I usually publish my menu before an event but this time round it was all about surprises and I was sworn to secrecy! A gluten free afternoon tea had been booked for a Mum’s birthday present and the whole event had been a very well-kept secret because when the party arrived at my door, the Mum’s face was a picture. It was fantastic. Why were they knocking on a private door for goodness sake? But then all was revealed and it developed into a most delightful afternoon.
Even the bubbly had been surreptitiously delivered beforehand along with the flowers and birthday card. It couldn’t have been better planned or executed and I was privileged to have been a part of the act. This is really what it’s all about for me – being able to make occasions very special for someone.
I had planned the menu with the autumn season in mind with pumpkins, ginger and treacle all making an appearance. Always the hardest thing with gluten free cooking is pastry. It’s very difficult to handle and very hard to get a nice crisp finish. So the treacle tart and chocolate profiteroles proved challenging but I was pretty happy with the final results and if the comments from round the table were anything to go by, so were my guests.
Here is the full menu followed by some photos …
Sandwiches
Yorkshire ham & coleslaw
Mature cheddar with pear & walnut chutney
Tuna with lemon & dill mayo
Savouries
Kosovan polenta, leek & sesame seed cake with homemade hummus
Herb, garlic & roast butternut squash frittatas
Cakes & scones
Treacle tart
Chocolate profiteroles with crème pâtissière
Apple & orange gingerbread cake
Buttermilk scones with jam & clotted cream
Teas
Loose leaf Rooibos (South African Herbal Tea)
Loose leaf Tanganda (Zimbabwean black tea)
Loose leaf Ilam (Nepali)
Earl Grey
English breakfast
Green tea & selection of fruit teas
Cafetière Coffees
Premium roasted ‘Normal’ and Decaffeinated
