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The opening night of the Underground Restaurant.

February 10, 2009 11 Comments Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Uncategorized

French vintage bottle openers

French tire-bouchons

My guests arrived on time. My emo teenager sat in the corner on a rocking chair looking like a scene from ‘The turn of the screw’. Then, greeting her with almost choking relief, my sister arrived to waitress. After handing them a complimentary glass of kir royale to celebrate the opening night, people were seated for the first course.

I introduced several food bloggers to each other, Bellaphon, Foodrambler and Londoneater, the virtual colliding with the real. Which is partly the point. This is ‘put your money where your mouth is’ time. Anybody with a digital camera, a way with words and a budget for eating out, can put up recipes, review food. How many food bloggers then invite you over to actually try the food for yourself?
I disappear into the kitchen where the Guardian photographer has set up. I am tempted to go all Nigella on her, licking spoons artfully for the camera. She tells me to stop it immediately.
I have a table of friends here, a writer Caroline Simpson and two famous astrologers, Bethea Jenner and Michael Day, but otherwise I don’t know anybody. 
I confess only half-joking to the Guardian photographer that this is all an elaborate scheme to find a boyfriend. I have no one to cook for, my teenager won’t eat hardly anything, so I invite strangers over.
Horton Jupiter arrives saying his plus two will not be coming as they are too drunk. These are the people for whom I made extra mousse au chocolat. I think for the future I will ask people to ‘donate’ in advance via paypal. I was annoyed as I had turned down reservations for tonight.
I cover the kitchen surfaces with bowls to serve the roasted cherry tomato soup, placing a basil leaf in the middle of each, accompanied by a hunk of warmed up herb focaccia.
The gratins are cooked, the potatoes are soft in their cream but the tops need browning. I juggle with the various Aga ovens, alternating which dish of gratin will go in the roasting oven. I’ve cooked 4 baking tins worth of gratin, enough for 15 people.
Horton comes into the kitchen and strokes my Aga. We discuss Jeremy Clarkson’s comment that Gordon Brown is a “one-eyed Scottish idiot”. 
Which I say is “factually true”.
 Horton then  announces that David Blunkett could not possibly be a good government minister “because he is blind. Der!”
“What’s that got to do with anything?” I ask.
“He’s a stupid right-wing twat.” states Horton.
“Yes. He should not be in government because he’s a stupid right-wing twat, agreed, not because he is blind.”
My sister shoos Horton out of the kitchen. The Guardian photographer, who has been a witness to this exchange gasps. “You can’t say stuff like that!” 
I smirk to myself: well done Horton, you just lost the politically correct vote, she is from The Guardian after all.
Soup bowls return. We start to plate up the gratins, a relay with myself digging them out of the tins, my teen rushing them over to my sister who will add the two salads. I look over and realise my sister has piled the salad up high. The plate looks like something Popeye would eat.

“No, no, no. Not like that. Smaller. A scoop. Then trickle the dressing over!” I command.

The main course served, I go into the living room and have a little chat with each table. I’m playing so many roles here; cook and hostess. I’m wearing a smeared white apron. 
When the plates return I notice somebody hasn’t eaten their gratin. I have to stop myself going to tell them off. This is a mother’s restaurant after all.

Bompass & Parr jelly

Bompas & Parr

Blackcurrant jelly

Blackcurrant jelly
The charming Bompas & Parr, who make art jellies for installations and parties (last week they did Mark Ronson’s party) are here. They have brought some jellies in a cool box. Asking for a bowl of hot water to ease the jellies, elderflower and blackcurrant, out of their moulds, they serve them to each table as a ‘palate clearer’.
Finally the chocolate mousses are served with a chocolate-dipped candied orange slice. A couple of people leave their candied orange slices. They are so good I scoop them off the plates and eat them up later.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anonymous

    February 10, 2009 at 10:58 am

    I’ve really enjoyed reading all of the posts about this. What a great idea.

    Niamh

    Reply
  2. MsMarmitelover

    February 10, 2009 at 11:00 am

    Thanks Niamh,
    Welcome to my blog!
    Hope to see you one night?

    Reply
  3. Browners

    February 10, 2009 at 11:09 am

    Sounds brilliant. Looking forward to the 21st. Very keen.

    Reply
  4. Sue George

    February 10, 2009 at 1:47 pm

    Just read the piece in the Guardian – I’d really like to come one night too.
    I see you are an astrologer as well – very very interesting!
    Sue

    Reply
  5. MsMarmitelover

    February 10, 2009 at 1:55 pm

    Hi Sue and Browners,
    Welcome!
    Sue if you’d like to make a reservation contact me at
    theundergroundrestaurant@gmail.com

    Astrology and food…I might do a theme night!

    Reply
  6. Aron

    February 10, 2009 at 2:02 pm

    If I’m ever in England I’ll make a reservation. Sounds like a good time. 🙂

    Reply
  7. thora

    February 10, 2009 at 6:46 pm

    Excellent writing and I’d love to come some time. Laughed a lot at daughter / mother relationship.

    Reply
  8. MsMarmitelover

    February 10, 2009 at 6:58 pm

    Thanks Thora.Sounds like you recognize it.Email for booking at top left hand corner.
    You never know Aron.

    Reply
  9. Animal Disco

    February 10, 2009 at 7:46 pm

    ML, I am massively, hugely proud of you. What a wonderful evening! I sooo wish I could have been there. I’m doing my damndest to make darn sure I’m at the next one. Meanwhile, I salute you! Fabulous.

    xxx

    Reply
  10. Canal Explorer

    February 11, 2009 at 7:50 pm

    Ooh, it sounds amazing! I’m so disappointed I was out of the country and couldn’t make it! I’ll definitely be there for Valentines yumminess this Saturday, then off to the Space Hijackers Party.

    Can we have a link to the Guardian article please??

    X

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The 10th anniversary of my supper club says:
    January 21, 2019 at 10:31 am

    […] in 2009 I started The Underground Restaurant, a home restaurant or supper club. My first night to go public was February 9th. I was both terrified and […]

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

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My next supper club 17th June london tickets £50 My next supper club 17th June london tickets £50 BYO book here: https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsummer-supper-club-tickets-june-17th #london #supperclub #msmarmitelover #midsummer
For tonight’s event I had to push the boundaries For tonight’s event I had to push the boundaries. Here is how to prepare goose neck barnacles or percebes which are a very expensive and rare delicacy, hunted down from cliffs. It’s quite dangerous to forage them. #canapes #eventcatering #satanicfood #percebes #grossfood #seafood #devilsfood
Midsummer supperclub 17th June book tickets here h Midsummer supperclub 17th June book tickets here https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsummer-supper-club-tickets-june-17th at London’s pioneering supper club. Tickets £50 BYO. Scandinavian inspired summery food. #supperclub #msmarmitelover #midsummer #northwestlondon #londonevents #popups
Tina sweating through a gig at Brixton academy cir Tina sweating through a gig at Brixton academy circa 1987 pic: kerstin Rodgers #rip #tinaturner #rockphotographer #kerstinrodgers #teenagephotographer
Attended an incredible talk with @frenchpete_1 on Attended an incredible talk with @frenchpete_1 on war photography in the Ukraine . Go to the exhibition @thebppa @thebargehouse in SE1 last few days 
Had to stop filming cos I was told off. The photographers would be less forthcoming if they were filmed I was told. 
Anyway @frenchpete_1 should be followed by a camera crew cos he’s a star.
For yesterdays lunch I made a blue cheese puff pas For yesterdays lunch I made a blue cheese puff pastry quiche and a little one with less blue cheese & no salt for my 7 month old granddaughter. She absolutely loved it. I’m enjoying seeing her experience and explore new foods with baby led weaning. Avocado, strawberries, kiwi & buttered crumpets are a hit. Pasta less so. Who is this child? Are we even related? #babyledweaning #quiche #homemadepuffpastry
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My terrace on a sunny May morning. The builders @l My terrace on a sunny May morning. The builders @lk.general.building left yesterday. They’ve been working since January. I had the awning installed, the encaustic Minton tiles removed and put back with green grout. The terrace was causing damp so this had to be done. My calamondin plant is looking lovely. The benches which I repaired with hard wood & I repainted using a mix of 2 colours. The marble table I bought in Suffolk at a car boot. Everything is still dusty & I’m waiting for the window cleaner to arrive.
Last but very heartfelt thankyou to @cideriswine f Last but very heartfelt thankyou to @cideriswine for their contribution of these beautiful dry ciders for the coronation street lunch. Gorgeously illustrated labels. #stcuthbertsrd #kilburn #london #cider #artisanaldrinks
When it comes to vodka I much prefer potato vodka. When it comes to vodka I much prefer potato vodka. It’s smoother. Artisanal distillery @devoncovevodka contributed some bottles to my coronation lunch which gave everyone a feeling of being at a classy party. Thanks so much. And also @rawfoodanddrink for arranging. If you want to read my blog post about how and why I organised this event, copy and paste this link: https://t.co/GWNNW2XKba #coronationstreetparty #biglunch #community #kilburn #london #forthepeoplebythepeople
I’ve been a fan of @luscombedrinks for years now I’ve been a fan of @luscombedrinks for years now. They sent a selection: elderflower bubbly, st. Clements orange 🍊 Sicilian lemonade, @belvoirfarm_uk lemonade, which were all delicious and just the tickets for the fortuitous mini-heatwave that occurred on the Sunday coronation lunch. #thankyou #community #coronation #streetparty #biglunch
Our street party. Double page spread in The Sun! T Our street party. Double page spread in The Sun! Tiny bit in the guardian. Decent pic in the Mail and The Star credit @asproider #coronationlunch #kilburn #stcuthbertsrd #kingscroftrd #fordwychrd #templarhouse
My coronation quiche with Broad beans, tarragon, s My coronation quiche with Broad beans, tarragon, spinach, cheddar. I used crème fraiche and blind baked puff pastry shells. I was up at 11 last night making these for todays street party, which featured in the mail, telegraph, mirror, metro courtesy of photographer Gavin Rodgers @asproider
Seaweed foraging at Spring tides in the Outer Hebr Seaweed foraging at Spring tides in the Outer Hebrides with @outerhebrideanforager Fi bird. She’s cutting sea spaghetti. I drove my campervan @camperdays.international from london to the Hebrides- using my gas stove to cook foraged and local ingredients. A real food safari. With the sea spaghetti I made a sea spag vongole with giant parlourdes picked up from the sand at the same time. Great fun, beautiful weather and, the day of the full moon, a wonderfully low tide. This was on south Uist.
More flavours, the flavour thesaurus is a plant-ba More flavours, the flavour thesaurus is a plant-based version of the original. Beautifully constructed, designed and written by @nikisegnit it’s vegetarian rather than vegan but recommended for both. She widens the sensory vocabulary around plant flavours in this book- encouraging new delicious sounding combinations. Now she includes new categories such as flower & meadow, caramel roasted, zesty roost- just the words make me salivate. #foodbooks #bookstagram #newbooks
Yesterday I attended @marmaladeawards @dalemainman Yesterday I attended @marmaladeawards @dalemainmansion I found out so much about marmalade. I’m going to make it this winter. I found out the worlds best maker is Japanese, in fact I was most impressed by the Japanese marmalades in general. Everyone wore orange. I must have tasted 50 marmalades. I met Paddington’s sister, karen jankel who is michael bond’s daughter, born in the same year as Paddington. She gave a charming talk on Paddington, mentioning how the queen insisted on having real marmalade sandwiches in her @launerlondonofficial handbag during the shoot. The house itself is Tudor and Georgian. I stayed in my campervan from @camperdays.international in the car park, cosy in the rain. Another freewheeling adventure. #yorkshire #marmalade #travel #food #ontheroad #campervan
I had a piece in @thetimes on Sunday about being a I had a piece in @thetimes on Sunday about being a vegetarian rather than a vegan. How I still need butter. And how restaurants & plane meals are now vegan rather than vegetarian. But, there are still more the double amount of vegetarians as vegans in the UK. I’ve written a vegan cookbook V is for vegan (link in bio) and am a big fan of vegan foods. I’ve not eaten meat for over 40 years. This is a sustainable diet, in terms of longevity. Vegans that I knew from the early noughties have reverted to meat eating. #newpuritanism? #vegetarian #vegan #foodwriter
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