Jersey: Peacock feathers and chocolate drops

21 August 2010

Having filled our bellies with champagne, it was now time to sway into the restaurant for the reception. Each table was dressed with flowers and peacock feathers and Helen’s Dad had done the calligraphy for the place cards himself.

So let’s talk about the important stuff first: the food.

The starter: Pan roast hot smoked salmon, roast lemon aioli, grilled wild mushrooms and baby leeks with pecorino, pink pepper and parsley pesto. A dish for fans of alliteration.

The main: Pan roast corn-fed chicken breast with sweet potato mash, baby leeks, crisp pancetta and tarragon cream sauce.

And for dessert: Assiette of steamed raspberry sponge with advocaat cream, classic chocolate mousse and champagne and strawberry jelly. All three desserts were delicious and the sponge had lavender flower buds sprinkled on top – the first time I’d ever eaten lavender. If I’d had my laptop with me, we’d have been videoing a variety of approving noises for Helen and Steve’s choice of dishes. As it was, we made do with giving Helen our thumbs up across the restaurant.

The speeches came before dessert and despite leaving half his notes behind, Ricky pulled off his best man’s speech with panache and a lot of good one-liners. My favourite being “I’ve got a lot riding on this. Steve said that if I do a good job, I can be best man at his next wedding.”

Later on Peter, Helen’s Dad, did a quiz – clearly setting quizzes runs in the family. However Peter’s quiz was right up my street and my team ended up winning. There were a number of different categories, but celebrity trivia in cryptic crossword clue form? I AM THERE. We won chocolate drops made by the vineyard and could choose between bookmarks or magnets. I went for a bookmark – (a) because I like to think I might read a book again one day and (b) a lot of my possessions could be ruined pretty quickly by a magnet.

After dinner there was music and dancing and wedding cupcakes were laid out for those not completely stuffed already. I sat outside for a while with the others enjoying the summer evening. At one point I noticed that I was missing the top button on my dress and magically Lauren remembered that I had mentioned something pinging against me sometime earlier. I was still sitting in the same place and so we dived to the ground to look for it. Amazingly Suzy found the little green button by the light of her mobile phone, hidden in the grass under the picnic table.

At quarter to one the taxis arrived and we set off back to our hotel, wishing Helen and Steve a happy honeymoon – and promising to get together for food again soon. Because clearly we’ve not eaten enough yet.

Click the high-kicking legs for more photos from the reception

Posted in: celebrate, food, friends, jersey, photos, travels

Comments

2 Responses to “Jersey: Peacock feathers and chocolate drops”

bethany actually
21st August 2010 @ 8:08 pm

Oh my word, all that food sounds DIVINE. I’m amazed anyone was able to get up and dance afterwards, for I assume everyone ate themselves silly.

[Reply]
Jersey: Nazis and toasted cheese sandwiches : dreamdust
23rd August 2010 @ 10:40 am

[...] day after the wedding, Lauren and Dave set off to walk, I don’t know, miles and Suzy and I took a taxi to the [...]