Menu from west to east and back again

We're so busy in the kitchen, we forgot to post our menu. This is what we're making for tomorrow's guests. Are you hungry?


To start
Rare roasted beef, garden salad, squash ribbons

To follow
Pan- fried sea bream, madras curry, samphire

To finish
Chocolate tarts, white chocolate and mascarpone ice cream, strawberries.

Menu for our red return

The plates will be bursting with flavours and colour and our readiness to be back hosting. I already feel that some of the diners might become friends and the wait will soon be over. All the things I love about supper clubbing are happening and some of the things I love less too, like late night emergency shopping trips!

To any other eager diners out there. We have not confirmed places at future suppers yet, we have been overwhelmed by demand and are doing our best to stare at our spreadsheet productively and give as many people as we possibly can chance to dine with us. We will be in touch by email soon. Thanks for your continued patience.


To start
Duck rillettes, rhubarb, Chris's homemade soda bread.

To follow
Pan- fried hake, tomato relish, green beans.

To finish
Strawberry tarts, elderflower ice cream.

A sweet Summer supper, in pictures

It happened and the little ladies slept through it and it felt so good to be back to hosting. Friday was our first supper club in a long time, we were nervous and out of practice but we cooked with love and care and welcomed our guests with warmth. Thank you to our vivacious guests for making it memorable and rewarding us with clean plates, huge praise and the perfect satisfaction of a noisy, happy table behind the dining room door. It certainly won't be so long before our next one.

 Chive pom poms.

Vegetable parcels.

 To welcome Stilton gougeres.

 The Table.

Peonies about to burst with excitement!

To amuse  Courgette, coconut, orange and mint soup.

To start Pea and prawn risotto.

 or pea and feta risotto.

To follow Beef, tarragon hollandaise, green beans and peppers and (out of shot) crispy potatoes.

A rare shot from the Table.

To surprise Crowdie, pear, spiced walnuts, honey.

To finish Chocolate tart, pistachio brittle, yoghurt ice cream, meringue, berries and cherries.

Menu for a sweet Summer supper

It's been a while since we hosted a supper club, so it is with a mix of eagerness and huge excitement that we post this menu and prepare to welcome a wonderful group to the Table on Friday. In some ways a chance to ease ourselves back to hosting but we're certainly not holding back in the kitchen!

Chris will be cooking:

To start

Prawn {or feta}, pea, mint risotto, Parmesan crisps.

To follow

Fillet of beef, beans, peppers {or baby corn}, crisp potatoes, tarragon hollandaise, truffle oil.

To finish

Chocolate "tart", frozen yoghurt, berries, hazelnut meringue.

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.

Beautiful Kitchens, To Dine For

Today started with blue skies and a rare child-free breakfast with a wonderful friend here and ended, after the very successful party of our nephew with two happily exhausted girls. Then, there was chance to sit, quietly, turn the pages of our first copy of the new Beautiful Kitchens magazine and wonder if our kitchen will ever be this tidy again.

Perhaps you are considering ordering some of our delicious, home-cooked, prepared meals or hoping to come along to a supper club soon, this is your chance to see where the cooking happens in advance and even if you're simply here to be nosey, please, come in, we hope you enjoy this look into our home, you're very welcome. If only you'd actually all fit, I'd put the kettle on and make some rock buns.

The stunning photographs are by the very talented Douglas Gibb and the interview by his curious and very charming wife Alison. If you are even vaguely into interiors then you must start reading her blog and daydreaming, a lot. If you have any questions about our kitchen, please ask away and check out this reminder of how it looked before we started taking walls down...

The Very Hungry Caterpillar First Birthday.

Our very hungry caterpillar turned one. We still can't believe it but we were delighted to celebrate with lots of our favourite people and a feast. We hosted a bright, balloon-filled party with a family lunch followed by cakes galore and the happy chaos of a full house and little hands clutching at cupcakes and tucking into as much garish icing as they could manage. We're still recovering! Hip hip horray.

Balloon caterpillar.

 On  Monday, he ate through one apple. But he was still hungry.

On Wednesday, he ate through three plums. But he was still hungry.

 

Magnificent, melting, 24 hour roast pork.

Irresistible crackling.

Juicy!

 Apple, carrot and red onion coleslaw.

 Wilted chicory, orange, blood orange and hazelnut salad. 

 Shredded pork stack, still warm.

Tuck in.

Home made apple and rosemary jelly.

 The edible Hungry Caterpillar.

The Table.

Super soft, Italian white rolls, buttered.

I managed to resist this unattended plate...

On Saturday he ate through one piece of chocolate cake...

Beautiful butterfly cupcakes with cheesecake and buttercream topping.

 Big sister hiding another cake in her frills and caught red handed!

 

"It's my party." 

"Yes, MY party (and you just blew out my candle)."

First cake face.