For our faraway friends, in words and pictures.

We absolutely love living Edinburgh. In fact, the only thing we would change is to have all of our wonderful friends and family live here too. We often hanker for a long walk, a cup of tea, familiar laughter, sharing ordinary everyday moments with those we love. 

With the happy excuse (we're sticking to it) of more birthday celebrations, we got to do just that and welcome some of our dearest friends (and others in spirit) to do all of the things we miss, together, and to indulge in a Charlie and Evelyn's style dinner. The menu was, like the company, sunny, warm, comforting and a rare treat created by Mark Sargeant for friends, cooked by us and possibly recognised by avid readers of Waitrose Kitchen (September 2012).

Hot smoked salmon mousse, buttery homemade oat biscuits, served on a fabulous shoal of fish charger (a well chosen birthday gift, thanks to The Riachs...expect to see more of that here).

Stilton gougeres (also served on an excellent birthday present, this time a piece of Edinburgh Skyline Highland Stoneware, thanks to The Reids).

To start Smoked duck, fig and orange salad.

To follow Rock turbot (rather than monkfish) with sweetcorn succotash.

To finish Peach, nectarine and apricot crumble, blackberry ripple ice cream, brandy snaps (next time we'll try Mark's suggested maple mascarpone).

Happy days.

For the changing season (and for Jimmy and Nell), in pictures.

Tonight’s supper saw the very welcome return of friends, cake ladies and a couple of guests new to home supper clubs.

Usually, we begin our evening with a brief introduction to the real Charlie and Evelyn, but this time, they needed no introduction, as the guests were already familiar with the story. Instead, we introduced Chris’s maternal grandparents, James and Ellen (or Jimmy and Nell as they were affectionately known). 

This picture was taken on their wedding day and, like Charlie and Evelyn’s, sits on the mantelpiece in the dining room and watches over our suppers. The reason for a special introduction tonight was that remarkably, today would have been their 73^rd wedding anniversary. Something worth sharing and celebrating!

Tonight also broke several records.

First, for range of drinks served from G and T, cocktails, and fizz to cider, wine, coke, milk and water finishing off with “Baileys”! A great opportunity to showcase a good proportion of our glassware collection which brings me to the second record, number of glasses used. Total: 42.

And finally, a new record for Miss E. Tonight was the first supper club that she decided, the party really was too good to miss. How on earth she wasn’t sleeping at midnight is a mystery, surely it means a lie in tomorrow. Surely…

Anyway, enough of the history and the record breaking, here is the food:

To start: Duck rillettes, plums, homemade honey and walnut soda bread.

 To follow: Beef stroganoff, buttered pappardelle, chilli green beans.

 To finish: Baked apple crumble, rhubarb compote, coconut custard.

With coffee: Mini meringues

 Honeycomb truffles.

 E's still awake. How?

Almost midnight, post supper club supper. Left over bread, butter, delicious jam (a greatly appreciated gift from this kind lady who knows what it's like not eating until guests are full) and a cup of tea. 

Please share your thought by leaving us a comment, it will make for a happy Sunday.

Menu Twenty Five

Despite the falling flakes, our final supper of 2010 will go ahead.

Our lovely diners, making it through the snow, will be rewarded with:

To start

Jewelled winter leaves, fennel (v), pheasant.

To follow

Duck or wild mushrooms (v), prunes, chestnuts, parsnip puree, petite roasted carrots.

To finish

Sticky toffee pudding, vanilla cream shots.

Menu Twenty Three

Blogger has come back to life and finally allowed me to post this menu, so sorry for the delay.

On Friday, we will be serving:

To start

Kale, fontina risotto.

To follow

Red wine braised duck, winter vegetable crumble.

To finish

Caramel, sea salt brownies.

Will there be restaurants in heaven?

There's something about the contentment and satisfaction of a good restaurant that makes me think the answer must be yes. If you mix that feeling with the discovery of a new place, in a new country and add holiday relaxation and excellent wine enjoyed with C, you have my idea of heaven on earth. We found that in Franschhoek, South Africa. Given the amount we ate and drank we should still be full now.

Franschhoek has an unbelievable concentration of excellent restaurants in a beautiful, small village and to make it even better, is surrounded by vineyards like this, wineries like this oh, and mountain views like this.

We liked it. A lot. View above from Dieu Donne by me.

With so much eating to be done, we began immediately with dinner at Bouillabaisse indulging in oysters straight up for C and with pineapple and chilli for me. Followed by open duck won tons which were so good they were impossible to savour slowly. Other highlights, and it's hard to choose highlights when nothing but passes your lips for four days, included Le Bon Vivant where we had a fabulous and creative tasting menu including rare tuna with tomato mousse, basil crisp, and onion strings and met the talented chef Pierre Hendricks (Dutch not French - confusing name). Also, Le Quartier Francais which served an outstanding everything especially the open lasagne with rabbit confit and mushroom foam. C was inspired, pretty much to the point of drooling and I'm sure his take on this dish will be coming to Charlie and Evelyn's Table real soon.
So that's why it's been a bit quiet here but we are back now with lots to share, lots to do and busy preparations for our third supper this weekend.