Getting the wheels on the bus moving again....

It’s been a bit of a week to say the least, with a flurry of brides rearranging wedding dates to post June 21, booking in for food tastings and site visits, in short, getting the wheels on the bus moving again. Of course we have to negotiate a minefield of ifs and buts, maybes and possibles before the bus even gets to the end of the drive, but at least there is some hope that we might be back on the open road by the summer.

Talking of summer, I know it’s only February still, but in my heart it’s August and I’m in Pembrokeshire with about thirty friends and family, on the quayside, Lower Town, Fishguard, cooking an early supper naturally. It was the venue for my first ever, sizable paella, 12 years ago. I had bought a 90cm pan along with all the rest of the kit, triple ring gas burner, tripod stand etc, The instructions said you could feed 50 people out of it, so I just needed to find 50 volunteers, it took about 8 minutes.

I made paella Valenciana, a chicken and seafood number, famous worldwide and revered by the Spanish. Although I didn’t run to cooking it on an open fire of apple wood, or whatever it is they use in Valencia, I was cooking on gas and have been ever since. Guests arrived early, around 7pm and brought their own drinks, so by the time the rice was cooked it was a very jolly affair. Just as well as the weather had turned very ‘Welsh bank holiday’. It could have rained harder, but it would have really struggled to do so.

I cooked a number of different flavours and styles over the first couple of years catering, but gave it up, I was in danger of becoming known as the Paella man. I still maintain I cook one of the best paellas this side of Barcelona and the dish is still in my repertoire, so this week we’re doing a seafood paella for Fresh Friday. I’m thinking of doing it as a cook at home, zoom cookery lesson once we’re unlocked. If you’re going to the trouble of cooking it at all, it really needs to be for 6 people minimum, so if you’re interested, ping me an email and we’ll set it up.

In addition to the paella, we’re topping up our soup collection this week, all designed to feed two people handsomely. I know it’s sunny now, but I’ve just checked the week ahead, sunny spells, chilly nights, so stock up an a couple of flavours to warm you through.

We topped up the frozen section last week with the multi-vegetable paella, suitable for vegans as it happens, so if you want to compare and contrast, order one in. On the subject of frozen, if you ever want a frozen dish to eat on a Friday night, just let us know when you order it and we’ll take in out of the freezer to defrost the day before. Service with a smile.

SEAFOOD PAELLA
We’re only half an hour from the sea so it seems sensible to make the most of it. Along with locally caught fish, we make our own, fabulous fish stock using flat fish frames, turbot, brill and sole. Shellfish stock we also make using Cornish crab and brown shrimps. It all ends up in this delightful dish.
£9.50 single serving

MULTI VEGETABLE PAELLA (FROZEN)
Ottolenghi on a plate, great flavours, pretty colours, a taste bud rewarding five a day, gazillions of ingredients & many hours of prep, so let us do the hard work.
£9.50 single serving

SWEET POTATO & RED PEPPER SOUP
This is a great combination of winter and spring, earthy sweet potato, lifted by the sweet red peppers, with a little tabasco just to remind you who’s boss. Suitable for vegans.
£9.50 600g feeds two

COURGETTE AND DOLCELATTE SOUP
Much as I love the Italians, I’m making this soup with a Colston Bassett blue cheese, which I think gives it the perfect amount of oomph. The soup is a bit over subtle without it. It’s further enhanced with fresh oregano, single cream and of course, lovely home-made vegetable stock. Suitable for vegetarians
£9.50 600g feeds two

CHESTNUT & CHORIZO SOUP
This deep, rich, almost caramelised soup takes me straight back to the Sierra Nevada region of Spain. It’s a chunky number filled with herbs and spices, thoroughly warming as it would need to be in the mountains. A gorgeous, home-made, game bird stock helps it on its way too, a totally rewarding dish. Suitable for carnivores
£9.50 600g feeds two