… no theatre trips, no culture or fashion – just some truly delicious experiences to share with you
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A Celebration of Spring at RHS Wisley
We were recently treated to something rather special by our lovely neighbours, Andy and Hilary, who are members of the RHS. They invited us to join them to Wisley’s very first dining club evening – how lucky were we?
A crisp, clear early April evening, the sky still a beautiful blue at 6pm. The gardens had closed, the visitors had gone home, and we were welcomed with a glass of Wisley sparkling wine before being taken on a private tour in small groups. It was quite magical having the gardens almost entirely to ourselves – no crowds, no noise, just the birds singing and the occasional goose flying overhead, and our guide sharing fascinating snippets along the way. And the tulips – all 100,000 of them, standing to attention looking absolutely stunning.
Then came the highlight – the food! The evening was hosted by MasterChef, The Professionals winner Steve Groves, alongside a team of incredibly talented chefs. Each course celebrated the very earliest flavours of spring and the chefs introduced every dish themselves, which made it even more special.
We enjoyed delicate canapes featuring egg, truffle and caviar, followed by hand-dived scallops with coral and lovage, a refreshing iced watermelon dish and beautifully cooked Surrey lamb with green sauce, pine and spelt. Dessert was unforgettable – meringue shards with poached rhubarb and apple blossom, finishing with local cheese, honey and pollen.
As a lovely extra touch, the chefs joined us afterwards, sharing tips and answering questions. To finish, a surprise – we were sent home with the recipe for the scallop dish and some seasonal gardening advice.
The dining club will take place each month on the first Thursday – highly recommended!
Theo Randall’s Cucina Italiana @ The Intercontinental, No 1 Park Lane
I have long admired Theo Randall and his relaxed, simple, uncomplicated style of Italian cooking. So a lunch at his place was a very special treat with one of my oldest mates Jos! The setting itself felt wonderfully grand, with its prestigious address and even the nearby Waitrose looking rather elegant with pillars and beautiful floral displays. The estate agents’ windows weren’t too shabby either, with flats going for around £17 million!
We opted for the regional tasting menu with paired wines at £85pp (worth every single penny), which Theo changes regularly to showcase different regions in Italy. It began with a glass of prosecco along with the most delicious focaccia and bruschetta topped with incredibly sweet and tasty tomatoes.
Antipasto was a celebration of fresh flavours – new season asparagus, pesto, buffalo mozzarella, farinata (chickpea pancake) and pecorino, paired with a lovely white wine from Liguria (sooo delicious). Then came a beautiful pasta dish – half moon shapes filled with greens, and ricotta, served with a rich Italian sausage and mushroom sauce. The main was roasted lamb rump with potatoes, leeks, jus and salsa verde, followed by a dreamy dessert of Genovese sponge with maraschino, zabaglione cream and fresh raspberries.
And then …… the unexpected highlight! The man himself was there … actually cooking!! He popped out of the kitchen to chat to another table.
Feeling bold (and after a couple of glasses of wine) I asked if there was any chance he might pop out again to see us. The answer was no BUT the waiter said “you are very welcome to come into the kitchen to meet him” What an absolute treat! A “WOW moment!
The whole experience was dreamy and has filled me with ideas and inspiration for my upcoming Italian evening in July! I just wished I had invited him!! In the meantime, I am saving up to go back to attend one of his Masterclasses later in the year.
Reunion Lunch – Celebrating 40 years
Finally, a slightly different but equally special gathering – a celebration of 40 years of friendship!
We all first met back in 1985 at “Aquability Bump” classes at the Kings Centre swimming pool in East Grinstead, each of us expecting our first baby in 1986. Over the years, life took some of us in different directions but seven of us have stayed in touch and we finally gathered again for a long-overdue catch up at the end of March.
It was as if no time had passed at all! Naturally the conversation began with light-hearted discussions about aches & pains, replacement parts and the medications we were on (or not on) but quickly turned to sharing stories about our children – and even more so, our grandchildren and our grandparent duties! The best news of all, one of us is about to become a great grandmother!!
It was a wonderful afternoon filled with laughter, memories and a lovely buffet and a glass or two of wine. Roll on the next one.
DATES FOR YOUR DAIRIES
YOGA & LUNCH
in the garden – Sunday 28th June
ITALIAN EVENING
Saturday 11th July (fully booked)
(although I do have a reserve list if you are interested)
If you would like any more information about the above events or would like to join us, please get in touch – 07719 624429
If you have an occasion coming up and would like to celebrate in style please do get in touch.
Come and have a cuppa, look at the space and discuss ideas.
Brunch, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Supper – formal or informal – inside or out.
Can also accommodate small, local corporates for away days.
To finish, I’d like to leave you with these lovely words from Dorinda who lives in Ashurstwood. She and her husband, Roger came to lunch recently …
“As you know, we have eaten in many restaurants and love discovering new experiences. Lunch yesterday was absolutely wonderful – hard to find the right words really. Outstanding, and certainly on par, if not better, than some Michelin restaurants we have visited in France …..
😊😎🌞