Prologue: an abridged version events
Student 1: “How about we turn the cookery school dining room into a magical forest, and invite 70 members of the public along to a Midsummer Night’s Dream Feast themed three course pop-up dinner, sourcing the food almost entirely from the school farm, in two weeks time?”
Everyone else: “Yeah, why not? YOBO.” (You Only Ballymaloe Once. Yes, that’s a thing we need to abbreviate).
Exit, pursued by a bear.
Act 1, Scene 1: Drinks
Sarah’s rose petal champagne ice bowl. Red berry sorbet and pink dusting waiting in glasses for the sparkling wine.
Our menus… and Puck (Prateek), practicing his cute face and Shawnie, actually being cute.
Son’s Vietnamese spring rolls (see recipe here!)
Act 2: Scene 1: The dinner
Getting ready…
John Pollard’s famous potato bread. Slow roasted shoulder of lamb with carrot puree
Feta cheese cake with raspberry spuma, chocolate soil and Pam’s meringue shards
Act 2: Scene 2 – The confectionery competition. Everyone won.
The final scene: closing soliloquies and the curtain call
Encore… Laura singing an Irish folk song.
Everyone burst into tears. The end.
What I learned this week: Put 32 heads together, and it’ll be alright on the night.
Photos by Tim Allen, Pixie Iuel, Sarah Simpson and me!
