The Pig Farm

Due to the surprise of this event, I don't have any photos of the canapes etc which is a shame!

The guests were sent an invite which was a piece of cardboard with the writing:

'Please come for lunch at my house, 1pm. Bring wellies and £10 for fireworks, Hannah xx'

When they arrived I gave them bubbly poured out of a Thermos flask and into a mug. I served canapes of olives, smoked salmon and roasted beetroot skewers and confit pork belly with apple puree and caper berries all on cardboard. My guests were very suspicious about the presentation but just figured it was me being strange. I then announced that the final guest was unable to make it as she was sick and so I had packed up all the food and we were going to her house for lunch instead. I shuffled them all out of the house and put them in a taxi and I drove my car full to the brim of equipment!

We arrived at the pig farm [with interrupting phone calls from the guests in the taxi asking where we were going] and Helen and Paul greeted us with disposable overalls for us all to wear. I'd asked them to man the fire whilst I entertained the guests at home, we didn't want any piglets jumping in it! 

I'd set up an MOD mess tent for the dining room, a gazebo for my kitchen and a wind break for the toilet. It was a fully functioning flushing jobby complete with nude calender in true farm style! Needless to say the boys loved it!

Continuing with the farm theme, starter was served up in a lunch box. Pork pie, pickled mushrooms and celeriac remoulade.

Main course was cooked on the fire, slow roasted lamb shank with vegetables all wrapped up in individual foil parcels [except one that was half in greaseproof due to running out of foil and caused an almighty fire...]

I then gave the guests a bit of a talk about the pigs and the farm and we went to play with the little ones, it was only fair as they'd been running around our feet all day and their siblings had fed us our starter!

Dessert was no where near as good as intended. Flavour was great but presentation was shocking in my opinion! The compote had puff pastry crisps to accompany but I left those at home [it's difficult cooking in  your mum's house and trying to remember what you actually need to take to a farm for a three course meal!] I'd set the panna cotta the wrong moulds and the chocolate wasn't tempered and ran away! But this is what it looked like anyway! Hot chocolate soup, chocolate toffee apples, white chocolate panna cotta and fruit compote [the latter was made by my sister!] 

I served it on wooden boards that I got my brother to make from a horse chestnut but at last minute was concerned I hadn't treated the wood properly and so used greaseproof squares for the food with direct contact, looked rubbish!

We finished the night with mulled cider to warm the souls! Then watched some awesome fireworks down by the ponds of the farm. Great night! And definitely surprised the guests! 

With thanks to:
Becci Roberts
Tom Roberts
Susannah Roberts [it was quite the family event!]
Aime Newell
Helen McKenzie
Paul Avery
Chris Beck
Dingley Dell Pork
And probably some other people I've forgotten!