Pool party wedding celebration in Coughton, Worcestershire

Well this beats being indoors in a hotel conference room!

Mr Burns hard at work on the canapes......

A swimming pool at a wedding always gives it a much more informal atmosphere. We often do weddings were there is a pool in the background and after the meal guests take to the waters - much more informal and fun! This time the pool was centre stage. Just so lucky the sun favoured us - rain the day before and the day after - but this day was perfect.  

Whole lamb roast. Everyone loves watching & smelling it cooking & being carved - cravings!

Banter around the lamb roast with the father of the bride and guests - it never fails to draw people in. Another family from Africa were telling me all about a bison roast on an open fire - sounds epic!

Greek salad - a classic with lamb. Earlier that week I had called over to my Mum's house (take over a bunch of receipts - VAT time....) so picked some fresh oregano to go on the top of this salad - makes all the difference. The oregano plant is probably older than me. Thought I'd killed it one winter when I cut it right back - but they're hardy things. Also great to add to the barbecue to add flavour to what you're cooking.

Grandma of the bride and (I am assuming) Aunty. Cheers!

Salads went down well - I think people get the same kind of food at every event the go to. We like to try different things
Israeli cous cous salad always goes down well - not everyone has had the larger grain variety. The butternut squash salad is always a hit too - withcourgette carpaccio replacing feta as they had greek salad . We also served dauphinoise potato and Beetroot, rocket, fennel, radish and apple salad with cider vinaigrette  - what a feast!

Trio of desserts in the twlight
Shotglass of rhubarb jelly topped with custard, Grilled caramelised pineapple with homemade malibu ice cream & mini chocolate torte with white chocolate ganache and berries. 

The rhubarb shotglass was something we came up when we first met up back in March. We topped the jelly with some of the rhubarb compote left from making the jelly then spooned custard on top. So it's rhubarb and custard, but not as you've had it before!

From the mother of the bride......

Dear James

Thank you so very much for the fantastic catering you provided for our pool-side safari party last weekend to celebrate the wedding of our daughter and son-in-law in Zambia earlier in the year.  Every guest without exception remarked on the food and how wonderful it was to have something really different, and which looked and tasted so amazing.  And you achieved all that on our limited budget too!

The whole lamb roast was a huge success, and the canapes, salads and desserts were just perfect for the summer's evening event - you even managed to produce the sun at the important time!  It amazed us that you were able to do so much in such a confined space, yet when we returned to the kitchen after the party it was spotlessly clean and tidy.  Your assistants set the tables to our requirements, and quietly and efficiently served and cleared throughout the evening.

We had sampled your food at the wedding of friends about 18 months ago, and our high expectations were certainly matched, and exceeded, by the food you suggested and provided for our event.  We loved the idea that everything was so fresh and local, and really enjoyed eating up the minimal leftovers the following day!

Thank you to the whole BofB team for their hard work, which made our celebration so enjoyable - we were able to relax and join in the party knowing that the catering was totally under control.  And a special thank you to you, James, for masterminding the whole operation, suggesting food to fit in with our ideas without running away with our budget, and being so flexible in the pre-event meetings to fit in with our availability.  We will certainly recommend you whenever we can, and are already looking forward to the day we can plan another party and use your services again!.

Best wishes - Diane G
3 August 2013

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Dinner party cooked in the home, Broadway, Worcestershire

I had been looking forward to this one since I met with the hosts a couple of months ago to discuss details. Always good to try out new things.I had seen their house being built years ago - the Cotswold Way up to Broadway tower runs accross the field behind the house that they look out on - and it is prime dog walking territory. As kitchens go this is one awesome view from the kitchen window - certainly not one you get in restaurant/ hotel kitchens.

Canapés

Roast beef with horseradish on parmesan shortbread

Asparagus on baked new potatoes with smoked trout mousse

Japanese spoon of pea puree and grilled ham

Palmiers

Menu

Homemade thyme bread rolls

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Open ravioli of cod, asparagus and mozzarella gratinated with parmesan, wild nettle pesto – fish course size

I sealed the cod on the grill pan before we left (smoke created sets off smoke alarms at venues otherwise). I topped this with mozzerlla and then could just finish it in the aga. Asparagus from Bangrove Farm between Tewkesbury and Broadway was roasted in the aga. Once cooked I then heated the lasagne sheets in the oven to melt the parmesan on top then finished with a blow torch. [they need to be on a baking mat to lift them off and if you put this under the grill it would catch fire]. The nettles I had picked between ironing tablecloths and picking up the van - busy day.

6 Hour cooked shoulder of Home Farm lamb with roasted lamb cutlet served with leek stuffed fondant potato, steamed kale, broad beans and balsamic jus

Someone's stolen the middle of my fondant potatoes!

Well it's something different with my ever popular fondant potatoes. I cut these, out, stuffed with cooked leek and replaced a small disc of the fondant potato on top. Once heated they seal up.

I had done the shoulder with roasted saddle for a wedding of 120 a couple of years ago, and thought it was time for a revival - it does make quite a special dish.

They had asked for broad beans in particular. Overall quite a very suitable spring dish.

Trio of shotglass desserts:

Lemon meringue pie

Rhubarb and rosewater jelly

Eton Mess

And then our discussion the couple of months before had turned to dessert. They had loved the look of the assiette of desserts and we discussed all the different variations before coming up with this idea together. "They won't be expecting that" the host had said.

Lemon meringue pie - Biscuit crumbs, lemon tart filling and italian meringue on top glazed with the blow torch. I had been meaning to get round to making Italian meringue for years. Couldn't believe how easy it was - will definitely be doing it again.

Rhubarb and roswater jelly - rhubarb poached with sugar. Drain poaching liquor through a jelly bag and set with gelatine. Some of the reserved rhubarb pulp went on top of the jelly.

Eton mess - Strawberries & raspberries with raspberry coulis with vanilla creme chatilly on top and crushed meringue on top of this.

Great fun to make.

Coffee, tea and homemade fudge (crumbly)

The host had asked for fudge to go with the coffee but requested a crumbly variety rather than soft version. I had always meant to get round to making tablet as well. I remember nana bringing some back from one of her WI sales and I was hooked. Used this recipe. It needs quite a bit of 'testing'. Well that was my excuse.


Well this saved sweeping and mopping the floor.......

Breakfast Delivery

Greek yogurt with apple and berry compote

Eggs Benedict - Homemade English muffins with Home Farm bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise

After a quick power nap it was back to the kitchen to bake muffins, poach Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs and make hollandaise for breakfast. There is no breakfast dish that says Sunday more than eggs benedict.

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