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Archives for February 2013

Afternoon Tea

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There is something ultimately decadent about a luxurious afternoon tea. Cucumber sandwiches, delicate cakes, scones with clotted cream and jam, fine teas and an icy glass of fizz, high tea is truly a British institution.

Afternoon tea tiered plates

A high tea works perfectly as a food option for a wedding, hen party or baby shower and adds a special touch to any event.

Afternoon tea Vanilla teacup cake

Afternoon tea sourdough bites

Here at Vanilla in Allseasons, we provide afternoon tea for all manner of occasions. We can adapt the menu to suit your tastes and requirements.

afternoon tea stacked teacups

afternoon tea - scones

Just imagine it, elegant tiered plates filled with delicate delights. What could be more chic?

Please feel free to contact us for more details.

Food: The Only Way to a Heart – Part Two

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In part one, we looked after the culinary needs for your perfect romantic night in.

In today’s post, we offer ideas to give your setting the look of love…

Spread the Love

Vanilla Valentines - Table Setting

Valentine’s Day might be filled with red but don’t scare your date off by overusing the colour of passion. Instead, use a crisp white table cloth and accessorise it with red. A candle centre piece will create a seductive glow whilst you stare lovingly into each other’s eyes.

Vanilla Valentines - Place Setting

The subtle inclusion of red against the crisp white will have their heart beating when they walk through the door. If you’ve given flowers as a gift then don’t include them on the table; as much as it’s a nice touch don’t go overboard on the flora and fauna!

Give it that Loving Touch

Vanilla Valentines - Candle Decorations

Candles are a firm favourite for Valentine’s Day celebrations; they lend a soft light to a room or table, creating a romantic atmosphere. Plain white can be a bore, so get creative with your candle displays.

Vanilla Valentines - Floating Candles

Fill a small glass dish with water and set numerous tea lights floating. Add some rose petals or their favourite flower to give it that romantic and personal touch. Or if you’re feeling particularly creative, get crafty and personalise some larger candles with hearts and patterns.

If Music be the Food of Love, Play on

Vanilla Valentines - Mix Tape

Don’t just pop on the radio or television for background noise. Make your dinner stand out by creating a playlist or mix tape. Have songs that trigger happy memories of that first meeting or first date playing whilst you enjoy your fantastic food.

If you’re just starting out and trying to impress them, check out the choices on offer by The Guardian. It may be a good idea to steer clear of the cheese or any songs that contain the words “I wanna sleep with you”. This could be considered a little forward!

Let us know what plans you have for Valentine’s Day and what you’ve got planned for that special someone.

We’d love to hear from you!

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Food: The Only Way to a Heart

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The romantic season is upon us. Restaurants are hiking up their prices whilst people clamour to get tables in the overcrowded eateries.

So why not treat your beloved to a romantic, intimate night in?

Vanilla Valentines - LOVE

Don’t pay an arm and a leg on showing that special someone how much they mean to you. Stay in and impress them with your culinary talents.

Continue reading and we’ll show you how it’s done…

Valentine’s Dinner for Two

Pre-dinner Drinks – La Vie En Rose

Vanilla Valentines Meal Drinks

Why not offer up a light and bubbly champagne cocktail whilst they wait for dinner? As well as loosening inhibitions, impress them with your language skills as you pronounce this French classic, La Vie En Rose (life in pink).

The Starter – Oysters Kilpatrick

Vanilla Valentines Meal - Oysters

This classic dish is thought to be quite complicated to prepare. However, it’s actually really simple to create. Rather than paying the increased price in restaurants, give it a go yourself. If you’re a beginner then this recipe that offers a twist to the aphrodisiac will have them eating out of the palm of your hands…quite literally.

The Main Course – Steak with Skinny Sweet Potatoes Fries

Vanilla valentines meal - Steak

Provide your red-blooded lover with a red-blooded meal. Nothing shows impressive cooking skills more than making that perfect steak. The combination of the sweet potato fries offers a healthy option. It means you won’t be breaking the diet you promised to keep in the New Year. Also, the surf and turf combination of starter and main will leave their taste buds tingling.

The Dessert – Chocolate Cake

Vanilla valentines meal - Cake

Another romantic favourite is chocolate. Why not create this light chocolate cake from Channel 4’s, The Famous Baker Brothers? A little bit of sweetness for your sweetheart will help to show ‘the One’ how much you care.

Check back tomorrow for tips on creating that romantic atmosphere for your beloved.

Event Food Trends for 2013

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With January out of the way and Christmas recovery finally over, we are looking ahead to all the upcoming weddings and events.

Today, we round up some interesting food trends that we think you’ll be seeing a lot more of over the coming year.

Personalised Cocktails

Whether rich and creamy or fruity and refreshing, cocktails are always a welcome addition to any party, wedding or event.

Try selecting your favourite recipe to inject personality into your event. You could try ‘his and hers’ cocktails, a drink that you had on your first date or a seasonal fruit.

Food Stations

In recent years, we have seen an increased demand for ‘food bars’. From wraps to tacos, fresh salad bars and delicious hog roasts, this more casual approach is increasing in popularity.

Pie Pops

Cupcakes, whoopie pies and cake pops have all taken their turn in the spotlight over previous years. This year, it’s the pie pop! This cute and stylish option makes for fantastic favours and evening nibbles.

Mini Foods

If you follow our social pages, you may have noticed our slight obsession with mini foods! This year, they are more popular than ever. Accompanied by mini drinks, who could possibly resist?

We’d love to hear your event food requests and ideas, feel free to contact us. We’ll be happy to discuss your requirements.

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