Charlie and Evelyn's Table: picnic

Showing posts with label picnic. Show all posts

Sunday, 15 January 2012

2011, part two.

July

Vegetables chopped, jars filled, preparations completed. A special picnic. Somehow, a beautiful and creative wedding. A three month old baby is shaded from the sunshine, kicking her legs freely while her exhausted parents lie watching. And cake club, with rainbow cake.

August

A family gather for a dear lady's final birthday and soon after they gather again to say goodbye. A special 90 year old gown is worn. A Christening day reminds us that there is new life to be celebrated. Festival canapes are served. A seaside adventure.

September

The best shortbread we've tasted, canapes for ladies, an unlikely but pleasing flavour combination and, away from the blog, a baby girl takes her seat (high chair) at Charlie and Evelyn's Table for the first time.

October

Adventures. Hungarian breakfasts, a very hot marathon, goulash. A family return home and head far north. Sunshine, peace, past memories recalled and new ones made. Amazing sights, delicious seafood. Guests return to the Table.

November

A busy, dusty house with lots of skilled workers, each with their own job. We want to run away. Trying to keep our vision in mind as windows, fireplaces, doors, floors and walls are transformed. Work in progress. Cleaning. Meals were simple and quick.

December

A busy house. An early Christmas present - appearing in Woman and Home Magazine (sorry, I forgot to say). Work delayed, snow, then at last, the dining room completed. The Christmas table laid. Friends and family are warmly welcomed. Fresh holly, candle light, love, laughter, feasting.

This year we will be back to more regular blog posts and more regular suppers too. The next part of our renovations is the kitchen. Wish us luck. We can't wait to see you when it's done.

Tuesday, 23 August 2011

A Christening day

With the pain of loss heavy in our hearts, we gathered with our family and close friends to celebrate the joint baptism of our baby and our new nephew, her cousin. We may have hired a venue but we wanted to provide the light lunch for guests ourselves, of course. So it was another late night and early start in our kitchen.

My late Nana's 90 year old Christening gown.

We chose a menu which included highlights from the wedding picnic with a couple of additions:

Rosemary spiced nuts (recipe coming soon).

Grissini with Parma ham.

Chicken liver pate or hummus.

Selection of three cheeses.

Horseradish cured salmon.

Armstrong’s home smoked trout with shaved fennel.

Bower’s rare roasted beef.

Baguette by Herbies of Stockbridge.

Courgette and lemon salad.

Potato salad.

Mango and spinach salad.

Roasted cherry tomato and feta salad.

Charlie and Evelyn’s House Chutney selection: courgette, cucumber pickle or onion jam.

Christening cake, cupcakes and strawberries.

With the exception of some delicious left over beef, there was very little remaining once the guests departed. Clear plates were the only evidence we needed that the food had been enjoyed.

Bunting (first made for a wonderful wedding) on loan from a good friend in Jersey who couldn't make it but was with us in spirit.

Sunny handmade pinwheels for the children (tested but not waterproof)!

Delicate lace hydrangea.

A jar of rosemary spiced nuts on the table.

A selection.

My plate (carefully arranged for the photo) and a menu.

Mini E cupcakes.

Sleepy Eva's Christening cake.

Lavender cupcakes with Christening wraps.

Tuesday, 16 August 2011

A wedding picnic

It still hasn't sunken in. We did a wedding. Yes, we did.

It took many hours of preparation (including three dedicated to peeling quail's eggs), it lasted seven hours and took us over two weeks to recover! Words don't often fail but for now, the photos can tell the story.