Do not look if you are on a diet! LOL!

[london1967]

I've been doing quite a bit of baking/cooking in the last few weeks and it's been fun (everything was edible and was well received).

Two Saturdays ago I baked some little Chantilly cream pastries



and some Ricciarelli



to take to Jill and David's house-warming tea party (they have moved from one of the cottages on our road to a much larger house, 10 minutes away).
The Chantilly cream pasticcini reminded me so much of home where they would be part of a large tray of dainty pastries for special occasions.

That batch of choux pastry didn't puff up as expected but I did much better when I baked the profiteroles for the individual croquembouches that were part of the 'Papal lunch' the following day.

We had invited Michael and Chris for lunch on the Sunday. Inspired by both a TV programme and a book we have at home, I designed this Papal menu



and cooked all the food (I also made some 'carta di musica' - a very thin flour and semolina Sardinian bread - using a new manual pasta machine I had bought a couple of weeks before).

Adrian set the table beautifully as always





(this bouquet had been sent to Adrian by an 'admirer' for Valentine's day)


(4 glasses for the aperitivo and the different wines for 3 the courses).

The lunch turned out really well and it was great fun. Our guests were not poisoned and were very appreciative of the food and the 'concept'.

On Tuesday evening I used the new pasta machine (an Imperia) to make what we call bugie in Torino, fried Carnival pastries.
I made some plain ones and some filled with my mother's cherry jam (they looked like fried ravioli)



We kept a tray for ourselves and one was taken by Adrian to his Italian class.
Roberta - the teacher - said that the bugie were 'fantastiche'. Maybe Adrian was teacher's pet for one night! LOL

Our lovely friend Ricardo is visiting for a few days and yesterday I decided to make a small croquembouche again.
He was very impressed and loved the white chocolate and limoncello creme patissiere/whipped cream filling.



Needless to say all this food is not doing my figure any favour... I guess I'll just have to go on a slimming diet at some stage before the beach holiday at the end of June. Or perhaps not: I'm too old to care! LOL!

Comments

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

It all looks wonderful, Franco. Your guests are very lucky.

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much, Mark!

[bobalone.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness...you have really outdone yourself. I read about the luncheon for the papacy in a post Adrian made to Facebook, but it was wonderful to see photos of the food, not to mention facsimiles of the menus--all of which appear delightfully ornate. But my FAVOURITE photo is of the croquembouche which looks incredibly festive as well as tasty. Lucky Ricardo!! White chocolate and limoncello creme?! To die for. The pope should be so blessed. When you retire from your job and give up your secondary one as a photographer/stationer, you and Adrian should open a bake-shop/tea room. Please do it soon...before I expire!

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Many thanks for all the compliments, Bob.
Well I don't think that the tea room will ever happen but we did toy with the idea for a while a few years back.
Anyway no need for a shop: next time you're in London I'll try and make the croquembouche for you!

[bobalone.livejournal.com]

Oooh...lovely. That's a deal.

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Excellent!

[tonethbone.livejournal.com]

What amazing hosts and cooks you both are. Your friends are VERY lucky

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much! You are very kind.

[holy13nation.livejournal.com]

Really like the blue. Mind if I ask what the name is. Blue is hard to get right. Great contrast with the tablecloth as well.
I'm storing up inspiration for when we finally get to Brighton for good. The place is entirely decorated but once I am in there are a number of projects to begin and changes to make.

[london1967.livejournal.com]

I love that blue, although it turned out slightly different from what we envisaged.
It's Farrow & Ball's "Pitch Blue"
http://www.farrow-ball.com/pitch-blue/colours/farrow-ball/fcp-product/100220

[dan4behr.livejournal.com]

I'll agree with the sentiments above - your friends are very lucky to have you two in their lives and you two are quite the generous talent!

BTW... I'd never heard of elderflower liqueur, but just this past Saturday, we went to a Downton-themed cocktail party in which one of the featured cocktails, I think it was called "Lady Sybil" had elderflower liqueur as one of the ingredients.

However, I tried several of the theme cocktails and I'm not quite totally sure the Lady Sybil was in fact the one with that liqueur! I was pretty looped by the time the evening ended!

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much Dan.

Oh yes, Adrian was telling me about your Downton Abbey cocktails last night!
I bet that you were a bit squiffy by end of the evening!!

[dan4behr.livejournal.com]

I think by the end of the evening I was nearly blind!

[london1967.livejournal.com]

LOL! LOL!

[maxauburn.livejournal.com]

It all looks divine, Franco!

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks very much!

[isledemoi.livejournal.com]

Amazing as usual. Makes my scones seem so ho-hum, lol. And you guys have really made your house a home. I am sure you are wonderful hosts. Did you dress up as the pontiff for your feasting? It was the blessing of what....?

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Thank you. But really there's nothing like a freshly-baked scone!

No dressing up I'm afraid... and before you ask, no ring-kissing either! LOL

[tilia-tomentosa.livejournal.com]

That croquembouche thing looks very interesting with those caramel threads that hold it together (and I had to google it, the foreigner that I am). :)

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Well until 3 or 4 years I didn't know what it was either!

charming

[piowapuff.livejournal.com]

You and your partner make such lovely parties and food! As always, love the pics!

Re: charming

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy the photos.