A Wet, Heartfelt Thank you

A heartfelt thank you from a corporate client whose high profile, outdoor event at Westminster Abbey Gardens was threatened by terrible weather (and a late vote) yet we ensured that 350 guests still had a wonderful time.


Dear Julie,

I know I said it last night but I just wanted to re-iterate the hugest of thank yous to you and your fantastic team for helping to make our event the huge success it turned out to be.

Despite the weather, the votes... you absolutely were integral in making the evening and going beyond the call of duty to help us in other areas outside of your direct remit!

It was the hugest of pleasures to meet and work with you and I could go on for days about the food and cocktails!  But hopefully, suffice to say that I would look to work with you again at the drop of a hat and only hope, firstly that we get the occasion soon, and secondly that you would infact work with us again.

The feedback from the client has already been superlative - I think he may still be under the influence of the gin cocktail, but I'm not going to quibble about that!

I am just beginning to dry out and am not in the least annoyed that the sun has come out today!

Warmest Regards

K

The Orangery, Holland Park

The most beautiful photo shoot arranged and styled by The Ebury Collection and taken by Sarah Gawler.
See more here...
http://www.theeburycollection.com/wedding-blog/A-styled-wedding-shoot-at-The-Orangery-Holland-Park-367/

Dresses: Claire Pettibone, Amanda Garrett, Cymbeline and veil all Blackburn Bridal / Venue: The Orangery, Holland Park / Photographer: Sarah Gawler / Model: Zsanett from MOT / Stylist: Hannah Gooch / Styist Assistant: Emily Nicholson / Florist: LK Lily / Hair and Make-up: Daniel K Palmer / Stationery: Artcadia / Cakes: Victoria Made / Table linen: The Linen Works / Jewellery: Alex Monroe / Plates: John Lewis / Bell Jar: Ebury Home and Garden / Cutlery: Zara Home

The Wedding Planners Wedding - The Menu

Here is the menu from our wedding planner Jade's Cotswold marquee wedding.

Selected Menu

CANAPES 
  - Pancetta rolls of celeriac remoulade with marinated red grapes 
  - Chef David's vegetarian sushi rolls 
  - Little bagels of smoked salmon, cream cheese and chive
  - Ricotta cakes of slow roasted tomato and basil wafers
  - Watermelon cubes of seared beef, wasabi and pickled ginger
START

Tomato Trio: tomato tatin, cherry tomato petit salad and gazpacho shot 
Home made herb bread
MAIN
Lavender and yoghurt marinated leg of English lamb
Served on an individual chopping board, served with big bowls of:
  - Dauphinoise potatos
  - Roasted  summer vegetables
  - Asparagus spears
Condiments of smoked sea salt aioli and redcurrant jelly




DESSERT

For the ladies 
- Fresh vanilla bean panna cotta, lemoncello tapioca and macerated summer berries with mint and Cointreau

For the gents 
- Rich chocolate pave, passion fruit mousse, tropical fruits, chocolate wafers

The Wedding Planners Wedding - The Marquee

One of our team, the wonderful Jade, was married recently and of course the Bovingdons team went with her to the Cotswolds to provide the food. Menu to follow, in the mean time here are some photos of the pristine marquee and incredible dance floor. Photos by Lloyd Dobbie, more here http://www.lloyddobbie.com/2012/07/photographs-from-wedding-cotswolds/

Less Potatoes, No Peas, More Slugs, No Bees - What Wet Weather Means For Food Supplies

This week's news seems to center around the two topics: how to hold a successful event in wet weather and how lack of foresight can lead to a dangerous lack of availability. The lesson is clear: when planning an event, never ignore the warning signs!

Similarly, woe betide the caterer who doesn't note the warning signs around the availability of ingredients, especially at the moment.

This summer's persistent rainfall and general lack of sunshine has meant terrible growing conditions for most British crops. As you can imagine, I have been keeping a very (very) close eye on farming news of late. Planning my menus around the ever-changing availability of ingredients is as important as adapting the event logistics and marquee aesthetics to suit wet weather. 

My two most reliable sources of up-to-date information are:

Syngenta - keeping an eye on news affecting crops Syngenta-Crop.co.uk

Pauleys - for watching out for crops "in the red" Pauleys.co.uk

Here are a few food related points that I noted from the last weeks reports:

Strawberry farmers in some parts of the country are reporting the "worst season in years" whilst others are suffering from a lack of demand as consumers shiver indoors with hot puddings.

BBC News - Are British Strawberries Under Threat?

Potatoes, particularly British varieties, have suffering not only from the wet soil but also the tough harvesting conditions - mud and flooding is not heavy vehicle friendly! The crop is being propped up French imports but it's a shame as I love British potatoes.

Leafy, green vegetables might be lower in quality because of the lack of sun for example broccoli, bok choi, lettuce, Savoy cabbage and curly kale.

Parsnips appear to be the surprise winners of the weather pattern although we're getting a lot of imports from Spain.

Asparagus (a famed British delicacy) has had a very odd season season. After a great early crop in March, we then had to wait for an unprecedented late start of the bulk season which didn't kick off until late May.

British Asparagus Association - End of the Season: Goodbye! 

BBC News - Wet weather hits Somerset asparagus crop 

Pea farmers are worried about a rise in disease because wind and rain creates a "perfect storm" for Botrytis Grey Mould. Wet flowers stick to the leaves and after infection cause the stem and pods to rot.

Syngenta - Wet Weather Raises Risk for Pea Diseases 

Fruit is also affected, not least because rain affects bees ability to pollinate. some farmers are already warning it might be a case of "hunt the apple" come Autumn with some predicting only a tenth of normal crop will be available this year. Imports, again, will be important.

The Argus - Sussex Farmers Count the Cost of Wet Weather

Sadly whilst the bees hate the wet weather the SLUGS love it! 

Deadline News - Wet weather causes Scottish slug population to double

Photo WikiCommons / Guttorm Flatabø

I'm going to have to upload some pictures of my new “Bovingdons” vegetable garden so that you can see how it has been turned into a veritable mollusc hotel!

Other than that, it's all about planning in advance, ordering from the best suppliers and ensuring that the majority of my clients remain blissfully unaware of what is going on in the fields.

Bermudan Inspired Wedding Menu

Easily one of our most fun weddings of the year. Bermudan groom and a Londoner fiance plus 180 guests from all over the world descended on a very damp Fulham Palace for a fabulous knees up. Plenty of run cocktails served at the bar. I've uploaded some photos of the wonderful clearspan marquee in the article below.

CANAPES:

  - Cucumber boxes filled with feta, mint, parsley, purple shiso cress
  - Baby bagels with Scottish smoked salmon and cream cheese
  - Mini quails egg Benedict
  - Ricotta cakes with slow roasted vine tomatoes and basil wafers
  - Confit duck with foie gras in Savoy
  - Fresh crab tarlets with caramaised sweetcorn

START:
Smoked salmon and smoked trout mouse tian, pickled cucumber and chive creamHome made herb bread

MAIN:
Rack of new season lamb, goat’s cheese mash, oven baked tomato, grilled asparagus and a rich honey infused lamb jus

V: Roasted butternut squash, feta and sage strudel with olive oil mash

FINISH:Rich salted caramel chocolate pave, fresh vanilla bean ice cream and berry filled profiteroles with white chocolate 

Wet Weather - fail to plan or plan to fail!

As an event planner you can not choose to ignore the unpredictable British weather. Instead you can choose to accept it, embrace it or even to enjoy it!

Take this Fulham Palace wedding for example. Reception drinks were planned for garden but the forecast was looking heavy so we moved the reception to the Chaplains Garden and booked a transparent, clear span marquee. 

The marquee in the photos below is a transparent clear span. We put it on four meter legs which gave it three foot extra height but ten times the visual impact.

Here are ten of the ways that we ensured their wedding marquee stayed pristine and beautiful:

1.  took plenty of absorbent door mattes for set up
2.  ensured all suppliers remove their shoes before entering during set up
3.  asked set-up staff to have slip on shoes and spare pairs
4.  offered guests a box of plastic foot covers at the door 
5.  double-checked (and checked again) the car park for flooding and mud
6.  hid all lighting in the marquee boarders to ensure the ceiling was free of ugly rigging
7.  brought spare carpet and changed the mats throughout the night as they get dirty
8.  provided umbrellas and somewhere for guests to put them 
9.  positioned site loos as close to marquee as we could
10.  added sofas and a chill out zone with a full bar so that guests didn't want to leave!

Photos by Olivia Mann http://www.oliviamann.com 

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Lunch - A Message on a Plate

To end a weekend full of celebration, Her Majesty The Queen is dining inside the magnificent Westminster Hall with 700 guests.

I wanted to deconstruct the menu for you because as well as being delicious, this menu is clever. The choices show both the sumptuous quality of British ingredients and (more importantly from my perspective) the power of a well presented menu and it's ability to communicate.

Look closely at the ingredients. They have been sourced from each corner of the British Isles from the Outer Hebrides to the Isle of Wight and Jersey. They give a nod to her favourite places and palaces and Royal projects on sustainable farming.

Make no mistake, every single ingredient and flavour has been very, very carefully and purposefully selected to create a "message on a plate".

CANAPES

Served with
 - Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2007, Sparkling English Wine
 - Sandringham Apple Juice

Nyetimber sparkling wine is from West Sussex and consistently comes top in the world sparkling wine championships. Raising a glass of British fizz is a very symbolic choice.
http://www.nyetimber.com/

START
 - Marinated Uist Island salmon with Lyme Bay crab
 - Fresh Herb Salad with Lemon Soy Dressing

 - Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc, Bué Loire Valley, France 2011

This initial dish instantly brings together the furthest ends of the British Isles, it is as close to "from John O'Groats to Lands End" as ingredients can get. Delicious strong flavours of salmon from the Outer Hebrides combined with the sweet brown crab meat from the cost of Devon and Cornwall.

MAIN
 - Saddle of Welsh Cambrian Mountain lamb with braised shoulder of lamb,
 - grilled Isle of Wight asparagus, Jersey Royal potatoes and Jubilee sauce
 - Château Cap de Faugères, Côte-de-Castillon, France 2007

Lamb is the most used meat on Royal menus, it was served in abundance at both Royal Wedding Menus in 2011 (read what they ate in my earlier article on the Royal Wedding Menu).

The source of the meat is key. At the Royal Wedding the meat was sourced from Prince of Wales estate in Highgrove (Gloucestershire). The breed of lamb chosen for The Queen's Diamond Jubilee lunch has similar Royal connections, Welsh Cambrian Mountain lamb are part of a Prince of Wales co-operative initiative working with farmers. They are reared using traditional and sustainable farming practices on open hills with no fences. Read more here... http://www.cambrianmountains.co.uk/out-produce/cambrian-lamb  

As well as being seasonal and delicious (a vital aspect of any good menu) sweet Isle of Wight asparagus and earthy Jersey Royal potatoes are both native British vegetables that have been grown here for thousands of years. Once again, both of these ingrediants appeared on last years Royal Wedding menus. I am glad they were able to get some asparagus as the recent floods caused rather a shortage of crop this year. Did you know that Jersey Royal is a trademark? They are also covered by an EU Protected Designation of Origin. 

http://www.british-asparagus.co.uk/

http://www.jerseyroyals.co.uk/

I can only guess at what the Jubilee sauce contains, I imagine a light but tart berry based sauce.

DESERT 
The "Symphony of Dessert":

 - chocolate delice

 - bread and butter pudding
 - berry compote and Sandringham apple sauce

Throughout history, it is the Royal desert that presents chefs with the greatest opportunity of creating a meaningful course. Countless deserts and puddings have been named in honour of British Kings and Queens.

Music is the chosen theme here, apt for a day after the big concert at Buckingham Palace and perhaps even a nod to the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain who will be playing during this special lunch.
http://www.nccgb.com/

Bread and butter pudding is very British, a sweet dish in this country since the 1700's. This is also a very nostalgic choice, again an aptly chosen theme for the weekend.

Rich, decadent chocolate speaks for itself! I like to think it has been sourced within the Commonwealth countries, perhaps St Lucia where Prince Charles recently visited a plantation http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/chocolate-factory-Aroyalvisit/ then again perhaps I am taking my foodie analysis too far.

It is no surprise that the desert includes fruit from The Queen's Sandringham estate. As well as being her private country retreat since her 1952 Coronation, the estate produces an incredibly diverse array of produce on its 6,400 hectares of farmland and 80 hectares of orchards and soft fruit (she even grows blackcurrants for Ribena!) http://www.sandringhamestate.co.uk/

These apples complete the compass of British ingredients:

North - Uist island salmon (Outer Hebrides)

South - Lyme Bay Crab (Dorset coast)

East - Sandringham apples (Norfolk)

West - Cambrian Mountain Lamb (Aberystwth)

TO FINISH

 - Ceylon Tea, Fairtrade Coffee and Petit Fours

In a menu of this enormity, even the tea has a special meaning. The Ceylon Bush Tea was planted by the Duke of Edinburgh during a state visit to Sri Lanka in 1954. 

Birthday Dinner at The Orangery

The Brief

A relaxed summer party in the park, laid back Italian sophistication meets high class West London style. A warm, friendly greeting and champagne reception, a seated dinner with informal and impromptu toasts throughout, coffee, cake, cheese and digestives in the marquee on the lawn and cocktails  and conversation into the night.
The Menu
Canapes
  - Rare roast fillet of beef on watermelon cubes with pickled ginger and coriander
  - Chorizo and Cumberland sausages with roasted red pepper ketchup
  - Ricotta cakes with slow roasted vine tomatoes and basil wafers
  - Smoked salmon, poached quails egg on brioche croute with hollandaise
  - Mini bagels of smoked salmon and cream cheese

Start 

Home cured salmon, fennel carpaccio, pink grapefruit with purple shiso and radish salad

Great seeded granary sour dough bread

Main

Breast of guinea fowl filled with spinach and ricotta, confit of leg, smoked garlic mash, wilted greens and tarragon jus

Desert 

Retro Trio of chocolate profiteroles, strawberry and blueberry pavlova and a Sicilian lemon cheesecake

Cheese

An elegant grazing station full of delicious and yummy cheeses

Drinks

  - Champagne

  - Peroni

  - Apple Fez (soft cocktail)

  - Bottles of Russian Vodka at the table for shots

  - Gavi di Gavi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortese_di_Gavi

Late Evening Cocktails 

  - Express Martini

  - Amaretto Sour

  - Lemoncello fizz

Here is the thank you from the grateful ospite...

"Well it is now one month since the big event at The Orangery and I have been travelling quite a lot since then so I have not had the chance to email you, but I do want to say that it really was the most FANTASTIC evening.  It took me at least two weeks to recover from all the fun.

The tent worked brilliantly for pre and post dinner drinks, so glad we had it.  The food was wonderful...everyone has commented on this, and the late evening cocktails were VERY popular.  And the beer and champagne were COLD. And there were no olives or capers to be seen anywhere !!!

The organiser for the evening, Tony, was excellent and so accommodating...

Thanks again for everything...Bovingtons are THE BEST"

BW

12 London Venues for 2012

Our choices to reflect the essence of what makes London great – individuality, achievement and diversity.  

Leighton House: a magical house in Kensington with an Arab Hall and a walled garden

www.rbkc.gov.uk/museums

45 Millbank: Right on the river Thames

www.45millbank.com

The Magic Circle: mysterious Euston based steeped in history 

www.magiccirclevenue.co.uk

St Catherine’s Gardens: A beautiful space within tranquil Westminster Abby, calm and tranquil.

www.westminster-abbey.org

LSO St Lukes - High-tech versatility inside the home of the world famous symphony orchestra.

www.lso.co.uk

Kew Steam Museum - power, strength and industry - great for team building.

www.kbsm.org

Fulham Palace - historic setting with courtyard, marquee and a maze of rooms to hire

www.fulhampalace.org

Trinity House - Stunning and right opposite the Tower of London

www.thetrinityhouse.org

Flamsteed House, Royal Observatory Greenwich - Octagon Room perfect for small, dinners

www.rmg.co.uk

The Cloisters at Westminster Abbey - for soirées up to 250

www.westminster-abbey.org

The Orangery Holland Park - party amongst the peacocks in this versatile garden space

www.rbkc.co.uk

The Queens House - part of the National Maritime Museum, grand and elegant. 

www.rmg.co.uk/queens-house

Mondrian Inspired Menu

Canapés
- smart and stylish, easy to eat, hard to forget
- served with Pink Moet and Chandon, Campari, Martini Rosso, Vodka Martinis
* Poached organic salmon in cucumber cups with lemon mayonnaise
* Ricotta cakes with oven roasted plum tomatoes and basil
* Quails egg Benedict
* Mini Lobster Thermidor

Dinner
- retro nostalgia meets millennial chic served with perfectly matched Australian wines

Start - ‘Prawn Cocktail’
Main - Beef Wellington with Dauphinoise potatoes and fresh spring vegetables
Desert - Molten Black Forrest Dessert
Finish - Espresso coffees, freshly made tea, tisanes and assorted biscotti

After Dinner Reception
– retro and colourful cocktails mixed and served from the cocktail bar

* Vodka Martini – vodka, vermouth, olives (martini glass)
* Blue Hawaiian – blue curacao, white rum, pineapple juice (hurricane glass)
* Tom Collins – Gin, lemon juice sugar and soda (hi-ball)
* Sloe Gin Fizz – Sloe gin, fresh lemon and soda (blue glasses)

Mondrian Inspired Party at Kew Bridge Steam Museum

A birthday party for a high flying, distinguished Australian gentleman inspired by The Swinging Sixties - chiefly the distinctive block colours of Mondrian prints.

Styling included menus created from Beatles inspired album covers using photos from of the birthday boys life. We also helped to arranged some show stopping Sixties entertainment with a singer popping out of a cake to serenade the crowd with a medley of 1960s hits. Everyone up of their chairs and dancing.

After dinner, guests were treated to ‘Blue Lagoon’ cocktails in hurricane glasses (complete with paper cocktail parasols of course) whilst the room was transformed into a kitch black and white dance floor. A classic rock 'n' roll band took the stage and the guests then danced the night away to the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Kinks and The Monkees.

All photos c/o the ever amazing Mark Columbus  http://www.markcolombus.com/

 

If you would like to hold an event at the Kew Bridge Steam Museum, call us for more information 020 8874 8032.