Sometimes you just have to stop prevaricating and just do it! This is what happened with the Supper Club. I was as excited about hosting my supper club as I was nervous about actually doing it! In the end, I chose the second to last Saturday in November to go for it. I hand invited eight guests who I knew well, were into their food, would be supportive but also would not be afraid in letting me know honestly how things were going / had went. I knew all of them, they didn’t know each other so it was as I would hope a Flavour Supper Club gathering would be!
I decided upon the menu to focus on seasonality. Although summer is always thought of as the season of abundance, I personally prefer the Autumn/Winter season for food, especially for vegetables and this was what I wanted to show case. I sourced my meat from M J O’Neill’s in Clonakilty, my fish from Glenmar Shellfish in Union Hall, my fruit and veg from Devoy’s Organic Farm in Rosscarbery, local cheeses and of course Clonakilty Chocolate with pre-dinner nibbles from The Real Olive Co. The menu looked like this:
Rhubarb Kir Royal (Rhubard Syrup from WILD About in Wexford)
Sun-blushed tomatoes and a selection of olives and peppers from the Real Olive Co.
Spiced Parsnip Soup with Maple Glazed Parsnip Crisps and homemade brown bread scones.
Side of Union Hall Salmon home-cured Gravadlax style with beetroot, fennel bulb and fennel herb and grappa served with Inchydony Recipe Walnut and Treacle Bread.
Rib Roast of West Cork Beef, served with duck fat roast potatoes, Kale puree, sauteed chestnut mushrooms and a red wine and meadowsweet jus (Meadowsweet pot from The Wild Irish Foragers and Preservers in Co Limerick)
Lightly spiced poached pear and frangipane tart, with Clonakilty Chocolate ganache and home made salted caramel ice-cream.
Tea and Coffee served with a selection of west cork cheeses and crackers, with local chutneys and quince.
Wines were provided by the guests on a BYO basis.
Plates were cleaned, bellies were full to bursting and the chatter was non-stop: about food, about vocations, about future plans. With such a mixture of people around the table, there was never a dull moment with plenty of good humour and banter. Typically, I forgot to take pictures of the finished articles presented, but below are some photo’s taken of the process which might help to give you an insight into the final dishes!
A Supper Club would not be the same without fabulous guests and so I can only thank everyone for being my guests and for whole-heartedly endorsing the food presented. Plenty of times I was asked when the next one will be held. I have decided early February 2015. I am currently busy planning my menu which will be around savoury cooking with chocolate – given the proximity to Valentines Day I felt this would be a good thing to do to celebrate love and chocolate; love of chocolate and also to showcase the wonderful chocolate that is hand made from bean-to-bar right here in Clonakilty by Clonakilty Chocolate!
Keep checking back on the page for the date and menu, and don’t foget to visit the Membership Page to download the Membership Application Form and Information Booklet.
Brown Bread Scones for the Soup; Walnut and Treacle Bread for the Salmon.
Preparing the Salmon – peeling away the cure…
Kale Puree – beautiful flavour and a great colour to pop against the beef!
Fresh homemade Horseradish sauce for the meat course.
The First Ever Flavour.ie Supper Club – Eight Happy and Hungry Guests, just before dinner!
The Star of the Show – beautiful Rib Roast of West Cork Beef from MJ O’Neill’s Butchers in Clonakilty!
With full bellies and still smiling after the fifth and final course! Thank you to my lovely guests!
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