A few weeks ago I attended an event hosted by Falmouth-based
culinary events company Da Boes, in collaboration with “creative folk” Motley Collective. Having no prior knowledge of either company I was a little nervous
about what to expect. A little light Facebooking uncovered that Motley
Collective aim to create “visually appealing portraits using paint and props”.
Bearing in mind the event was entitled ‘Colour and Cuisine’ this was my first
clue that I could be in for an interesting evening. It turned out that the goal
of the event was to use food to make as much mess as possible.
Challenge
accepted.
The choice of venue for a mess-making evening was superb –
the impressive headquarters of Extract Coffee Roasters certainly has room to
house a food fight or two. After meeting our fellow diners, I took my seat at a
table covered in a vast white tablecloth which was to be our canvas for the
evening. Any concerns about getting our clothes covered in grub were immediately
dispelled because a) each person had a huge bib attached to the tablecloth and
b) I was wearing a shirt similar to Screech from Saved by the Bell, so good
luck spotting a stain on that. It was a relief for those who had made the error
of opting for beige however.
Now, looking back on the evening I think one of the biggest
surprises for me was that Da Boes didn't use beetroot in any of their dishes. As
the food and drink started to appear the only thing I was confident of was that
at some point we would be seeing our super-stainy friend, so I’m pleased to say
I was wrong. In fact, it was much more imaginative than that.
We began with a glass of fizz (always a winner) into which a
pipette of deliciously sticky pink syrup was enthusiastically squirted. This
was followed by a set of three science beakers filled with hot and cold soups
which it turned out, as well as being really tasty, made excellent impressions
of the Olympic rings on the table. I would say that my favourite of the fun
starters was a series of shots which when drunk together tasted exactly like a
chicken dinner. (FYI they also tasted like a
chicken dinner if you poured them down your bib and then licked it.)
The courses continued interspersed with numerous fizz
courses, which was an excellent way to lower our inhibitions further. After the
starters had been served by drizzling sauces all over us and the table, my
fellow diners obviously felt they had been given carte blanche...a piece of
roasted aubergine flew down the table...my Olympic rings were spectacularly destroyed. Inevitably it was only a
matter of time before someone drew a penis with the herb emulsion.
The main course of pork with broccoli and anchovy and the brilliant
pud (poached pear served with a flask of mulled red wine syrup) were two
slightly more reserved moments. Which I think is both a positive and negative.
In an evening based around making a mess, if the food is too good, you
definitely don’t want to chuck it around. Who’s going to waste pork loin by trying
to make a pair of boobs? Obviously, if the food isn’t any good, there’s no
point in being there. So it’s a dilemma which actually I think the event
managed to solve well by including the soups and syrups.
When I was having my bib mug shot taken, I looked over at
the table and the trail of destruction left behind me. The table was covered,
and my fellow diners were laughing like schoolchildren. People were licking the
last of their mulled syrup from their bib, picking courgette of their face or
trying to flick gravy at the person opposite.
It was a scene so unlike any
restaurant or food event I have ever been to, or ever will again. Being
encouraged to play with your food and make a mess will awaken the inner child
in any of us. So if you see another event hosted by these fab people, I urge
you to sign up. I guarantee you a night of great food, good fun, and
(most-likely) hand-drawn genitalia.
Now who can say better than that?
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