The act of cooking and communing with loved ones can be the ultimate ritual. In honour of the Winter Solstice, we threw a dinner for our nearest and dearest, harnessing the warming, grounding and nourishing bounty of the earth for the longest night of the year creating a feast for the body and the senses.
The solstice is a time for reflection and reconnection with ourselves, with our loved ones, and with the life-giving forces of nature. The act of self-care traverses personal sacred ritual to communing over a table over lovingly prepared food. This time is also considered by many to be a time when it’s possible to reconnect with nature and connect with your loved ones.
We centred our menu around earthy nourishing ingredients; grounding root vegetables, slow cooked lamb, seasonal fruits and moreish flourless chocolate cake. We created heavenly dishes using these ingredients, like roast beetroots, garnished with blood oranges, roasted brussels sprouts. We feasted and imbibed in natural wine over candlelight.
Tips:
Bring perfectly imperfect natural shapes and textures to your table – a singular pomegranate, a scattering of star anise, hand blown glass.
Whilst it was the darkest night we kept our table dressing light.
Clear your space before you feast – sage the room, clear any frenetic kitchen energy, turn your phone on silent and be in gratitude for the company you keep and the food you eat.
Focus on seasonal produce. Beetroots for their grounding energy, lamb shoulder, rich chocolate cake as dark as the night.
Eat with consciousness with foods that perfectly balance the energy and intention of the evening.
Blood Orange & Beetroot Salad from Eye Swoon
Pan Seared Brussel Sprouts
Slow-cooked Lamb Shoulder
Flourless chocolate cake with thyme, cinnamon and rosemary poached pears
2021 Unico Zelo ‘Esoterico’ Orange Blend
2021 Combes ‘Mic’s’ Merlot
Classic Negronis
