the pan! 

 To follow Pan fried seabass, tagliatelle, rocket and basil pesto. 

To finish Last of the Summer puddings - raspberry, basil and clotted cream.

With coffee Petite meringues with mango and chocolate.

And finally, a huge thank you to our invaluable helper, she may have remained invisible to guests but having Granny Scotland on hand to entertain and calm Eva (and give us a head start on the washing up) was magic. We couldn't have done it without you.