Menu for the first day of Christmas and friends.

It's fair to say that this supper club, the last planned in our Winter season, is one of mixed emotion. We are thrilled to be welcoming a small group of dear friends alongside loyal fans and some new ones too. And, we are excited and even a little relieved at the thought of having a weekend to ourselves to prepare for and rediscover the magic of Christmas with the help of a joyful, wide-eyed, sparkle-loving E. We can't wait to deck the halls and celebrate with our families and friends but we are sure to miss creating menus, the mad dash of preparation before guests arrive, the nervous anticipation when the buzzer sounds downstairs, sharing our home and mostly meeting new faces and making new friends. (For the record I will not miss ironing the tablecloth one bit.) So here it is Merry Christmas and our bittersweet advent menu!

To start
Apple and celeriac salad with pan-fried scallops or chicken.

To follow
Venison {or monkfish} Wellington, braised red cabbage, almond toasted brussel sprouts.

To finish
Sticky gingerbread, orange and vanilla ice cream.

Menu for wise men and women.

Despite rota imposed complications coordinating a group mainly made up of medics and their wise friends, supreme organisation has prevailed. We hope there's a star to guide our guests (though our address will be revealed in advance) and we've even cooked up an edible taste of gold, frankincense and myrhh alongside other delights.

To start
Roasted beef, squash and rocket salad.

To follow
Pan -fried scallops, Thai prawn risotto.

To finish
Marmalade tart with orange and vanilla ice cream.

For Thanksgiving, in pictures.

A merry crowd of guests gathered at our Table last night and we were especially thankful for the left over banoffee pie! It was great to welcome friends and their friends, several guests for the second time and others including two future supper club hosts and our first truly international guests from Holland and Germany, starting their stay in Scotland with our dining experience. And if we ever get chance to pay a visit to them in Utrecht, she works in this amazing ice cream shop. I want to go there. Now.

 Sweet potato crisps, a preview.

The Wintery Table.

 All set.

To welcome Avocado mousse, hot smoked salmon.

 Seared beef, horseradish cream.

 To start Scallops celeriac puree and truffle vinaigrette.

or seabass, celeriac puree and truffle vinaigrette.

To follow Venison with mushroom risotto, root vegetable crisps

or chicken with mushroom risotto and root vegetable crisps.

To finish Banoffee pie, cinnamon ice cream.

With coffee Petite chocolate and hazelnut macarons.

Menu to warm hearts

We always cook our food with love and make sure that it not only tastes good, but we hope that the whole "eat out in" dining experience is heart-warming. This warmth is especially important when the weather turns colder (like right now) and when welcoming a table of guests, all friends of a friend, who have never dined with us before but have been invited along perhaps excitedly, perhaps a little suspiciously (as is the case on Friday). We hope this menu makes them all feel at home:


To start
Salmon rillettes or for our vegetarian guest spinach pate, homemade honey and walnut soda bread.

To follow
Loin of venison or fillet of beef with Szechuan hotpot or for our vegetarian guest, Szechuan aubergine with rice.

To finish
Chocolate pecan pie, maple creme fraiche.

For our friends, in pictures.

We had a brilliant time cooking for, eating with and partying the night away with our friends. Thank you all and thank you E for sleeping like an angel throughout and for being such a sweetheart when you were disturbed as everyone went home for the night. Happy days (and a promise that the Asian beef recipe is coming soon). 

A busy table complete with emergency chairs and a first outing for our new candlesticks purchased here.

To start Mango, radish caprese, basil vinaigrette.

To follow Asian braised beef with hot and sour salad

 or Teriyaki salmon (as preferred).

All the way from Provence.

 To finish Spiced Autumn Pavlova. Complete with audience participation. 

Do look closely to see they're a little light on cream. Mainly because some of our more helpful friends whipped it all over themselves, the kitchen, the oven gloves, the others! I obviously had to rescue the situation (not doing much of a better job myself). La la la.

Another menu for Team GB {and a birthday girl}, in pictures.

Last night we hosted a supper for friends and a very modest birthday girl (so modest in fact that we didn't even know it was her birthday until her friends mentioned it, just in time for a candle lit brownie)! True to recent form, E decided the party was one she'd much prefer to join than sleep through, finally high fiving and waving goodbye to guests as they departed! Today, one guest remarked that she was "still thinking about it {the food} today" and that made us very happy. And now, we're writing this with the Paralympics Closing Ceremony in the background, feeling rather proud. Here it is, our second menu for Team GB and a birthday girl.

 Herbs for marinating.

 Soda bread for baking.

 Pear chutney bubbling.

 Brownies cooking.

Sweet garden roses.

Delicate lace hydrangea.

 To amuse Hot smoked salmon mousse and Tandoori stuffed mushrooms.

To welcome Sweetcorn soup, truffled popcorn.

To start Pork rillettes, pear chutney, homemade honey and walnut soda bread.

or pear, walnut and blue cheese salad (v).

 To follow Lamb or mint and feta cakes (v) with chilli, pistachio and rose petal sauce, cous cous.

To finish Celebration brownies, strawberry shots and strawberry and black pepper ice cream.

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.

With a touch of Provencal inspiration, in pictures.

As I type, tonight's guests are merrily next door, some with whiskeys in hand and I'm at the computer having a cheese and crisp midnight feast to celebrate another successful supper club! Tonight's table was booked by one group of friends, none of them had been to a supper club before and were all unsure what to expect, but, given the clean plates, happy chatter, empty bottles and positive feedback, I think they're converted and really hope to see them back again.

Tonight there was also a first at Charlie and Evelyn's Table - the guests started their evening with their own cocktail hour - sipping seville orange gin cocktails with our canapes. Inspired.

And then, here's what they ate:

To amuse: Rocket, sauvignon blanc and potato soup.

 Armstrong's fine gambas.

To start: Gambas with mango and chicory salad.

To follow: Bowers' fillet of beef, truffled green beans and yellow peppers, crispy potatoes.

To finish: Strawberry soup with petite meringues.

For a sweet and sour Friday, in pictures.

I just love the colours yellow and orange and sunshine of course. So last night's menu was a visual treat and it seemed our jolly guests enjoyed the flavours too. Here are the rather bright photos, I hope they make you smile.

 Summer bouquet to set the sunny mood.

 Special sunflowers at the table.

 To welcome Pea and Pecorino toasts.

 Quails' eggs with Parma ham especially for Tom (who dined with us) and his wife Hannah (who sadly couldn't make it). They will forever remind us of your wonderful wedding.

To amuse Courgette and rocket soup.

 To start Seared tuna, mango salsa and honey glazed bean sprouts.

 Or avocado,  mango salsa and honey glazed bean sprouts (v).

 Bright and crunchy salad.

To follow Asian braised beef with hot and sour salad

or Asian braised vegetables with hot and sour salad (v).

Very ripe peaches ready for baking.

To finish Peach melba with Chantilly cream and raspberry granita.