Archives for June 2013

Father’s Day

What better gift for dad on Father’s Day than cooking him something special? Get creative in the kitchen to show that special man in your life how much you care.

Spoil him rotten with breakfast in bed, a lunchtime treat or light the barbecue for a laid-back evening.

Today, we share some recipes ideas with you…

Breakfast – Traditional Full English

Father's Day - Full English

What man doesn’t enjoy a big fry-up of sausages, bacon, eggs, toast and butter? This Father’s Day make it a really special treat by serving it to dad in bed with a steaming mug of tea or freshly-squeezed fruit juice.

Lunch – Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Father's Day - Steak

Nothing is more masculine than a juicy grilled steak. Served with a picquant South American sauce comprised of parsley, oregano, garlic and chilli. This mouthwatering meal will leave your dad smiling as he leaves the dinner table. Don’t forget the chips…homemade are always the best!

Dinner – Pizza on the Barbecue

Father's Day - Pizza

If weather permits, lighting the barbecue is a perfect idea for a chilled out alfresco dinner. The traditional trimmings are always a favourite, particularly if you take cooking duty off your father’s hands. But why not try a pizza on the barbecue?

The heat of a hot barbecue is perfect for making pizza, coming in a close second to an Italian pizza oven. Provide a selection of your dad’s favourite toppings and let him create his own pizza masterpiece.

Dessert – Marmalade and Whisky Bread and Butter Pudding

Father's Day - Bread and Butter

Take your dad’s tastebuds back to his school days with this traditional dessert. The marmalade and whisky twist make this the ultimate grown-up comfort food and will be perfect after evening drinks.

So, what are you waiting for? Get creative in the kitchen and show your dad that you appreciate him this June 16th with some tastebud tantalising recipes.

A Lovely Thankyou Note

Following on from the wonderful wedding we catered for this weekend, we received this lovely note…

Vanilla in Allseasons Testimonials - Thanks

“Hello Adam

Both Stuart and I would like to say how wonderful Saturday 8th June was. You and your team made our Daughters wedding day so memorable. From the arrival of the Bride and Groom where Champagne awaited to the arrival of our Old fashioned London Double decker red bus where your team greeted us with trays of cold champagne. The food was amazing and served superbly. Your teams attention to detail was second to none. We would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending you. All our guests were truly impressed and as you judged for yourself all the plates going back into the kitchen area were empty a good testament to your fine skills. Thank you once again. Best regards Pat and Stuart.”

Our team thoroughly enjoyed the day, and we would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved.

A Beautiful Staffordshire Wedding

This weekend we catered for a wonderful wedding.

The stunning 17th century venue, Whitmore Hall, plays host to just four weddings per year. The lucky bride and groom, Nick and Alexis, had a marquee erected in the beautiful grounds.

Vanilla in Allseasons Wedding Catering

Vanilla in Allseasons Wedding Catering Table Flowers

Vanilla in Allseasons Weddings - Flowers and pom poms

We loved the colourful paper pom poms and beautiful fresh flowers. These simple decorations really made the marquee interior look sensational!

We served a huge selection of food for lucky guests! Canapes, starters, mains, desserts, tea and coffee.

Vanilla in Allseasons Wedding Food Tiramisu

Berry Tiramisu with a Hazelnut Praline Zabaglione Foam

Vanilla in Allseasons Wedding Catering Champagne

Champagne flowed all day, alongside a fine selection of wines.

A truly fantastic day was had by all. The sun shone and everyone (including us!) enjoyed the beautiful summers day and the romantic and spectacular occasion.

Vanilla in Allseasons Wedding Catering - guests

A huge congratulations to the newly married, Mr & Mrs Rushgrove.

Going Green

Every now and again, we like to venture out of V in A HQ to sample the culinary skills of others. It’s a great way to gather new ideas and inspirations.

Last night, a few of our team headed along to Greens restaurant in Didsbury to sample some delicious vegetarian food.

Greens Restaurant

Greens Restaurant Interior

Adam has been visiting for years and rather likes to think that he has been instrumental in the success of Simon Rimmer, celebrity chef and owner of Greens restaurant. Simon and James weren’t so keen on the idea of a vegetarian restaurant and discussed where they might go for a burger after the meal.

However, everyone was pleasantly surprised to find the food not only filling but absolutely delicious! We particularly loved the vegetarian black pudding and the deep fried oyster mushrooms. The salsa verde was absolutely amazing and we picked up loads of ideas for clever garnish’s and ingredients.

Greens restaurant Food

Greens Restaurant Food 2

At the end of the meal, James proclaimed that he was stuffed. No burgers necessary!

We can provide all manner of food for your party, wedding or event. Vegetarian, specialist or otherwise. Please feel free to give us a call if you would like to discuss your ideas.

Heaton House Farm

Here at Vanilla in Allseasons, we pride ourselves on working with some of the most bespoke wedding venues in the country. Heaton House Farm is an award winning barn wedding venue that blends rustic charm with a contemporary, modern finish.

Heaton House Farm

It is a 165 acre working farm, set on the borders of Cheshire and Staffordshire, which harbours stunning views of the English countryside. Originally a doctor’s surgery back in 1824, it developed into a farm and has been owned by the Heath family for hundreds of years.

Heaton House Farm - Jonny Draper
Photo Credit: Jonny Draper Photography

The Heaths have been running events within the local community at Heaton House Farm for 24 years and have been hosting weddings and other events for the last fourteen.

Heaton House Farm - Skybow

Heaton House Farm - Segway

As well as the breathtaking views, Heaton House Farm has an array of activities to keep you and your guests occupied including the Segway Safari and SkyBow.

Heaton House Farm - Bridal Prep

You get priority of the onsite bedrooms in its farm buildings for wedding guests. One of the light, luxurious rooms is the bridal preparation room that has a glamorous interior where the bridal party can get ready in style. This later transforms into the honeymoon suite.

Heaton House Farm - Bridal Suite

Currently under development is the old milking parlour that is being transformed into new accommodation, which will sleep up to 30 guests.

Packages are available with venue booking, for more information you can contact us or Heaton House Farm.

Grilled Watermelon Salad with Cherry Tomatoes & Charred Beets

Summer days call for special salads. Why not try something a little different?

Watermelon Salad

Wrap whole beetroot individually in foil. Set on a baking sheet and roast in oven for 1 hour. Unwrap beetroot and cool to room temperature. Peel and quarter.

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Drop tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds, then quickly drain and rinse with cold water. Slip the skins off the tomatoes, leaving tomatoes whole.

Brush watermelon pieces with Clippys Apple, Redcurrant & Chilli Jelly. Set pieces jelly-side down on hot griddle pan or grill for 2 minutes, or until lightly charred. At the same time, set beet quarters on griddle or grill for 2 minutes.

To serve the salad, place two slices of watermelon on each plate. Top with grilled beets and tomatoes. Scatter goat cheese and pea shoots over the salad, then drizzle with sherry vinaigrette. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of : www.minnesotamonthly.com

A Fabulous Fairground Wedding!

Here at Vanilla in Allseasons, we cater for all manner of events and over the years we have seen some wild and wonderful ideas. This weekend, our team had a fantastic time this weekend at a truly unique and spectacular wedding.

We headed up into the hills in the beautiful surroundings of a private house in Rushton Spencer where we set up a bar and served drinks to the lucky guests.

Vanilla in Allseasons wedding bar service

Vanilla in Allseasons Fairground Wedding

This was a wedding with a difference! We could barely believe our eyes when we saw a beautiful carousel for the guests to use!

Vanilla in Allseasons - Carousel

Guests could also have their photograph taken a full sized bear statue, hook a bottle or win a prize at the coconut shy! There were lots of games and a traditional ice cream stand.

Vanilla in Allseasons Fairground Wedding

Vanilla in Allseasons Fairground Wedding

It was such a fun and fabulous day. The sun shone, the bride and groom looked fantastic and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Vanilla in Allseasons - Fairground Wedding Catering

We can provide bar and catering services for all events. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

Photo’s provided by Chelsea Shoesmith.

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