By Harry Mottram: The Annual Axbridge Charity Progressive Supper is nearly upon us and several people have asked about hosting the sweet course. Should they serve a steam pudding with custard or cream such as spotted dick or even a traditional Christmas pudding? Or a bread-and-butter pudding or even a rice pudding? The simple answer is keep it simple. Prepare something in advance as you won’t have time to find the brandy to set fire to a Christmas pudding or to put an apple pie in the oven. When you and your guests arrive at around 10pm you will have walked the length of Axbridge having already eaten a starter and a main at different addresses along with consuming a few drinks. You won’t have time or the energy to start cooking or completing a half-prepared dish. Incidentally there’s no shame in buying a tart or a pudding ready made from a supermarket – but do take them out of the wrapping first.
Some of the most popular dishes to serve for the sweet course include these ideas –
Cheesecake: you can make you own basic cheesecake and then decorate it with fruit. There are loads of recipes including the easy no bake ones using bashed up digestive biscuits.
Tarts: mince tarts, treacle tarts, apple tarts – the list is endless and few people can resist a tart served with custard or cream. Easy to make like the cornflake tart, the favourite indulgence at elevenses – the Bakewell tart – Lemon tarts always a classic to end the evening.
Mince pies: It may be the 30th November but Christmas is upon us and mince pies have been in the shops for weeks. Dusted with sugar and served hot or cold with cream – easy and delicious – even if you bought them from the Co-op!
Trifle: You can create them as simple or as complicated as you like. Essentially they are a layered dessert of a thin layer of sponge fingers or cake soaked in sherry with layers of jelly and fruit and always cream on the top along with fruit to decorate. Fiddly to create but worth it as trifles remind everyone of their childhood parties.
Fruit Salad: Light and easy to serve there are many variations. On classic is a glass of strawberries, grapes, cherries, sliced bananas or any fruit you like – pour in whipped cream or yogurt and serve.
Ice Cream: Open the freezer, take out a tub or tubs of ice cream and using a hot spoon serve the icy treat in seconds. Pour on a cherry syrup or crush nuts or even hundreds and thousands – and complete with a couple of soft fruits and a wafer – and you have one of the nation’s favourite desserts.
Ambitious: if you have an urge to provide something grander – don’t hesitate. pavlovas, peach melbas, chocolate Yule log, apple crumble, panettone and clementine tiramisu or Black Forest Gateau will all be willing consumed by your guests.
Drinks: A sweet wine or a port is often served, although fruit juice, coke or water are all ideal. Wine never fails to hit the spot for many.
And/or…
Cheese board: have at least three cheeses if you choose also to serve this add on to the dessert – Cheddar, a soft cheese like Brie and a blue cheese such as Stilton should do it. Cheese biscuits and butter or spread and perhaps a small number of grapes – completes the serving.
Coffee and Tea: By 10.30pm some guests will be gagging for a cuppa. Nobody will mind if it’s a tea bag or a teaspoon of instant coffee – just something hot and non-alcoholic.
The Progressive Supper is on Saturday, 30th November, 2024.
The timings are:
Oakhouse for destinations and to buy a raffle ticket: 6-6.45pm
Starter: 7.00-8.00pm
Main: 8.15-9.30pm
Sweet: 9.45-10.45pm
Oakhouse for the raffle draw and late drinks: 11pm
The prices are (for a couple):
Starters £20
Mains Free
Dessert or sweet £10
Travellers £80
The cash raised on the night will go to: Axbridge First School’s Parent Teacher Organisation and Cheddar Food Bank.
Tickets
These are released in batches online at Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/axbridge-progressive-supper-2024-tickets-1003499041647?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
More details in this article:
Everything you wanted to know about the Annual Axbridge Charity Progressive Supper but were afraid to ask – including the things you should never do on the night
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