To warm hearts, in pictures.

The beautiful flowers and the roaring fire set the scene tonight; the guests were such a warm hearted group that they didn't really need the help of our menu. Nevertheless, we welcomed them whole heartedly (as promised) and continued to enjoy watching new faces relax in our home and dine at our table.

Here are the photos:

What kind of flowers are the orange ones? Does anyone know?

To welcome Beef, horseradish cream toasts

and stilton mousse, homemade buttery oat biscuits.

To start Salmon rillettes, walnut and honey soda bread.

or spinach and ricotta pate, walnut and honey soda bread.

To follow Loin of venison with Szechuan hotpot 

  or fillet of beef with Szechuan hotpot

or Szechuan aubergine with paneer and rice.

To finish Chocolate pecan tart, maple creme fraiche.

And, to avoid one guest's chocolate and nut nemesis, spiced red wine poached pear, blackberry ripple ice cream.

Behind the scenes, we renamed this supper "For Peppa Pig" simply because,  thanks to Peppa, we managed to distract our wide awake little girl while we welcomed guests! E, I know you can't read yet, but please pick up the vibes, a return to your sleeping through supper clubs form tomorrow would be appreciated.

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.

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 thirteen, in pictures.

We had thirteen lovely guests join us from across Edinburgh and Glasgow last night. For most of our guests, it was their first supper club experience. It is especially great fun to welcome slightly anxious diners unsure of what to expect and to watch them relax and enjoy as the evening unfolds. For one group, it was  far from their first supper club, as hosts of Supper in the suburbs, it was a chance to take a break from their Glasgow kitchens and to enjoy a night on the other side of a supper club table. 

This is how it looked:

Sweet Williams on the table.

Places set.

  

To welcome Stilton gougeres.

To welcome Lamb bites, mint yogurt.

To amuse Pea, mint, bacon.

 

To start Mozzarella, orange, beetroot. 

 

 Handmade honey and walnut soda bread.

 Cod with herb butter, pre roasting.

To follow Cod, garlic, herb butter, caramelised tomatoes. 

 

To finish Chocolate 'tart', strawberry ice cream.

With coffee Chris's hazelnut truffles.

For rainbows, in pictures

A colourful menu and a rainbow of guests were warmly received on Saturday night. We loved welcoming seasoned supper clubbers and newbies to our home and cooking up another satisfying Summer menu. We especially enjoyed creating the starter, our own invention and seeing happy guests enjoy all of the colourful produce resulting in clean slates/plates.

Blue Brodiaea on the table.

To start Red tomatoes three ways: tart, stuffed with grey sole and soup.

Chris in the kitchen.

To follow Fillet steak, green beans, yellow peppers, truffle oil, hollandaise.

To finish Pink strawberry gratin.

For Laura Robson, in pictures.

Two of the couples who joined us on Friday night had dined at the original Charlie and Evelyn's Table many months ago while three of the couples dining had never experienced our supper club or any supper club before. (I think they're converted!) It made for an great evening, interesting conversations (including sharing the best year of your life to date) and a special guest appearance from our little girl who knows a good party when she hears one. Here are the pictures.

 Pretty peonies on the table.

To welcome Pea and Pecorino toasts.

Tandoori stuffed mushrooms.

To amuse Spiced courgette and coconut soup with orange zest and mint.

To start Crevettes*, new potato and smoked bacon salad.

To follow Salmon* wilted lettuce, cucumber, vine tomato sauce.

To finish Strawberry meringues, strawberry, black pepper ice cream.

*The weather was not in our favour for our fish and seafood focussed menu (sea too choppy, rivers too full) so, instead of Scottish langoustines we had crevettes from French waters and instead of wild salmon we had farmed salmon.