Sunday, a day of rest and roast beef! That is if you’re not cooking it...what a weekend to finish a whacker of a week! A mere two thousand or so plates of beautiful food were served to some very happy guests this week, great fun!
It was Friday morning and I had a saint on my board (well at least the French named it after a saint) which was a beautiful John Dory for the Martin family’s Tasting Menu. But it was Friday morning, so no time to dwell on beautiful dead fish...well not much time anyway.
Friday's fish mountain was finished and before I could say “Sammar my Angel, could you do the ice bags”, the weekend's game was arriving...and we’re not talking monopoly! We've got 12 brace of partridge, 6 of mallard and two saddles of Salisbury venison - cheers David, spot on.
It’s funny, but no-one ever seems to keen to volunteer for liver duties, I wonder why?? Jacob and I knocked through the partridges in no time and the venison loins were already sitting pretty in the red wine marinade, so it was just the mallards to finish. “Must remember to keep one whole, must remember to keep one whole”... Mr. Martin had asked for some game to be included in the menu, so a well seasoned mallard crown went into a sous vide bag, followed by a load of foie gras fat. The bag was then sealed and the bird was poached 'slow and low'. Craig poached some beautiful little baby pears in a light syrup, spiced with cinnamon, clove and cardamom, which we will serve with the mallard on Saturday night.
It’s funny, but no-one ever seems to keen to volunteer for liver duties, I wonder why?? Jacob and I knocked through the partridges in no time and the venison loins were already sitting pretty in the red wine marinade, so it was just the mallards to finish. “Must remember to keep one whole, must remember to keep one whole”... Mr. Martin had asked for some game to be included in the menu, so a well seasoned mallard crown went into a sous vide bag, followed by a load of foie gras fat. The bag was then sealed and the bird was poached 'slow and low'. Craig poached some beautiful little baby pears in a light syrup, spiced with cinnamon, clove and cardamom, which we will serve with the mallard on Saturday night.
Friday’s lunch service was long and busy; with salt beef raviolo’s leaving for table 6 and club sandwiches leaving for the lounge 4. Not sure what happened to Friday afternoon as before I knew it we were in the middle of a traditional Friday night service, thick and fast! But it was a hell of good fun, with all of the boys on top form, smooth as!
Saturdays have to be simple, it’s just rude otherwise! A steady busy lunch that rolled on till 4ish, then FAT’s (Full Afternoon Tea's that is) galore. Then on to Langoustine Cannelloni duty with Niall and before we know it, Saturday night set-up is complete, job's a gooden.
Corned ox tongue with beets and horseradish was the evening appetiser, and I have to say, it was delicious! The Cannelloni flew out the door, as did the venison, with us serving nearly 30 of them. The Martin’s loved their meal, with the JD being there favourite; pan-fried John Dory, parsnips and vanilla, chicken jus roti. Mr. Martin also loved the mallard; slow roast breast of mallard, with poached pear, ceps and game jus.
So we’d got our Saturday night service fix, kitchen was cleaned down and we were home for midnight - cheeky!
I shouldn’t work on Sundays, there’s far too much good stuff around for me to eat! Ben’s roast tats and shallots finished with a touch of Xerse (a Spanish vinegar), too good, plus the sirloin of beef Winky had roasted to perfection. Luckily he’d hidden the his Béarnaise very well so I could only manage 4 or so roasties, and he stood firm guarding over his roast sirloin...oh it looked good!
Start of Sunday's dinner service and we had five guests on their 7th night who fancied some tempura prawns. “I don’t have enough prawns” was the call, “leave it with me” I said. Not sure how, but 30 minutes later an oriental buffet was on its way to their bedroom! We managed to conjure up all sorts of tasty treats, think I must enjoy eating at Yauatcha too much. No soft-shell crab with almond and chilli, just tempura batter everywhere. Quick clean down and then on with dinner service, weekend almost over. What a week!
Bread to make and then Jerusalem 'chokes to prep tomorrow, winter’s coming! Thursday’s new lunch menu will also be written up, with something along the lines of scallop with Jerusalem artichokes and bacon; slow-roast rump of beef with bone marrow raviolo, then we’re going to have a play with some fresh ewe's cheese for pudding - sound tasty?
Looking to the week ahead - I'll hopefully sneak a morning out on Thursday to go and meet our lovely kale leaves while they're still in the ground, growing at Eurdige Manor Farm. It seems as one busy week finishes, another starts, and all the time the seasons roll on.
What tasty treats will be gracing our back door this week?
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