Sharron and Lawrence's happy ChristmEaster feaster

The Christmas Bunny - or something much funnier that I'll edit in tonight.

Sharron, Lawrence and friends came around the same time last year... for their Christmas party. They've all known each other since the days when you could only buy olive oil in the chemist and red peppers were regarded as suspicious interlopers. Why can't they organise a Christmas get together at yer actual Christmas? No one knows. Thankfully they didn't request a turkey dinner.

Starter was the welcome return of my pea mousse with mint sauce, this time complemented with freshly picked pea shoots from the garden. 

I did a split main course: lamb shanks for those who did and smoked haddock gratin for those who didn't. Both were served with cauliflower pureé; a revelation to me as I hate cauliflower... I thought. Good to overcome another childhood aversion.

The group were also the first to try my new dessert of butterscotch mousse and espresso sponge. They declared it a success but (slightly galling!) they mainly raved about the salted peanut brittle - the easiest element on the plate.

Delicious peanut brittle... and some other stuff.

It was a very entertaining evening. I learned a lot, including about the existence of something called the 'Circle Line Challenge'; an activity I hope to undertake sometime. But I must also thank Lawrence for pointing me at the Volcano Choir. It's the latest guise of Justin Vernon, frontman of Bon Iver and much played at New River Restaurant.

There was even some dancing. To Wham's Last Christmas, I believe.

Sharron and Anna showing us all how it's done.