As a little girl, a white wedding isn’t something I thought about that much. Other than the few obligatory years of being anti-boys, I was pretty sure I wanted to get married – to have the happiness my parents had and create and brand new family of my own – but I hadn’t dreamed of the venue, the dress and every detail of the big day in the way so many small girls do.
I didn’t really dream about the man I’d marry either. Of course I hoped for someone good looking and funny, caring and all the attributes that almost everyone wants, but there wasn’t a specific agenda, criteria to meet or checklists made. I suppose I wanted to see what would happen, where life would take me and what the future might hold.
All of which brought me to this wonderful place. In less than a week I’ll be walking down the aisle towards the boy from Doncaster who I first met DJing off the kitchen table at a party my university friends and I threw nearly nine years ago. After spending nearly a third of our lives together, it’s time to embark on a new chapter, to confirm everything we feel in front of all our family and friends: to tie the knot, jump for joy and embark on a whole new future together.
This weekend just gone I spent almost all of Saturday in the kitchen. Carnivorous Fiance was making music at the table behind me and the room was a filled with the happy chaos of flour and butter, bowls to lick, the smell of baking and the sound of beats. I made enough cookie dough to bake 150 favours (carefully multiplying quantities from the original recipe only to lose several spoonfuls to a certain someone taking responsibility for quality control) as well as a batch of brownies and meringues to freeze for the BBQ we’re throwing the night before the wedding.
When it comes to cooking and baking, planning ahead is pretty much essential. That’s the whole point of a recipe: to understand the end result you’re trying to achieve, the amount of each ingredient that should go in, the process you’re following to get there. But after so many sums, calculating quantities and weighing out ingredients to the gram, another recipe was the last thing I wanted when I was looking for something sweet the next day.
What I made is more a collection of ingredients than a recipe. There were crunchy, crumbled homemade amaretti (the recipe not yet perfect, but I promise to share it with you when it is), some juicy purple figs roasted in just a touch of butter and honey with a pinch of cinnamon and a sprig of thyme, and a dollop of mascarpone cut with orange zest and a dribble of cream .
Full of flavour, texture and utterly delicious, I guess this recipe was a little like life in general: sometimes the best things come along unplanned and deliciousness happens when you least expect it.
This time next week I’ll be on a plane to Bali. As I sun myself on sandy beaches, ride around on elephants and stuff my face with scrumptious food, there’s something special lined up for you too in the form of guest posts from two of my favourite British bloggers. The recipes they’ve come up with are utterly wonderful and I can’t wait to share them with you (and make them as soon as I’m back from honeymoon).
Sounds yummy! I too am trying to perfect a crunchy amaretti recipe so the race is on! No seriously, and much more importantly, I hope you and the carnivorous boyfriend (will he soon be the carnivorous hubbie?) have a wonderful wedding day and a fabulous honeymoon. I’m looking forward to some posts with an eastern flavour when you return 🙂
Ooh the race indeed is on! Can’t wait to see the recipe you come up with 🙂
You sound really relaxed for someone who’s about to have a wedding in a week! 🙂 Good luck and enjoy the day! Wishing you both a great married life! This looks delicious btw!
Thanks Wendy! Hopefully I’ll stay this relaxed right up until the day-I think I’m too excited to be anything else!
This sounds so good! Incidentally, I split my year between Pakistan and England and in the former, you can’t get mascarpone very easily… So I’m always looking for recipes with it while I’m in London to get my annual fix! This is definitely on the list 🙂
I love mascarpone. It’s very rich but cut with the right ingredients it’s so delicious.
Many congratulations to you both. I hope that your day is everything you want it to be, and more. Enjoy every moment, taking a little time to stand back together and take it all in if yiu can. Your words above struck a chord with me as one of the best things for us was looking around the room and realising we had everyone who was close to us the in one place; so special. I am sure you will spend your honeymoon flight reminiscing and sharing bits of the day that you didn’t actually spend together.
Great choice of stand-in bloggers. I have a top four British food blogs and you’ve covered three of them, with yourself included! Have a fabulous wedding!
Ah, thank you so much! So so excited for the big day now 🙂
It’s so funny how closely the story of your relationship parallels mine. Chris and I met in college as well, almost nine years ago, and we’re getting married 3 weeks after you!
Anyway, congratulations Kate!!! I’m so happy for you! Sending you hugs and best wishes, and I hope you have the wedding, and honeymoon, of your dreams. 🙂
Wow, that is amazing! We’re both so lucky 🙂 hope you have a wonderful wedding & can’t wait to hear all about it!
I’m still so impressed that you spent the weekend before your wedding baking 150 chocolate chip cookies for everyone although, thinking about it, I bet some quality kitchen time is the perfect way to relax before the big day! Best wishes for Saturday, I know you’re going to have the most perfect wedding day xxx
I haven’t actually baked them yet-there are 8 huge logs of dough in the freezer waiting to be baked as close to the day as possible! Fingers crossed it all goes ok 🙂 ps if I’d had your coconut recipe then I’d have totally baked those for everyone instead!
Congratulations! I hope the wedding is lovely and that you have a wonderful honeymoon!
Eeep! Congratulations for next week – I’m so excited for you. I love the cookies. I now want to make cookies. & I’m honoured to be filling in. xxx
Thanks Emma! Can’t wait to share your post with people – it’s gorgeous 🙂 ps I always want cookies…
Wonderful! Congrats, massive congrats and a great dessert too!
Such exciting weeks Kate! This dessert is everything I like, and can’t wait for those guest posts. Enjoy your wedding day!
Lovely post! Good luck with the wedding 🙂
this looks so delicious. congratulations on the wedding too, and I hope you have a great time with your DJ (:
I can’t believe you still are blog posting (thank you)! I can’t believe you are throwing a bbq the night before your wedding and you’ve planned ahead for it! You are amazing… that carnivorous fiance of yours is lukcy. 😀 But really, best wishes and luck and it sounds like you’ll have an amazing time celebrating everything good.
Ah no, I’m not throwing the BBQ – my parents are. But I had to do dessert, it would be weird not to! 🙂
Congrats to you both! I hope you fully enjoy your wedding day. When else do you have the excuse to have such a party with all of your friends and loved ones?
And Bali… enjoy!!!!!
Wishing you all the best,
xoxo
E
Thanks Erin. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a room with all my friends and family at once before – it’s exciting, a little bit overwhelming and completely wonderful – CANNOT WAIT! 🙂 xx
Have a wonderful day and congratulations and good luck for the next chapter. Also, mmmmmmmmmmmmm!
Thank you! So so excited 🙂
This pud looks lovely.
Congrats. Hope the two of you have a wonderful day.
I have just spent two weeks gorging on figs in Morocco. Green ones, ripe ones, little ones. All delicious! Love the amaretti pairing here though. A little eton mess-esque! Enjoy Bali. xx
The figs I found were gorgeous but nothing compared to the ones you get on holiday! Love eating them for breakfast. Your trip sounds fab – hopefully Bali will have lots of other unusual fruits and treats in store 🙂
Many, many congratulations in advance! A wedding day is truly, truly the most special, unforgettable day and I wish you and CF the happiest of days and most wonderful of marriages! Enjoy Bali!
Your flavors and textures are always so spot-on! I’m doing a granita/creamy thing soon inspired by you, but this is now on my list too…
You sound very happy, Katie. Good luck with it. I’m new(ish) to your blog and have been enjoying it. I’m looking forward to the Amaretti recipe – a good Christmas present?
Thanks Katherine! Definitely…will post the recipe as soon as I’m happy with it 🙂
this is one adorable gourmet dessert,loved the simplicity of making it yet they are so bursting with flavors,yummy 🙂
How absolutely delicious you are right. The flavours are meant to be together just like the two of you. Have a great day and you will have such a lovely honeymoon I am sure. So close to Australia you could stop off for dinner
Thank you! One day I’m sure we’ll make it over to Australia 🙂 Three couples are coming from Oz to the wedding so we’ll have to return the favour! x
Just such a perfect post to read before you go off on your adventures and get married to the man you love. I wish you lots of happiness and of course am dying to see what your cake looks like. Have a wonderful time over the next couple of weeks and look forward to catching up with you on your return x
Being fairly new to the world of blogging I feel slightly silly saying this, but I’m so excited for you; good luck, and congratulations and just savour every bit of your day because it really will be done in a blink. Enjoy your honeymoon, and the food, and I hope you are very happy (and well-fed) for a very long life together. And I really do know how much you will have enjoyed making all those favours, as even on my wedding morning I was placing iced flowers on the cupcakes that we gave away at ours; it was just another bit of fun to remember about the day. Best wishes x
I hope you have an absolutely wonderful day marrying the love of your life. You sound so relaxed about it all, which is wonderful. I was amazed at how relaxed I was too. I’m sure you will have a fantastic celebration, with lots of wonderful food to share with your family and friends.
I think September brides make the best brides, not that I’m biased or anything. It’s my 1 year wedding anniversary next week. I can’t believe how time flies!
Ah wow, congratulations! What a charmingly underplayed wedding announcement. I couldn’t think of a more suitable feature than the beautiful and succulent fig, fruit of the gods. Best of wishes!
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! How exciting. Bali will be such an amazing retreat. This looks like such a delicious dessert. Just beautiful.
Thanks Kate! Best day of my life, fact 🙂