Easter & the egg - The kit and the cost

Despite what I said about paying for packaging I do have a couple of inexpensive but effective ideas. Check out your “bargain” shops – these pretty boxes shown below cost 89p for a pack of 3 and each holds four Easter nests. The cases cost 49p for 60.

Here's what the kids can produce easily :

There's a whole range of stuff to choose from – here's a photo of a few bits and chicks!

The Easter chicks in various sizes are 99p per pack. The cellophane treat bags are 79p for 12.

I'm not sure who'll have the best time – the kids or the grown-ups!

Easter & the egg

… the chocolate version that is.

Now I'm not being a misery but I really object to paying for packaging and very little chocolate and for chocolate that never tastes the same as it does in “bar” form - at astronomical prices. Never has foil and card been so expensive.

I'm not sure what the “bah humbug” equivalent is for Easter but you see where I'm coming from!

So, here's a few ideas for creating your own treats – especially if you want to entertain the kids during the holidays – what about them creating their own Easter treats and gifts.

This first recipe must be 50 years old if it's a day.

Easter Nests

200g plain chocolate, broken into small pieces

30g golden syrup

50g unsalted butter

100g cornflakes

36 mini eggs – 3 per nest -

you could add more if you wish

Makes 12

Place the chocolate, syrup and butter into a bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water.

While this is melting, line a muffin tray with 12 paper cases.

Whisk the chocolate mixture together until it's smooth and shiny, then remove from the heat. Add the cornflakes and mix to coat evenly.

Portion out the mixture into nest shapes in the paper cases and put 3 mini eggs in the middle of each. Place in the fridge to set.

I made the nests using rice krispies and milk chocolate. You could mix plain and milk chocolate if you preferred - whatever takes your fancy, but I hope you'll agree the ingredients won't break the bank.

A helpful note or two about chocolate :

When melting, do so in a large bowl.

No water and/or metal in the bowl.

Do not overheat, gently does it.

Leave melting chocolate alone – resist the urge!

Ensure that the simmering water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. It should be the steam from the water that melts the chocolate.

Easter & the egg - The cooler and the hunt

Never let it be said that I haven't had the most out of the wine coolers, first mentioned in Sweet Surprises for Summer, used for an alfresco birthday party.

Are you by any chance expecting and feeding visitors over Easter and are you organising an egg hunt?

Here's my take on a table centre for Easter Sunday :

You could actually put the eggs to further use after using the table centre - for the egg hunt – two uses for the price of one.

If you are organising an egg hunt you can even get tiny, appropriately decorated buckets too. Having said that, if like me, you accumulate small wicker baskets that you couldn't bear to part with because you knew they'd come in handy some time - they make great receptacles for eggs!

See what I mean.

Purnell's: The Book

...Cracking Yolks & Pig Tales

Naturally I couldn't leave the establishment without my signed copy!

A cursory glance tells me that it's not just a book of recipes but Mr. P's story from the beginning – it's funny and interesting too.

The recipes from the lunch are all in there – others have caught my attention so I think I'll be trying one or two on your behalf.

I'll leave you with a collage from the day and hope you've enjoyed it too.

Thank you Kareem for your kind invitation.

Purnell's: Desserts

I've never been served a pre-dessert before – clearly I need to get out more.  All I can say is it was worth the wait and then some.

I mentioned in the Bucket List post that Mr. P. won the dessert category in the Great British Menu with ….”burnt English cream surprise”. Well here it is served alongside a winter Rhubarb Trifle – the only difference now is that its complete title adds 10/10/10 – that's the score it was given – a perfect one.

Finally two large bowls were placed on the table – they were decorated with dried foliage – not really clear what sort at this stage.  I ought to have made the connection – the final dessert course was Mint choccy chip – mint – aerated chocolate.  I'm sure you've guessed what happened next, but here's a photo.  The dried foliage was of course dried mint and the smell was wonderful.

If it's possible to choose a favourite then for me it has to be ...”10/10/10” - out of this world – I could have eaten a bucket full and I don't do desserts.

Wow!

Purnell's: Bring on the mains!

The Roast Balmoral venison was a popular choice – once again when the dish was served it was so beautiful it was almost a shame to spoil it by eating it!

The waiter had stated that all the venison would be served medium rare.  Sometimes you just gotta go with the flow.  I know that two of our party would never order meat cooked medium rare – indeed one of the party had never eaten venison either.  Verdict – converted – on both counts.  The moral of this story is embrace the experience – take a leap into the unknown - you never know what might happen!

Now for my main.  I was asked when the booking was made and again on the day about dietary requirements and allergies in respect of my vegetarian main.

This is what I was served :

The dish is Carrots cooked in vadouvan, pickled & raw carrots, coriander & coconut emulsion, sweet carrot purée and dried coconut  and was served with puy lentils.  I also tasted the Indian red lentils served with the Monkfish masala – delish.

I said in the penultimate paragraph of A tick off the Bucket List! Mr. Purnell was in the kitchen, in charge of the lunch service.  Now it's not very often that I am lost for words, but was most definitely when I realised that the person dressing my main course was the man himself – a perfect day.  There was no circus, no fuss – he was pitching in, helping to serve and I just got lucky. It's probably as well that I couldn't speak – far less embarrassing than burbling rubbish.

By the way – for those who'd like to know, vadouvan is a blend of spices - a French “take” on a masala with added shallots and garlic.

Purnell's: The Beginning

The ambience is lovely and the staff are too – really friendly and welcoming.

After being seated in the private dining room, your attention is drawn to two bowls, each containing what look like four extra strong mints. You are warned that these lozenges are not to be eaten – watch this space.

Having chosen our particular lunch menu ahead, the final order takes no time at all – the only outstanding choice is mine – the vegetarian main – which was to be decided upon, on the day – all will be revealed!

It's difficult to know where to look for fear of missing something.

Appetisers are brought in – a board with Pain de Campagne (a perfect combination of the lightest bread texture with a crust to die for) and whipped salted butter – rock salt in a tiny pyramid for those who indulge – the simplest things in life are the best. Then there are bowls which have hot pebbles in the base, keeping the potato ball and a savoury, seeded tuile warm.

The “mint” mystery is about to be solved – hot water is poured into the bowls and magically four tiny white pillars rise and turn into hot gauze hand towels – genius – there's nothing like a spot of theatre to get your attention.

The majority of our party chose the beetroot mousse with horseradish crumble and salted beetroot – you've probably heard the expression, “a thing of beauty is a joy forever” (John Keats) - entirely fitting in this instance it was almost a shame to spoil it by eating it – almost!

It gets better ...