• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MsMarmiteLover

  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
  • Travel
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • UK
  • Wine
  • Gardens
  • Supperclubs/Events
  • About
    • Press
    • Books
  • Shop
    • Cart

The Underground Restaurant at Bestival 2012

September 14, 2012 12 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized

Les girls. Costumes by Ruth Bennett
Preparing for brunch: making bread by torchlight; fishes and loaves; a mutineer’s breakfast
Bestival: Wishing Tree Field

Coconuts: cocktails and south seas soup

Costume details
Exotic fruit plates at the brunch

Scenes from the Underground Restaurant
Sienna’s seating plan; the man who brought our clams for the vongole; a propped up slopey kitchen. 
Drinks in the rowing boat; black boards outside; Shipwreck pavlova
I loved finding props and styling this project. Drunken bottles, globes, rum shots, maps, seascapes. This restaurant was inspired by the novels of Patrick O’Brian, set just after Nelson’s death. 
Valerie June looked like a crew member; an Isle of Wight Elvis came to visit; cabin boy Jim welcoming guests

Brunch: home made muesli, Bloody Marys with rosemary; yoghurts and fruit, home made bread and jams, Marmite, ricotta hotcakes and maple syrup, tea and coffee.
We all joined in with The Crew, an Isle of Wight shanty band; ex X factor contestant Paige Richardson jammed with them; Main stage act Skinny Lister

Brunch: ricotta hotcakes with maple syrup; Head chef Angie made these cute ‘fish’ butters.

I had a fantastic mixologist in Poppy Farrugia who works at Golden Bee bar in Old Street; her wonderful mum Denise, who runs a tattoo parlour came too. 
I served the vegetarian spaghetti in maps and banana leaves which seals in all the taste.
Props: seashore books; Victory Ale (we also sold other era appropriate drinks such as ‘sack’, or sherry; port and madeira); map cushions in wooden boats; ‘mapkins’ and sea shells on trunks; ships in bottles
I used Garofalo pasta, bronze die pasta from Gragnano in Italy. I experimented with cooking times. If you have a very good quality pasta, it’s very difficult to overcook it. The mains course, Spaghetti vongole al cartoccio, was very difficult to do for so many people. It required precise timing. This was 11 minute spaghetti. We needed to cook it for six minutes then place it in a sealed parchment bag with the sauce and bake it for five minutes. I would dearly love to go to visit Gragnano, to find out more about pasta.

Menu:
South Seas soup with sweet potato, plus chilli, coconut and lime sambal
Spaghetti vongole al cartoccio
Isle of Wight tomato salad
Pirate Pavlova

Top right: one lady came to brunch with her hair in a towel, having just showered.
Isle of Wight local sea shanty band The Crew who both looked and sounded very authentic. 
Isle of Wight tomatoes, a ‘compass’ salad
Gizzi Erskine adored my spaghetti vongole in a bag
Skinny Lister and Gizzi

Sunset pirate

Thanks to Come Cosi tomatoes, Garofalo pasta, Vitamix UK (vital to make the coconut lime sambal), Wines of South Africa, Rabl wine, Merry Widows wine, Green Pan UK, (a lifesaver for the ricotta hotcakes), Bestival, Josie and Rob Da Bank, Katie Maddison, Gemma Thorogood, Ali of Bristol Vintage, Kellie Edmeades for doing accounts, Achillea Flowers, Dionne Leonard for menu maps and constellation flowers, Kiren Puri,  Marmite, The Crew (Sue Rose, Jan Young, Phil Young, Sam Brookes, Shane Brookes, Barry Seaward, Paul and Lindsay Sturgess) and all the cast of The Underground Restaurant. (Kitchen: Angie Hodgkinson Day, Luke Sutton, Tyler Bladebone, Karolina Kulesza, Kat Baily, Gareth Harris, Beggs. Front of house: Tanya Moulson, Ros Brooks, Jeannie Miles, Izzy, Selina, Sarah Servante. Bar: Poppy and Denise Farrugia. Seamstress/costumier/wise woman: Ruth Bennett. Door/handyman and the guy who makes me laugh, Jim Pennington. Sienna Rodgers for sorting out the bookings and keeping me sane. Missed you Imo x

Recent posts

guacamole Pic: Kerstin Rodgers

Halloween/Day of the Dead supper club October 29th

August 10, 2022

Emily O'Hare serving pasta at an al fresco dinner in La Torre Alle Tolfe, just outside Siena in Tuscany pic; Kerstin Rodgers

Visiting Tuscany, Chianti, sommelier Emily O’Hare and the world’s most famous butcher

August 4, 2022

The Palio in Siena, Italy: curses and horses

July 28, 2022

Previous Post: « Last chance to sow
Next Post: Tropical recipes: watermelon and coconut »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jules

    September 14, 2012 at 7:52 pm

    Looks like a fabulous event. I love the menu and styling.

    Reply
  2. Anonymous

    September 15, 2012 at 2:58 am

    I couldnt have said it any better to be honest! keep up the awesome work. You are very talented & I only wish I could write as good as you do 🙂 …

    Reply
  3. ernährungsplan

    September 15, 2012 at 5:15 pm

    very good post

    Reply
  4. James

    September 16, 2012 at 7:49 pm

    Swashbuckling costumes!

    The shipwreck pavlova on a return voayage. Bet the coconut hollowing day was memorable.

    Wow! Looks like I missed a good one!

    Reply
  5. theundergroundrestaurant

    September 16, 2012 at 7:59 pm

    I bought ready hollowed coconuts! (memories of last years horrendous pumpkin hollowing out sesh).
    But there was quite a bit of coconut cracking and skinning for the coconut sambal.
    I'll do the recipe in the next post. it's totally addictive. Missed your packing expertise. I forgot so much stuff.

    Reply
  6. Anonymous

    September 17, 2012 at 6:42 am

    awesomeness

    Reply
  7. sewa mobil jakarta

    September 17, 2012 at 8:04 am

    Very nice, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  8. Victoria

    September 17, 2012 at 10:13 am

    You are so creative, it is awe inspiring.

    Reply
  9. Franksexual

    September 17, 2012 at 4:19 pm

    again – it looks amazing!!! Wish I was there! xxx

    Reply
  10. Anonymous

    September 19, 2012 at 7:02 pm

    Wow. That looks like so much fun and yummy!!

    Reply
  11. le bord doré des nuages

    October 1, 2012 at 9:12 pm

    Quelle folle journée!!!!
    Merci pour ce très joyeux spectacle gourmand!!!! les photos et l"ambiance SUPER! Bravissimo!

    Reply
  12. Sally - My Custard Pie

    October 3, 2012 at 8:59 am

    Your creativity is awesome. I just wish I'd been there. Shipwreck meringue – wonderful stuff. Having just won a Vitamix need that recipe!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

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

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

Subscribe to my mailing list

msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
Corn, cheese, courgette fritters in the air fryer. Corn, cheese, courgette fritters in the air fryer. When it’s hot, I want salads yes but also fried things. See my piece and the Recipe on @hamandhigh https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/things-to-do/food-reviews/air-fryer-recipes-9207650 #recipe #airfryer
Tonight’s dinner: Caesar salad with coddled egg, Tonight’s dinner: Caesar salad with coddled egg, anchovy, Parmesan dressing & pine nuts; roast apricots with mozzarella, roast peppers with garlic & tomato; grilled sweetcorn with honey, butter & espelette pepper dressing; smoked mackerel pâté with dill. #alfresco #summerlovin #dinnertonight
Grilled Manouri cheese (like halloumi but not rubb Grilled Manouri cheese (like halloumi but not rubbery and less salty) with watermelon, spruce oil and tarragon. #salad #summervibes
I went to @hide_restaurant in Piccadilly, they are I went to @hide_restaurant in Piccadilly, they are now doing breakfast & brunch. The restaurant design is stunning in itself, from the gaudi-esque central staircase, to the table decorations, to the uniforms of the waiting staff. Chef @olliedabous has developed an incredible menu: from standards like avocado on toast (beautifully presented with edible flowers & 2 lightly poached eggs), pain au chocolat (buckwheat), french toast with blueberry compote ( cloud-like, soft, light), British @exmoorcaviar with sourdough, mango with kefir lime zest, an extraordinary tea & coffee menu ( Brazilian single estate coffee) Yuzu indigo tea. You can spend a lot. Or a little. Worth it for the design, the baking, the feeling of experiencing a rare treat. #london #breakfast #brunch #review #invitation
My niece @rachaelrodgers wedding to Luca Venezia @ My niece @rachaelrodgers wedding to Luca Venezia @cursesforever. It’s been featured in US vogue. Style, good food, great music, stunning backgrounds of mount vesuvius & Naples were the order of the day. Or should I say 3 days which is how long it lasted. The bride wore white but it was a vintage @viviennewestwood corset (one of only 5 existing, the other 3 are in fashion museums), and a flowery bikini to cut the delicious rose 🌹 and cherry 🍒 cake. Hawaiian barbie & La Cicciolina were inspirations. The guests were equally stunning. #naples #wedding #bridestyle
Air fryer recipe: aubergine sticks with yoghurt an Air fryer recipe: aubergine sticks with yoghurt and tahini sauce. Aubergines 🍆 soak up a lot of oil so an air fryer is a great way to minimise the calorific content. They tasted just as delicious! Recipe here: https://msmarmitelover.com/2022/06/air-fryer-recipe-aubergine-sticks-with-yoghurt-tahini-sauce.html I only used a couple of tablespoons of olive oil rather than a gallon. Going to play about with some other recipes. #airfryer #recipe I got my air fryer here: https://www.very.co.uk/electricals/cooking-appliances/fryers/e/b/4571.end it’s an extra large with 2 drawers.
This is a new dish I’ve invented called, ahem, p This is a new dish I’ve invented called, ahem, patatas nachas. Underneath is a layer of potatoes fried in olive oil. On top nachos with cheese, salsa, guacamole, creme fraiche, rajas. It’s a mash up of patatas bravas and nachos. There is a brilliant book out with 75 nachos variations by @tfimb called nachos for dinner. Nachos are quick tasty & if you add other elements- filling. #nachos #dinner
Ciambotta which is an Italian version of ratatouil Ciambotta which is an Italian version of ratatouille but with fried potato. Recipes here: https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/things-to-do/food-reviews/three-neapolitan-vegetarian-recipes-9147040 #naples #recipe #vegetarian
Aqua Sale, a fisherman’s meal in campania. ‘Yo Aqua Sale, a fisherman’s meal in campania. ‘You take dry bread, put it in a colander, put it in the sea, drain it, add tomatoes, oil, oregano and this is a meal. Every family had a dried bread drawer.’ I was told. I used basil and made my own ‘sea water’ by adding salt to fresh water. Recipe in the @ham&high and on the blog soon. #aquasale #breadsalad #cucinapovera #tomatoes #heatwavefood
Zeppoline, deep-fried pizza doughnuts with seaweed Zeppoline, deep-fried pizza doughnuts with seaweed - a Neapolitan dish I had in a local trattoria in a sweltering narrow street. Served hot in a basket, I tore them up and dipped them in oil & lemon juice. Recipe in the ham and high and on the blog soon. #recipe #naples #fried
Being silly at last night’s picnic for my sister Being silly at last night’s picnic for my sister in laws birthday in waterlow park. A rolypoly race. 
I’ve not been feeling great the past few days, sniffles, headache, sore throat. I took a test after the picnic just to be on the safe side & sure enough I finally caught the dreaded covid. 
When I feel better I’ll return to Italy.
This vegetarian met the worlds most famous butcher This vegetarian met the worlds most famous butcher @dariocecchinimacellaio whose shop is located in Panzano, Tuscany. He trained my favourite food writer @bill.buford in butchery. I told him I didn’t eat meat & he twinkled ‘to beef or not to beef’. He has a Clark Gable elegance: moustache, slicked back hair, charm, & a designer shirt depicting cows from @cotondoux paris. I instinctively wore a red & white striped dress which matched the colours of his shop, the red & white of the surgeon. They serve you glasses of Dario’s own Chianti Classico complete with straw bottomed ‘fiasco’. Now where else do you get that? When I return I will try the vegetarian menu at his restaurant opposite. #butcher #panzano #tuscany #chiantishire #chianticlassico #foodsiena #foodreportage
On a very steep street in siena, Tuscany. They’v On a very steep street in siena, Tuscany. They’ve had to be creative with the table legs. We went to the Palio horse race in the shell-shaped piazza where the passion & downright enmity of the different contrada or districts, each represented by an animal or mascot, was on display. The riders go bareback. It’s the horse that wins not the jockey. A riderless horse can win. There are many false starts, a massive explosion going boom in the square each time which led kids to cry. We waited for hours in the cheap seats- the burnt ochre brickwork of the centre. While tourists at windows paid 600 euros for the privilege. I loved the singing, like football chants but operatic- lots of finger pointing at each other. After I went to a contrada dinner on the streets of Siena, a rare opportunity. For 35 euros you attend the largest ‘supper club’ ever- 800 people, 4 courses, generous helpings of chianti. The servers are local teenagers. I wore my ‘Oca’ or goose scarf around my shoulders, looking like a girl guide. A bucket list item ticked off. I only wish my daughter @siennamarla was with me. #travel #food #italy #chiantishire #siena #palio #supperclub #oca #contrada
Looking at vegetables in Italy. Photo by @loredana Looking at vegetables in Italy. Photo by @loredanaparisi72
My piece in the @hamandhigh about the 3 day @heat My piece in the @hamandhigh about the  3 day @heathostile training course. Incredibly interesting & challenging. Link: https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/things-to-do/hostile-environment-training-9037980 to read more #hostileenvironmenttraining
Supper club dishes from Saturday: pickled beetroot Supper club dishes from Saturday: pickled beetroot eggs, cheeseboard, stracciatella & cucumber, tomato/strawberry/peashoot salad with real balsamic & spruce oil, home cured dill gravlax, smoked salmon, homemade sourdough crisp bread, potato salad with wild fennel & lots more! #supperclub #midsummer #eattherainbow (miss you @linnsoederstroem)
Last nights supper club. My first supper club in 2 Last nights supper club. My first supper club in 2 years was great fun. I’m pleased with my food, the guests were lovely, it looked magical in the garden. But the weather! I even had to bring my duvets from the bedroom out. They looked like refugees. But this brought even more laughter! Next event September
My first supperclub in two years will take place t My first supperclub in two years will take place this Saturday 18th June starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are £50 byo you can book here: https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsommar-supper-club there are still a few places left. Pescetarian menu. Scandi and botanical influences. #gettingbackonmyfeet #postpandemic #smallbusinesses #supperclub #london
I recently completed the 3 day @heathostile train I recently completed the 3 day  @heathostile training course. On the last day I was kidnapped by ex-special forces for a few hours & learnt how to deal with compliance training & a hostile environment. It was one of the most interesting experiences of my life. 3 intense days of combat first aid, navigation & how to survive in a war zone. I handled short, long guns, mortars, grenades, bullets, and tourniquet & bandaged an amputee. I learnt where to sit in a car, where to hide from a bullet, where to protect myself if in a car. It was brilliant. Highly recommended for any journalists, photographers, cameramen, charity workers, paramedics going into any difficult environment say a disaster or war. The stories from the tutors & the other participants were so interesting. My piece on it out soon. Book a course: https://hostile-environment.co.uk/  They also do jungle & desert training. I’d love to join the Antarctic expedition. Anyway that’s me hooded in the front. #adventures #het #hostileenvironmenttraining #experiences #travel
Bundoran beach, Donegal. I spent a week knocking o Bundoran beach, Donegal. I spent a week knocking on doors, going to libraries, searching through graveyards for my Irish forebears. It’s really hard to find information prior to 1850. I found this in last years trip to Arbroath in Scotland. Headstones wear out, records are lost or burnt in a fire, everybody has the same name and are known by nicknames, successive children have the same first name, that usually means they died and the next one is called by the same thing. Women did have children out of wedlock, and people remarried more often than you’d think, plus families fall out & never see each other again. I learnt that my Irish great grandfather michael went to Glasgow & met a woman who came from a similar place: somewhere wild & beautiful by the sea. Then they and their children came to london. Chasing the work & the money always. Politics and economics matter for they push people around from rural to city. And now we rodgers are Londoners. #ireland #scotland #family #travel #roots
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Archives

Copyright © 2022 msmarmitelover