Springtime at The Food Urchin Supper Club - 31st March 2012

By all accounts, Spring starts today. And although sources do vary from one druid to another, I for one, am very grateful of its arrival. For when Spring is here, the world all around us becomes more buoyant, verdant, lustful and free. Finally, we can cast off the dreary shackles of Winter, finally we can strip naked and run like stags through the forest, bare foot, feeling life penetrating back up through the musty, damp soil. However, a even more exciting proposition than that (for I am no longer allowed to actually go running sans apparel these days, court injunction, can't say anymore) is the arrival of wild garlic in our garden. When the ramsons start peeking through, then that is the signal, that Aslan is on his way.

And yet, as the new shoots push their way through, I am curiously minded of death. The death of our cat Dickie who succumbed to diabetes last year, poor thing. He loved roaming around the wild garlic patch, stretching his fluffy white chin over a broad leaf for a tickle, rolling around for a dose of allium scent, perhaps to impress the lady cats in the neighbourhood. On occasion, he also used to like spraying his business over the garlic, which would fill me with rage and I would chase him down the path swinging a rake over my head, screaming. So he didn't do that that often. At least I don't think he did. The children still think Dickie lives out in the garden, living a life, buoyant, lustful and free.

"He's very naughty that Dickie, isn't he Daddy. He never comes when you call him"

I haven't the heart to tell them the truth, to reveal death, to talk of that good night, which one should not go into gently. Not yet....................

I am supposed to be telling you about the next Food Urchin Supper Club which is on March 31st 2012.

Clearly, I have been sniffing too much copydex this morning.

So yes LIFE! FERTILITY! LAMB! FORAGING! RHUBARB! BOOZE! These are just some of the elements that we shall be introducing to our guests and this shall be the very exciting menu:

Nettle and Ham Hock Soup

Fennel Risotto with Pan-Fried Scallops

Wild Garlic and Anchovy Stuffed Lamb with Flageolet Beans, Roast Gnocchi and Spring Vegetables

Buttermilk Pudding with Boozy Rhubarb

All for the respectable donation of £25.00 per head (which includes free Essex tap water, homemade bread and a refreshing granita, of some description).

Vegetarian options available on request.

For more information and to reserve a place, please email me at: foodurchin@yahoo.co.uk

Ordinarily, I like to post menus and supper club musings on Posterous. But as the site has gorn up the wall today, I might concentrate all efforts from one singular blog. Makes sense dunnit (might get my domain name sorted out one of these days too).