Wednesday 4 July 2012

A castle garden picnic


Today was a very lovely day.

When not doing wedding things, I manage a lovely little lottery funded community cafe/bistro in my home village of West Wemyss on the East Coast of Scotland. In that capacity, I was asked to provide a picnic for a group of French garden enthusiasts who were visiting the very beautiful Wemyss Castle gardens

Designed by Charlotte Wemyss, the gardens are a riot of colour at the moment and were very much appreciated by les francaises. I set up the picnic in the potting shed (mindful that the heavens could open at any time.) In fact, it was 24 degrees hot on the outside so everyone was able to help themselves and then wander outside to eat and chat.

The menu included home-made breads, smoked salmon sandwiches, Scottish salamis and chorizos, little cheese pastries and wee pork pies. On the sweet side, I got up very early this morning and made little custard tarts and cardamom shortbreads and served them with strawberries picked from Cairnie Fruit Farm.

A very very very nice day!!
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Beyond the gate 
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A little lilac repose.....
...and a nice cup of tea! 
A welcoming seat 
A colourful spread 
Hand picked strawberries and cardamom shortbreads and little custard tarts and home-made breads 
Lovely rusted and worn gate 
 
You make me laugh! 
A lovely complement
Les petites custard tarts 
French style geraniums 
A place to sit and sip