Flaming peaches social supper at the Deans Court Café
Not all Saturday nights are made the same. And as the weather took a sharp turn for the chillier last weekend so starts that time of the year when it becomes all too temping to snuggle up by the fire and surrender yourself to winter hibernation. It takes a certain kind of evening invite to tempt you out. But when that evening promises a 1950’s Citroen H van, spicy porger sausages and truffle honey, bring your own booze and is all created by the chef whose salt beef has become something of a legend in the area. Well then you know that’s an evening you can’t resist.
So it was that with much anticipation on Saturday night that we joined an eager crowd of Dorset foodies for the penultimate night of Flaming Peaches Social Suppers at the Deans Court Cafe. Read our blog post on it below and contact matt@flamingpeaches.com to be one of the final few to snap up the last remaining tickets for this weekend.
I’ve always loved supper clubs. There’s a mellow kind of magic about them. Fresh with anticipation people gaggle together for the love of food, open-minded and eager to enjoy an evening where decisions don’t have to be made yet delicious flavours are promised. Arriving at the Deans Court cafe on Saturday, festoons of fairy lights guiding us towards the warm glow emanating from the door we were ushered out of cold and took our seats at a cosy table at the back. Glimpsing plates of blue cheese being drizzled with truffle honey on our way, we happily slotted into the chatter and atmosphere of subtle excitement that oozed from all there.
And we were in for treat. Preparing all the food from his 1950’s Citroen H van parked in the courtyard and using the zinc counter in the café to serve from, Matt and his team produced 4 courses of pure deliciousness. Starting with mugs of hot mulled cider what followed were sharing plates that both embraced local, seasonal produce and really pushed the boundaries on flavour combinations. Spicy porger sausages, with sticky red onions and arancini served with a tomato, parmesan and sweetcorn puree were followed by smoked Red Devon beef chuck, the creamiest bone marrow mash I’ve ever tasted and 4 tender breasts of spiced English partridge. A serving of couscous, grape and mint salad and roasted squash with feta contrasted wonderfully against the rich and gamey meat, balancing the dish beautifully. Fully satisfied yet always eager for more we effortlessly polished off our puddings of ‘flaming’ mess and poached pears, ending on a plate of unexpected, yet not unappreciated, melt in your mouth flaky pastry petit fours.
With every last morsel devoured the evening was a celebration of everything I love about the Dorset food scene. Local flavours, friendly service and ambitious combinations all combined to create a laid back yet exciting evening. And the Deans Court café was the perfect setting, retro Christmas decorations hung from the ceiling, a selection of mismatched coloured glasses decorated the tables and atmospheric music drifted out of the speakers in the corner. Running for the last month these suppers have been a sell-out success and I can see why. The last supper is this Saturday and a few much sought after spots are still available.
Email matt@flamingpeaches.com or ring 07738273049 to book.
Photos courtesy of Verity Hesketh Photography:
http://www.verityhesketh.co.uk/personal
