good luck with tonight! xx

Looks fab - maximum effect with minimum effort is what I like. Do something similar too with fried red onions and goats cheese maybe with a few oven dried tomatoes / olives and basil - very easy to vary.

Recipe as promised, sorry it's taken me so long.
It's a bit ad hoc as it was just a spontaneous idea, so you can add or take away things to suit. I cheated and used shop bought pastry. So much better than mine I'm afraid !

Good quality puff pastry (always with butter)
Serrano ham/salami or anything you prefer
Feta cheese
Small tomatoes on the vine
Balsmaic vinegar
Lots of basil

Heat oven to 180 Deg

Place tomatoes in a dish, sprinkle with sugar and balsamic vinegar and olive oil, enough to coat with some extra. Place in the oven until the tomatoes are softened but have still retained their shape.
Roll out the pastry into a rectangle approx 30 inch x 12, on to lightly floured
board. Score a line about 3 inches in from the edge all the way round ( this helps create a sort of border for the pastry).
Once tomatoes are done leave to rest for 5 mins then start to assemble tart.
Lay your chosen meat on first, then tomatoes, crumble the cheese in between in larger and smaller pieces to add texture. Drizzle over any remaining balsamic glaze.

Cook for approx 20 mins until the pastry is nicely risen and golden in colour.
Add lots of basil leaves and serve.

Let me know how it goes....

thankyou.... recipe on it's way.

Hi there, thanks for your comment- its good to get a positive vibe. Your next event sounds yummy as well. Cheers and good luck.

You painted it. That makes it even more fabulous. You are clearly quite a talent. I love your style. Good luck on the 14th. I had a nightmare with my dinner this coming Friday. I had 4 people booked then 10 then 6 cancelled so I sent an email last night and am back to 10. I can't bear not knowing as i'm a list girl. My husband would call it slightly OCD but I call it organised! I think that we (out of Londoners) have it good. It's harder to get the customers but when we do they are a captive audience. I only had 12 to my first and from that I have had 3 people call from recommendations. Hopefully you will have the same. Good luck

great to see you have an event soon, happy to travel down from glasgow , but cant make the 14th. menu sounds great, hope it all works a treat. will keep an eye on future events to arrange a visit. good luck. post piccys if you can.

would love to come to one of your events soon, but cant make the 14th, your menu sounds great, hope you get a full house & it all goes a treat. please post piccy's. will keep an eye on your events.

I'll give you some tips once it's finished. So far i'd say the most important thing to do is to have lots of lists and then a time line for the evening. I'm worried about carrying their Kir Royale in to the dining room as my hands are shaking so much! Would love to send you leftovers but 1) I hope there aren't any and 2) I live miles away. If you ever fancy a shop at Bicester village you could tie it into dinner at my place. Your house looks truly fabulous and all your hard work has paid off. I notice you've been talking to Markymarket. I got my fillet off him and I must say it's fantastic, beautiful colour and nicely marbled. I'll post some pictures up tomorrow and update my blog. JulesX