This, that and the Other

I can't believe it's been nearly a fortnight since I last divulged a little piece of my mind. Since then, there's been quite a bit going on in our little world. Firstly, it transpires our most distant blog watcher (I'm sure there is a proper term) is in Durban, South Africa. Hello Margaret if you're reading this, it's lovely to have you along for the ride. Secondly, according to an item I heard on Radio 4, your popularity is now proven by the number of left clicks you get. can you believe this? To be credible in anything, apparently, you need to have thousands of likes - Houston, we have a problem, we only have 15! It seems the hundreds of lovely customers we have each week don't count - well in our world they do and we're really happy to see you all.

Preparations are well under way for the big Jubilee weekend. I love the Queen, she looks like my grandma used to when she'd just had her hair done, but I've got to say I'm a bit overdone now with Union Jacks, I seem to have been seeing them since last summer. All those people who went mad on the interior design Union Jack inspiration (cushions, cups, teapots etc. etc.) you not going to be fashionable again for a while, in fact not until 2027 when the Queen could celebrate her Platinum jubilee. I think I might book that weekend off, in the meantime, for this one I've had a bit of a cookie fest.

 Very excitedly, this week Renishaw has been used as a location for a photography shoot for a magazine for a French shop. We've had all manner of gorgeous artistes and models wandering round. We were asked to produce some cakes for the shoot, think Marie Antoinette's tea party, was the brief. How scary? Didn't these people know whey we're coming to the farthest corner of Derbyshire from London? Anyway I did my best and it gave me an excuse to make pink macaroons too. The cakes were used and this is a picture of some of the remaining ones. I now need to persuade Adrian to take me to Paris for when the magazine is published so I can pick up a copy. How cool!


 This week has also seen the demise of the bee hives at Renishaw. unfortunately one of the hives swarmed for a second time and the bees were particularly aggressive. Adrian got stung twice and unfortunately three people from the farm got stung too. I was terrified even in a full bee suit. The guard bees we just doing their job a bit too well, they chased me and Lizzie B a good 300 metres away from the hive (and I do mean chased in my case) and were still attacking us. Liz took the decision to destroy one hive and has relocated the other. It isn't necessarily the end of that little project but a location rethink (could Phil and Kirsty help us out here?) and some nicer bees will be required. Honey will still be available via the cafe a little later in the summer.

Hope to see you this weekend, if not, whatever you're doing I hope you have a fabulous time.

Take care, Lou x

Que Sera Sera

The thought for the day comes from any number of places, I'm often seen scribbling on receipts out of my purse having heard a bit of something on the radio, I even copied down something off a wall in a garden centre once. Often the pieces of paper get lost (if you've ever seen the inside of a typical woman's handbag you'll understand), sometimes they make it to the notice hoard and then the debate begins. I like life lessons, "twee" Adrian would say, "You just want to be Doris Day" accuses Kathy. probably true on both counts, although I would just like to be able to sing like Doris Day rather than actually BE Doris Day.

There are panic moments; Wednesday morning dawns and nothing has struck home, no words worthy of going on the blackboard. How do these column writers do it? They have to produce hundreds, even thousands of words, weekly and I struggle to come up with one little thought. "Humour", Adrian says "we need funny things", my personal favourite is 'If it's the tourist season, why can't we shoot them?' He says I can't use it however, you've got to admit, it's funny!

Any words of wisdom you would like to share send them to us on gallerycaterers@hotmail.co.uk you could save me another grey hair.

See you soon.
Lou x

ps Poptastic D, if you're reading this I've had a serious cheese scone malfunction this morning, they've gone sideways instead of up!

Something for everyone this weekend

This weekend is packed full of things happening at Renishaw Hall & Gardens. On Saturday we have a Food Fair with stalls selling local produce from10.30am to 4.00pm.  There are also two Vineyard Tour & Tastes at 11.30am and 2.00pm.

Saturday also sees the opening of the Royalty & Renishaw Exhibition. The exhibition celebrates the relationship between Renishaw and the Royals of Britain and Europe. The exhibition was previewed yesterday by The Times and a review will feature on Saturday, with the exhibition also appearing in the Independent on Sunday. Woman and Home Magazine have listed it as the 2nd best Jubilee exhibition to see, second only to Buckingham Palace.

The exhibition is open 10.30am to 4.30pm, Wednesday to Sunday and will be open until the close of the season.

On Sunday the Plant Fair opens at 10.30am with specialist nurseries selling a range of lovely plants and offering advice. There are also another two more Vineyard Tour & Tastes at 11.30am and 2.00pm.

Don't forget there's also all the usual loveliness in the Cafe. Hope to see you soon.
Louise x

Last week it was Francophile, this week it's Countryfile

The BIG news this week is that a couple of Saturdays ago we had the pleasure of hosting the crew from the BBCs Countryfile programme. They were in the area filming for a programme about Derbyshire, obviously they didn't just call in for tea it was all planned and they spent an entire day here filming in the Vineyard, the Hall and the garden. Matt Baker was ill so we had to put up with Adam the farmer (what a shame!). It is planned that the programme will be broadcast on Sunday, 6th May so hopefully you'll catch it on the Beeb.

There's been a few changes to the menu so I thought I'd put the whole thing here in the hopes of tickling some taste buds:


Farmers Pie, Goats Cheese & Caramelised Red Onion Tart, Gammon Salad, Salmon Salad, Ploughmans Lunch, Onion & Leek Tart, Pheasant Pithivier, Roast Partridge, Rabbit in Mustard Sauce, Chicken Breast in Bacon and Mushroom Sauce, Daube de Provence, Pork Loin in Prunes.

If Adrian asks if you'd like his autograph just ignore him, he used to be on the stage you know and likes nothing better than to regale a willing audience with tales of when he 'trod the boards' and he even still remembers all his lines!

Hope to see you soon.
Louise x