How to throw a fabulously sparkling dinner party without the cost and hard work!

I have been telling all my groupies (yes I have some underground groupies how bloody rock and role!) That I’m really sorry that I have not been doing my blog because I’ve been dead busy; and they are probably thinking well I’ve not heard any thing about any pop ups on the blog and I’ve certainly not been sent an invite via the underground mailing list! Well no they haven’t and that’s because I have been doing pop up’s for people in there own homes, for there own set of guests. So I thought if you were interested in hosting a pop up you might want to know a bit more about it.

Consequently I roped my friend Denise ( who hosted a pop up in Birmingham) in to write a review for the old blog on her pop up event. I would just like to say D designed the wonderful invite herself (so cool), and the menu was carefully planned to suit her guests over a phone call and visit just to check the capabilities of  the kitchen and house.

 

If you want to plan your own pop up please give me a bell and I can arrange a visit and a menu.

So here her review is: 

How to throw a fabulously sparkling dinner party without the cost and hard work!

As the sun set over a grassy overgrown garden in a quiet corner of Birmingham, Beth got the spring chicken pie in the oven and laid the table with white linen and vintage crockery for fifteen hungry and adventurous diners. Not one of the guests had been to a pop up restaurant before and all went away saying the food was lovely and when can they host one?

In keeping with the community feel the musical accompaniment was music on cd by Action Replay (my boyfriend Brett’s band) and Matthew Johnston (my best friend and bjork-esque solo artist) also showcased his latest tracks.

After spreading delicious pate and chutneys over a range of homemade breads the revellers exchanged news of the day and met new people. Bowls heaped with steaming spring greens and new herby new potatoes were served up next, alongside with a large chicken and leek pie per table. It was a real treat to be munching on really tasty food and knowing at the same time it’s pure and nutritious. Vegetarian and dairy free options were also served. It was a real focal point when the huge toffee, cream and berry pavlova came out and I have to say it was the best I’ve ever had, so rich and creamy and made from scratch by Beth. (She left me some of the home made toffee sauce and meringue crumbs the next morning! Yay!) Larry made an excellent job of serving up as people devoured it.

After the fresh coffee and tea made its way around we went into the garden, now lit up with tea lights, ropes of solar lights and a Chiminea. The wellbeing spirit of the evening took to the skies as guests wrote their wishes on a lantern and set it off into the night sky. Beth had it running like clockwork and courses came out bag on cue, and she worked tirelessly seeing that everyone had what they needed and the kitchen was left spotless. A fabulous time was had by all, and for me, it was lovely to host a dinner party experience all the hard work and personal expense as well as picking up lots of recipe tips!

By Denise Burrows