We are gearing up for the 2012 wedding season this summer. We have had numerous enquiries for weddings to be held in barns and fields (the remoter the better it seems!). It seems that couples are looking for something a little bit different this year. We are great believers that, with a little effort, you can make any place look amazing. For example, our daughter is getting married in March in Canada of all places! However, they are coming back home a couple of weeks after and we are arranging a party for them over here. We have just booked a village hall (Scotby to be precise) and are going to make it look amazing. Our plan is to take all the curtains down and drape ivory voile in the main hall to make it look like the inside of a marquee. We have hired nice chairs and round tables which we will decorate with lovely flowers. With subtle lighting and carpet down it will look stunning and not at all like a village hall. All in all this is a much cheaper option than hiring a marquee. We will post some pictures after the event in April. In the meantime, we have attached some photos we had taken of some savoury and sweet canapes, just to give you a taster of what we offer.
Here are some pictures from another wedding we catered for at the Tithe Barn. Again you will see how the Tithe Barn can be transformed by a couple’s personal touch. Fraser and Ashley went for a beautiful lilac theme with chair covers which looked amazing. These pictures also really show the beautful chandeliers, which the Tithe Barn recently purchased, in all their glory. Thank you Fraser and Ashley for letting me have some of your photographs.
Book now for a Beaujolais Nouveau evening in your own home. We are offering the menu below over three nights (Thursday 17th, Friday 18th and Saturday 19th November 2011) to celebrate the arrival of the new Beaujolais. (Minimum number per booking – 10 people). We will do everything, from shopping; preparation; cooking; serving and clearing away. We even lay the table for you. All you have to do is spend time with your guests, enjoy yourself and have a stress free evening.
History of Beaujolais Nouveau
At one minute past midnight on the third Thursday in November, from vineyards in villages and towns of the region, over a million cases of Beaujolais Nouveau begin their journey to Paris for immediate shipment to all corners of the world. A fresh, light red wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region, it is the most popular vin de primeur (‘early product wine’) fermented for just a few weeks, then – by French law – only released for sale on the third Thursday. On this day the producers race each other to get the first bottles to market and the news is proclaimed: Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! “The New Beaujolais has arrived!”
Starters
French Onion Soup with melted Gruyere crostini
Lyonnaise Salad
Main Course
Fillets of Sole Veronique
Coq au Vin
served with potatoes and vegetables
Puddings
Pear Tarte Tatin
Creme Brulee
French cheeseboard
Ground Coffee
Half bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau per person
£40 per person
Sorry to boast, but we have just returned from two glorious weeks in Tuscany where we did nothing but read, paint (not that I am very good) and enjoy the Chianti. I love Italy, apart from the roads which are not good for my travel sickness. One of things I love more than ever if their use of pasta. For example, take Spaghetti Bolognese where we tend to just use readymade jars with all kinds of ingredients in. I once saw a cooker programme where an Italian Chef was asked why Spaghetti Bolognaise tasted so different in Italy to that she had tried in England. He said that we do it all wrong here in England. All you do is take equal parts veal mince and pork mince (or you could use good quality beef mince if you do not want to use veal mince), add fresh tomatoes (or good quality tinned tomatoes) season and then simmer it for three or four hours. That is it; no herbs or garlic, it is all in the length of the cooking. I have tried this on numerous occasions and it is wonderful and so authentic. The pictures are of me and Ian enjoying this meal in the beautiful mountain village of Gombitelli near Lucca.
Well, it is that time of year again when I am given barrels full of apples by friends and family. They come in all shapes and sizes and do not look the prettiest of apples but they are too good to disgard. I, therefore, normally set about finding recipes which can transform these misshapen apples into something worth eating. One of my favourite things is making jellies. They are time consuming and messy, but are really worth all the effort. My all time favourite is a hot apple and chilli jelly which goes wonderfully with hams and cheeses. It also goes extremely well in sauces to give them that extra sweetness with a bite. Another favourite is my apple and cranberry chutney. This is delicious and tastes wonderful on a cheese and rocket sandwich. I love the colours of these preserves and want to experiment with some more, for instance I am going to try a Hot Kiwi and Lime Jelly which I am hoping will be a vibrant green colour. (Watch this space). I do believe that the look of something is very important and therefore do not use any preservatives or colourings as we have enough colours and flavours in nature. If you would like to try any of my preserves please contact me at contact@pinkleafcatering.co.uk. They cost just £3.50 per jar plus postage costs
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Here are some pictures from a wedding we catered for at the Tithe Barn in July. We have done a number of weddings at the Tithe Barn and each couple put their own mark on it. Mark and Louise opted for a vintage theme and had lots of beautiful flower arrangements set up by the wonderful Brenda at Gardenalia. You can check her website at www.gardenalia.net Another fantastic wedding which was enjoyed by all.
We love catering for dinner parties in people’s homes. They are so intimate and, although we give every event our full attention, we have even more time to give of our best at a dinner party. We do everything, from shopping; preparation; cooking; serving and clearing away. We even lay the table for you. All you have to do is spend time with your guests, enjoy yourself and have a stress free evening. You don’t even have to argue who is going to drive! What could be better? We have attached a picture showing how you can turn your every day table into something special without much fuss and without it costing a fortune. Something to think about!
The photographer at the wedding at Knipe Hall has very kindly sent me some photos that she took of the table and room set up. As I cannot choose which ones to put on I have decided to put them all on for you to see. The photographer’s details are
Christina Savage Photography
Specialising in wedding photography and children’s
lifestyle portraits. Covering the Northampton and Milton Keynes area.
www.christinasavage.co.uk
www.christinasavageportraits.co.uk
Find me on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christina-Savage-Photography/125801740791621?ref=hnav
07984 233 336
Last month we catered for a fabulous wedding at a place called Knipe Hall, which is near Penrith, Cumbria. This place is in the middle of nowhere, so if you want a rustic wedding off the beaten track then this is the place to go. The barn was lined with a marquee liner and again the couple went for a vintage/dairy room theme. Many of the guests camped in the field next door; they really did know how to party. The bride kindly sent me a couple of pictures of the tables showing some of my vintage crockery. The flowers and decorations on the table were done by the bride and her mother, again showing that you do not have to spend a fortune to make it look amazing. Another fantastic wedding.
There are some amazing venues for weddings here in Cumbria; in fact we are spoilt for choice. For example, we recently catered for a wedding at a place called Underley Grange near Kirkby Lonsdale. The couple hired the Underley for the weekend for themselves, family and friends. It was such a relaxed affair with plenty of space for children. There is an outdoor swimming pool and hot tub. We attach some photos of Underley Grange together with some pictures of the table settings on the day of the wedding. The photographer, Mark Steeples kindly sent us some photos to use. His amazing website can be found at www.mscapeimages.com Everyone had a wonderful time and fortunately the weather held out for us on the big day.
