The Midsummer Edition

Together Michele and Felice have devised a matched pairing of food and wine that will take your taste buds on a journey around the Mediterranean.

The evening begins with a warm welcome to Barton Court. If the weather is fine, we will be serving you fizz outside on the terrace or the lawn with a contingency plan for the vagaries of our English summer in the Saw Mill.

Dinner proper begins with a trip to Greece and a starter that reminds you of hot days under the bright blue skies of the Aegean. Aubergine is at the heart of this dish, a vegetable much love by all the Mediterranean countries for its ability to carry flavour.

We then move on to Italy where - with an award-winning Italian chef in the kitchen - the next course has to be pasta. But, not just any pasta, pasta filled with succulent lobster in a fragrant saffron sauce.

The main event takes us to France, home of fine dining. ‘En crepinette’ is a classical technique that ensures the flesh of the lamb stays moist and juicy, while the outside crisps up. Think posh barbeque cooked by an expert. Served with flavoursome vegetables, this is a quintessentially summer dish.

Spain has not been forgotten and takes its place on the dessert stage when you will enjoy the wonderful wobbliness of the Spanish version of pannacotta, garnished with lemon and almonds.

Finally, back to Italy for the cheese course: gooey mellow blue cheese accompanied by the king of all fruit, the fig.

Throughout the evening, Michele will be introducing you to some carefully chosen wines, possibly that you may not be familiar with - wines which have piqued your interest but you have not yet tasted. He will describe them as they are served with your food and give you background on why he selected them to complement the specific dishes. Full tasting notes will be given for you to take away.

N.B. For those who would love to experience this even but who do not eat meat, Felice is happy to design a PESCETARIAN or VEGETARIAN version of the menu for you. Please email me for details.

Future editions

The Midsummer Edition is the first of what may become a small number of occasional events through the year.

Each will have its own theme, menu and collaborators.

If you would like to hear about future dates, please register your interest.