COME FOR SUPPER AT MY HOUSE

recipes and notes from a dinner party at mine

Hi!

And welcome back to COME FOR SUPPER.

I realised that whilst I’ve shared a lot of hypothetical dinner parties, I’ve yet to share an actual one. So this week I’m sharing the A-Z of a real dinner party at mine that I hosted a few weeks ago. (Well actually it was a late lunch but by the time we finished it was well past dinner time).

I’ll plan the menu first, then the table, then the shopping list and then (probably the most useful thing I learnt from catering), the prep list. No job is too small for the prep list in my eyes and making mayonnaise is just as important as filling the water jugs. I’ve divided this weeks newsletter into each of these sections and I must say it’s given me great joy to do so, so I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you’d like to see more posts like these.

Big Love, Alexandra x

If you’re new here, scroll down to find the written recipes and scroll ALL the way down for the printable PDF where you’ll also find some MUSIC TO COOK TO. This week, the playlist I played at this dinner party. This one is for paid subscribers. If that’s you already, thank you!! Your support goes right back into my work developing recipes, shooting videos, and writing about all of it.

Note: This post is a LONG one and also contains a lot of pictures which means it may appear clipped in an email. If you’re struggling to view it press VIEW IN BROWSER at the top right of the email and you’ll see it in one.

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THE MENU

I tend to cook quite simply when entertaining and cook recipes I know rather than trying something new but this time I made the St Emilion Au Chocolat from Jeremy Lee’s cookbook COOKING for the first time. It is a wickedly good pudding made by soaking crushed amaretti biscuits in cognac or sherry (I used cognac) before topping them with a rich chocolate cream. His recipe does not stray far from the original Elizabeth David version and I’ve shared both below.

I am aware that my writing is dreadful so have typed out the menu below.

Blood orange martinis

Anchovies, olive oil, lemon, Grana Padano

Devilled eggs with caviar

Bagna cauda radicchio fennel seed toasts

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Crispy chicken with lemon, leeks and pink peppercorns

Fennel & thyme gratin

Crispy potatoes

Chicory seedy salad

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Jeremy Lee’s St Emilion au chocolat