'From Scotland with Love' at Newcastle Castle

On Saturday evening I found myself briefly alone on the roof of the Castle Keep looking out over the lights of Newcastle. It's a beautiful view, I've rarely been into the keep and have never been up on the roof in the dark, so I snuck up as the guests were arriving into the Great Hall and took in the view.

'From Scotland with Love' was the occasion, a delicious evening celebrating the relationship between Scotland and the North East at the Castle Keep and the Black Gate in the centre of town. Myself and Simon Preston put together the menu; researching dishes from Northumberland and Scotland and coming up with a host of ideas that led to the final menu. It was challenging, and I think the most ambitious menu I have worked on for a supper club yet.

To start we served an Elderberry Whisky Fizz in the Great Hall of the Castle Keep, with a Highland Caboc cheese and radish canape, a beautiful cheese almost like butter, which is always a good thing in my book. The guests toured the Keep, stopping for a little cup of Craster Kipper Cullen Skink along the way and then came over to the Black Gate for the start of supper.

We served a Smoked Eel Salad to start with a split pea puree, a nod to pease pudding; beetroot, horseradish, a beautiful oyster leaf from Ken Holland and an elderberry shrub dressing from Buck & Birch in Edinburgh. The smoked eel was from the Inverawe Smokehouse in Oban, it's so rich and delicious.

On the table were fresh breads from Artisan Baking Community served with a homemade Whisky Butter, an idea I got from my visit to Paradise Garage in London and one I will definitely be repeating...

Then a course I've been wanting to serve for a long time, Venison Tartare with Cured Egg Yolk. I have served it as straight tartare before up at Lindisfarne, it is rich and delicious with spikes of cornichon, caper and shallot. I've always wanted to add the cured egg yolk however, it is cured in a sugar and salt mix for a week until solid and then grated over the venison adding a rich sweet and salty hit to the meat. The venison loin is like butter when you cut it, red deer from George Bower Game Butcher in Edinburgh.

These were followed by a Spiced Lamb, Pluck and Barley, a take on haggis spiced with lots of white pepper, nutmeg and marjorum, served with pink pickled 'neeps' tattie scones and a Northumbrian Leek suet pudding.

A Scotland versus Northumberland cheese course followed, of Dunsyre Blue and Doddington. Then a palate cleanser of 21212 Porridge milk, sent from the restaurant of the same name in Edinburgh. A delicious blend of secret ingredients that I'm yet to work out. Finally followed by Edinburgh Fog, a cream and Drambuie pudding served with marmalade and malt whisky English scones. Guests chatted and laughed and ate and seemed to have a lovely time, I wish I'd had the time to talk to people more but the kitchen was a bit overwhelming by the end of the night and we needed to get home at some point, finding our way out from underneath all the dishes...

Photography by Wiesia Bojko

Cook House Supperclub - 28th August

Thursday 28th August 2014, 7.30pm - sold out

Cook House has been up and running for a grand total of two weeks now! It has been so busy and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. From now on I will be running regular Supperclubs from Cook House with changing seasonal feast menus. To kick this off we are hosting a special launch night Supperclub in the beautiful newly decorated space, a feast of summer, full of soused silver darlings, pickles and pates; sea trout, Scandi salads and summer puddings.

I have joined forces with Beth and Hannah of ‘Wildflower in Blume’ for this special launch evening, they are all about the styling… ‘We love flowers. We also love the finer details. We style weddings and events that create an atmosphere and tell your story. Our talents are broad, our enthusiasm endless.’ It promises to be a beautiful and tasty evening.

Tickets are available now, priced at £30, we will be serving a special welcome drink, a three course generous sharing feast and coffee, please byo other boozy drinks. You will be sent the final menu before you arrive so you can decide on your chosen tipple. As ever tickets go pretty quickly, please email annahedworth@hotmail.com to book your place and bring cash on the evening. You will be emailed asap if you have got a place…

Summer Supperclubs with the National Trust

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW - Phone Lindisfarne Castle on 01289 389244 to book

July and August see the return of a very exciting collaboration between The Grazer and the National Trust. Last summer we hosted four incredible evenings at Lindisfarne Castle and on the Farne Islands. The sun shone, guests enjoyed their amazing surrounds, and ate and drank into the night. We are offering you the opportunity to experience this once again, with two Summer Supperclubs on both the Farne Islands and at Lindisfarne Castle. 

Picture yourself on a private boat sailing over to the Farne Islands late in the afternoon, arriving on the white sandy beach of Inner Farne to be greeted with aperitifs and tasty treats. The evening will include a private tour of the island; beautiful beaches, the Lighthouse and its gardens, thousands of amazing birds, gazing back at Bamburgh castle and the beautiful long white Northumbrian beaches. At dusk find yourself sitting down to dine, in the tiny chapel on the island at a beautiful long table. 

Or you could find yourself driving over the causeway to supper at Lindisfarne Castle. Arriving on the battlements to canapés and aperitifs, looking out over the islands and castles of the Northumberland coast... A personal tour through the rooms of Lindisfarne castle, your own private residence for the evening. Supper will be served on the battlements; your view for the evening is the sun slowly sinking over the Cheviots. 

Once in a lifetime dining experiences in totally unique locations. There will only be four events with a limited number of 20 places available at each:

Friday July 25th at Lindisfarne Castle - SOLD OUT

Saturday July 26th at Lindisfarne Castle - SOLD OUT

Saturday August 2nd on The Farne Islands - SOLD OUT

Saturday August 9th on The Farne Islands 

(The event will run from approximately 5-10pm, exact times will be confirmed according to tides and boat crossings)

Tickets for these once in a lifetime dining events are £99 per person and can be booked by phoning Lindisfarne Castle on 01289 389244. Prices include unique private access to the Farnes and Lindisfarne, private tour of castle and island, telescope tours of the coastline, history and nature talks from the National Trust and food introductions from The Grazer.

The evenings dining includes aperitifs and canapés, a set four course sharing menu of fresh local seafood platters, slow cooked Northumberland beef and plentiful puddings with matched wines and coffee. 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lindisfarne-castle

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/farne-islands

Any questions please email annahedworth@hotmail.com

Some Like it Hops

After a bit of a bagel baking disaster and a 5am start to rectify the situation I was slightly jaded come the start of Some Like it Hops, add to that a bit of jet lag and you have a slightly clumsy dazed supperclub host. But everything was alright on the night thankfully; lovely guests, much improved second bake bagels and some delicious beers from Northern Alchemy, Out There Brewing Company and Tyne Bank Brewery. I am fast becoming a craft beer convert, I didn't even know I liked the stuff; turns out I like a lot of it... Add to that some pretty delicious hot salt beef and a few half pints of pickle and you have yourself a splendid evening at The Cumberland Arms...

Some Like it Hops

Some Like it Hops – Sunday 30th March 7pm

Tickets £35 – SOLD OUT

in conjunction with The Cumberland Arms, Out There Brewing Company, Tyne Bank Brewery and Northern Alchemy

Having teamed up with The Cumberland Arms previously for the very successful Autumn Graze market, I have joined forces with the popular Ouseburn pub once again for a very special beer themed evening. This will be dining at the Cumberland as you have never known it before, a three course feast with matching local beers. The event brings together some of the region’s best small breweries. Together we have designed a brilliant evening for food and beer fans alike. It is always very exciting to take my supperclubs to a new location, and this promises to be a unique night for anyone into their food or beer. All the beauty and design of my usual events but with interesting beers and delicious matching food. I’m particularly looking forward to the hot salt beef!

Tyne Bank Brewery, Out There Brewing Company and Northern Alchemy have come together with myself and The Cumberland to design the unique menu, featuring a beer matched to each course from one of each of the breweries. Out There have matched a Belgian style wheat beer to the starter, Northern Alchemy are working on something special to go with the main course; hot salt beef with mustards and pickles and Tyne Bank have a special cherry stout to go with the rich chocolate puddings! The Cumberland is also working on a new beer cocktail to welcome the guests on arrival!

Tickets for the event are £35 and you can book by emailing the Cumberland Arms, you will be contacted for payment when your place is confirmed.

Booking info:
The Cumberland Arms
Email: info@thecumberlandarms.co.uk

Menu

Beer cocktails on arrival

Starter 

beer matching by Out There Brewing Company

Potted salmon with lemon and black pepper

Dressed leaves

Wholemeal bread

Main 

beer matching by Northern Alchemy

Hot Salt Beef

Celeriac Coleslaw

Homemade bagels

Sweet cucumber pickles

English mustard

Pudding 

beer matching by Tyne Bank Brewery

Profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce

Never Very Valentines Supperclub

I had the very talented Wiesia Bojko hanging out with me at last weeks Valentines Supperclub. I thought I would share a few of her beautiful photos with you, you can see more of her work over on her blog here... It was a great evening, there were fairy light hearts on the wall, pheasant hearts in the terrine and lots of canny guests. Everyone had a lovely time! I think the pulled pork was the best ever, falling apart fatty and juicy... There will be dates coming soon for more Supperclubs at Ouse Street Arts Club, The Cumberland Arms and also Carruthers and Kent wine shop, so watch this space...