BURNS NIGHT // DULWICH WOODHOUSE

This Saturday I was invited to go and celebrate Burns night with one of my Half-Scottish friends, Rach. She promised me kilts, burns poetry and haggis. Heading over to Sydenham, I met her and some friends at the Dulwich Woodhouse for the Scottish themed evening.

A few glasses of prosecco kicked off the night, as did some very excitable stories of events that had happened that day. There were stories of horrific storms, scary forests and a hero who saved Kay and Rach from getting stuck on a fence & prevented them from being struck by lightening!? What a hero!

After a catch up we headed over to our table, just in time for the bag-pipes.

He was fantastic and as promised was wearing the full Scottish attire. However there was no stabbing of the haggis due to being sold out for the evening, there was no haggis left to be stabbed!?

Now in the midst of superb Scottish atmosphere the starters arrived. 

We went for the full Burns' night menu for the evening, it only seemed right. 

Kay and I went for the Whiskey cured salmon with beetroot and potato cake. Not the most traditional but Scottish all the same and very tasty.

Rach and Paul went for the more traditional Cullen Skink. Which is a creamy smoked haddock soup with potatoes and onions, that originates from Cullen in Moray. It looked delicious but incredibly rich.

None of us could not resist the Traditional Haggis with neeps and tatties! The Woodhouse served up the Haggis with clapshot and a delicious whiskey sauce. I found out that clapshot is a traditional combination of mashed swede, turnips and potatoes (which originates from Orkney)

This was unbelievably tasty, yet incredibly filling. It may not have the visual elegance of an evening meal however the flavours were fantastic. Who knew I liked haggis so much!?

The meal was finished with another Whiskey infused course! Cranachan, is a mix of fresh raspberries, whiskey, whipped cream, honey and whiskey-soaked oatmeal.

Paul went for the sticky date pudding with toffee and salted caramel ice cream.

The meal was finished off with a couple of Whiskey Macs, which is Whiskey and Green Ginger Wine, but due a mix-up we ended up with whiskey and ginger beer. 

This was a bit of a shame, however it still seemed to hit the spot. 

The evening was completed with a recital of a 'Here's a Bottle', a Robert Burns poem from Rachael in her best Scottish accent. Then we headed off into the night to sooth our whiskey heads.

GLUTEN FREE ROSIE

Dom & Rosie at Mike & Ollie's Superclub

On the evening of Thursday 22nd August, my friend and I went to Rosie and Domenica's new pop-up 'Gluten-Free' supper club. I'd met these two a couple of weeks previously at Mike & Ollie's supper club and this was their second ever event! Rosie is a coeliac training to be a dietitian and runs her blog Gluten-free Rosie whilst Domenica is an artist with interests in healthy eating, up-cycling and self-sufficient living. 

The supper club takes place in Domenica’s beautiful, artistic inspired home/studio in Sydenham, SE London. On arrival Rosie greeted us at the end of a small track that leads down to double doors opening into Dom's studio. Escorting us down to wards the cocktails she explain how usually we'd be sitting outside on the terrace but due to the sporadic rain it was decided a safer bet to be indoors.

Dominica stands behind a table of cocktails at the far end of the converted garage. The room has a strong smell of clay and ceramics, which transported me back to days of ceramic lessons back in Stoke on Trent.

To the side is large chalk board lot by a large studio light, listing the menu for the evening. The menu had a fresh, seasonal Italian inspiration whilst keeping to being nutritious and gluten-free. 

MENU

My companion to this Supperclub was my friend Aitch, who has recently returned back to a carnevoire diet after being a vegetarian for nearly .... years. She was excited about trying Rosie's  gluten-free cooking after herself living on GF diet sometime ago. Aitch mentioned benifits including better sleep, clear skin and more energy.

The rhubarb Belini is sweet, fresh and goes down far too easily! On the table is a selection of cherry tomatoes, oil and balsamic vinegar and the Gluten free coriander, chilli & cumin seed soda bread, which is slightly sweet with a bit of kick and very more-ish.

Kitty Norman, Rose's younger sister, entertained us whilst guest chatted and a second round of cocktails were drunk. We were then shown upstairs above the studio and into the kitchen, dining area, where you walked into a cloud of delicious scents billowing from the cooking taking place.

The guests sat themselves between two large farmhouse style tables with mis-matched crockery and plates and the room was lit mainly by candle light.

Homemade ravioli filled with cashew nut pesto 

Braised Pigs Cheek with Crispy Herbed Polenta, Roasted Beetroot & Fresh Peas

This was the first time I've had pig's cheek and I have to say it was absolutely delicious and melted in my mouth. I'd expect a dish like this to heavy but buy serving it with the crispy polenta instead it was light and the beetroot flavours mixed with the pig cheek so well (my mouth is watering just thinking about it again..)

Pudding wasn't far away, which India kindly posed with for me! 

We'd just been chatting how I'm part of the WI ;)

Basil Panna Cotta served with Blackberry Coulis and Salted Almonds

I love panna cotta and found this variation of flavours light and refreshing and loved the addition of the salted almonds and picked blackberries. Rosie and Dom then came round the room with a large bottle of their home-fused rosemary limoncillo which I have to say was a perfect finishing to the evening.

A superb supperclub with delicious food that so happens to be healthy glutet-free and served by two incredibly friendly and fantastic people I've met for some time. I can see gluten-free Rosie supperclub going from strength to strength. I look forward to seeing what happens next!

For more information about future dates, check the supper club tab on this blog or e-mail glutenfreerosie@outlook.com.