Feeding 13
We had a lovely full house this weekend as our friends (two couples and their five children) came from Wanstead, East London to visit us here in the sticks.
We all had a really happy, relaxed time of it partly because the late November sun shone so we all got lots of hearty country air and exercise, the kids (all under 9 years old) got on fantastically well and enjoyed playing together, we kept the food and booze levels nice and high. Nobody (I hope) had more than a few moments between refreshments.
Now that our chums have left to go home and Bealers and I are sitting in the same breakfast room which saw so much chatting and eating this weekend we are saying that the food we did for the gang is a menu scheme we would do again - essentially hearty British winter stodge which everyone was able to pitch in with helping in the kitchen with preparation. Bealers and I talked on Thursday night about what we would eat and therefore what we needed to make and shop for and we’ve just agreed that it all went to plan - we particularly liked the fact that all the meals were done as a buffet in the kitchen for people to help themselves (or parents to help the little ones) which meant less clearing away afterwards…
Saturday lunch (kids & adults):
- Bread & butter
- Strong cheddar cheese
- Thick slices of ham cooked on the bone
- Quiches
- Cherry tomatoes
- Crisps & dips
- Soup (not really needed)
- Fruit juices (kids)
- Tea (adults)
- Victoria sponge cake
- (should have remembered that we had 8 jars of homemade pickled onions to use at this point but instead had them as h’ors d’oevres later)
[Big Walk]
Saturday tea/supper (kids):
- Pizzas (3 for six children)
- Chocolate upside down sponge pudding & cream
- Fruit & yoghurt
Saturday dinner (grown ups):
- 2 x roast chickens (stuffed with lemon, tarragon & garlic)
- Roast potatoes
- Roast parsnips
- Roast leeks & onions
- Stuffing
- Carrots
- Peas
- Cauliflower & broccoli cheese
- Champagne (thanks guys!)
- (far too full to even entertain the idea of desert - we would have had apricot tart & custard)
Sunday breakfast:
- Cereals
- Toast
- Croissants & pain au chocolat
- COFFEE
- Juice
[Blustery hilly walk]
Sunday brunch/lunch:
- Sausages
- Bacon
- Scrambled eggs
- Baked beans
- Tomatoes
- Brown bread & butter
- Fried potato
- MORE COFFEE
November 27th, 2006 at 7:51 am
Wow, almost queasy with homesickness after hearing about your fab weekend…can I come to your house for roast parsnip and champers when I’m next over please?! And those pictures…how evocative! You can shove as many Aussie beaches at me, but none make me feel like I did when looking at those rolling fields!
love,
lib
xxx
ps I have just fed lots of Phil’s visiting family and agree that buffet is the way to go..especially with lots of fussy kiddies who all like their bread buttered differently etc. And much less stress than formal meals my Mum used to do for ‘visitors’!