Chewing It Over

Phase 2 of wedding planning appears to be "the suppliers". So far we're finding it hard to do any research during the week, and hard to make any decisions at the weekend - so we've booked a week off work, made loads of appointments and hope to come away from the week with lots of things sorted, or at least more advanced than now.

Not all of the appointments could be made to fit into that week, so this morning we were out discussing Wedding cake.

Poor lady, I'm not sure she knew what hit her ...

Well it was the first one of these that we've done, so we didn't really know what to come prepared with. We were hoping that she would tell us a bit about what she did and spend some time discussing options. It didn't quite go to plan. I think that she was hoping that we were a bit more advanced in thinking what we wanted - whatever question we asked or suggestion we mooted she suggested wouldn't be a problem ... after about 2 minutes we'd run out of things to talk about!

Then it was just a case of making conversation while eating cake ... such a hardship!

A Little Taste Of Heaven

I'm probably quite hard to buy presents for. Outside of work I don't have any particular hobbies, and to be honest not much time to pursue them even if I did.

So you can imagine how impressed and pleased I was when Frances thought outside the box, and arranged a weekend cookery course with the Ashburton Cookery School down in Devon.

Not only was it a really relaxing weekend get-away in the beautiful Devon countryside; but I learned a huge amount, had so much fun and spent most of the time eating something wonderful!

The course was called "Express Dinner Party".

On the Saturday we made:

• Lunch:
• Pan-fried Duck Breast, with Cranberry Sauce

• Canapés:
• Tapenade Palmiers
• Marinated Pork, Courgette and Baby Corn Kebabs
• Butternut Squash Veloute
• Herb Breaded Mussels

Breaded Mussels, Pork Kebabs and Tapenade Palmiers

• Main Course:
• Salmon Parcel, stuffed with Anchovies, Olives & Sundried Tomatoes
• Desert:
• Chocolate Mousse, with Orange Segments in Cointreau and Chocolate decorations

Chocolate Mousse with Frances's Amazing Decorations!

Then on Sunday:

• To Start:
• Skate, in Black Butter, with Capers and Parsley

• Middle Course:
• Pan-Fried Scallops, Aubergine Cavier, Quail's Egg

Scallops & Quail's Egg (I broke my egg - sadness!)

• Main Course:
• Fillet Steak, Griddled Baby Vegetables, Wasabi Mash and Grain Mustard Sauce

Action Shot: Griddling Veg

• Dessert:
• Plum Clafoutis
• Tuile Biscuits 

Frances got the hang of these. I attempted a bunny - it didn't end well ...

And the best part of all?

Someone else did all of the washing up! Bliss.

Fin.