I grew up with a very special recipe book, my mother got on our first trip to Portugal, back in 1984. As the years went by,  it's pages guided us through her Portuguese kitchen.  It seems, the memories I hold the fondest from my mother's kitchen, evolved from when this book was opened. We'd quietly sit beside her, in anticipation, as she gently turned its pages.  

Today, this old tattered book, sits amongst my treasures. And from it, these lemon scented crumbly "sand" cookies emerge.
 

Areias | Portuguese "Sand" Cookies

Ingredients
230g Butter (room temperature)
150g Caster Sugar
320g All Purpose flour (sieved)
Rind from 1 lemon

Sieve flour & sugar into a large bowl. Using your finger tips, gently rub in butter and lemon rind, until mixture resembles a sandy texture. 
Roll together walnut size pieces of cookie mix and place 2cm apart. Chill for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Bake cookies for 20 minutes at 160deg C. Do not allow the cookies to darken in the oven. 

You may dust with cinnamon and icing sugar once they have cooled down.

Recipe adapted from 'Cozinha Tradicional Portuguesa' by Maria de Lourdes Modesto

This Saturday saw the begging of an amazing new supper club in Cambridge. I was lucky enough to have met Kyung's at my gathering back in November, and when she mentioned her plans for her Korean supper club with an LA twist, I sure wasn't going to miss it for the world.

13 lucky guests, sat around a candlelit table with a lovely friendly atmosphere. We started by knocking back a delicious shot of Yoghurt Peach Soju, followed by,  delicately crispy Mac & Cheese balls laced with homemade Kimchi, topped with pickled mooli & guacamole.  Superb!

Soon after, a bowl of finger licking, Korean Fried Chicken, dowsed with a mildly spicy sauce and crushed peanuts arrived at the table. Needles to say, it didn't last very long. This dish captured my full attention, and I cannot describe how happy it made me.

As the evening unfolded, we sipped on terracota bowls filled with soul warming Bean Sprout Soup. We watched as skilful hands mixed a family style Bibimbap bowl with incredible flavours and textures, our bowl had a generous amount of Kyung's homemade Gochujang. I have become a Bibimbap convert and seeker and desperately need a jar of Gochujang in my pantry! 

For dessert, a two tiered Entremet, filled with dark chocolate mousse with a hint of Gojuchang, homemade Sweet Bean Paste and berry inset surrounded by a meticulously  decorated Jaconde. Pretty perfect! 

Needless to say that we are eagerly awaiting Kyung's future Korean suppers. That is... If you don't beat us to it!

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As the days swiftly approached for our winter gathering, we sat around our table to plot the intricacies of what was to be this years first À Mesa Supper. 
Anyone that knows me, will tell you, that I enjoy weaving the details that go onto our guest's table, almost as much, as I enjoy cooking them their supper. 

So we picked the tones and the fabrics. Aromatic bouquets, made from locally harvested rosemary, bay leaf and beautiful curly kale from Mayfield Produce,  adorned  bottles and carafes. Meters of soft beige linen, laid over our long table; frayed, handprinted napkins topped with hand illustrated menus. 

For our grazing table, we gathered together black earthy pots for our Alentejo olives, wooden baskets for our figs and pears,  large platters for our walnuts and cheeses. A selection of freshly baked organic breads from Norfolk st Bakery. Old wine crates crowned with a jar of soft sparkly sangria, flavoured with oranges, pears and spices. 

The lights were dimmed and the candles were lit, just in time, as our first guests arrived.  

The evening started with a rich "Sopa da Pedra, followed by "Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa" and "Chanfana A Beirinha", delicious Northrop Butchers goat infused in red wine and herbs that had been bubbling away for a handful of hours . Many guests went for seconds. The dessert was described as "the pièce de résistance" by one of our guests. Soft  poached pears and blackberries in foraged blackberry liquor, farofias (egg whites poached in sweetened milk, infused with vanilla bean) and mushrooms, which were in fact egg whites and dark chocolate which were made to resemble real mushrooms. 

As I stood in the kitchen, I noticed a sudden silence as the dessert plates were laid in front of our guests. The shock was only momentary as they quickly discovered the mushrooms were deliciously sweet.

Our table quickly livened up as whispers turned to a constant humming, new friends had been made. And as the night progressed, mellow guitar notes,  transformed into singing and laughter.

Just before our first guests called it a night, we sent the home with a sweet note. "Pão de Rala", a conventual sweet from my old Portuguese recipe book. It's made of almond paste with a filling of stringy pumpkin in Portuguese egg cream and egg strings. I'll tell you more about it soon. 

These were the ingredients for our humble Portuguese table.

We hope to have you at our table soon!

Stella

I'd like to thank my family and friends for all their help, the amazing suppliers and our guests alike, for making this evening a wonderful affair.

Thank You Sara for the beautiful table, Carlos for the amazing fotos and Paulo for the music that warmed our souls and Gus for the beautiful Malawian coffee

Thank you Norforlk St Bakery | Mayfield Produce | Northrop Butchers