Disclosure: collaborative post
We, like many others love going to restaurants. It’s definitely my favourite social experience. If food is involved, I’m there. Then came lockdown. We were due to go on an anniversary trip to the lake district in April which of course couldn’t go ahead (I may have mentioned this once or twice before!). This was going to include lots of pub and restaurant meals as we weren’t really planning on cooking whilst we were away.
Once lockdown hit and all my favourite restaurants were closed my thoughts turned to how I was going to recreate the experience at home. Among other things, of course, firstly I had to deal with coping with a pandemic. At first, it was a bit like a second Christmas. We got some cheese in and I bought a couple of dine in for £10 meal deals. They are always good for when you don’t want the hassle of cooking anything complicated but you want good food.
Then, we wanted to start getting creative. I’m very lucky in that my husband is a great chef, and he loves cooking for me. Sometimes I take the reins and I more often than not cook for the children and of course we have lazy nights and takeaways too. We wanted to try and recreate the restaurant experience at home, more than just the food. Trying to have a date night in lockdown is difficult! We have to wait until the children are in bed, or at the very least ready for bed and watching a film.
How we created the restaurant experience at home
The first thing we did was to look for restaurant standard recipes to use. We came across squaremeal this way, which is a website that helps you find restaurants and venues for your party or special event, including weddings and corporate events. They have also got chefs involved who have been putting their restaurant standard recipes on the site for our use for free.
We decided on a risotto for the main course, which is always delicious. My husband garnished it with asparagus and fresh greens which gave it a nice touch.
For dessert we had some peaches to use up and he made this delicious peach upside down tart. It was delicious with a bit of cream.
We had some wine and conversation, put down the mobile phones and TV, especially the news. We try and do this once a week to recenter ourselves and just be together.
Once we get out of lockdown, or when restaurants and pubs are allowed to open in some sense, I am keen to explore new venues and just enjoy being out again. It’s more than the food, it’s the whole experience. I love being in a nicely decorated venue with attentive staff and an inventive menu. I try and eat less meat so I welcome new vegetarian and vegan options. There’s nothing better than looking over a menu and being spoilt for choice. Then there is the anticipation of the food, sharing the experience with your loved one and the other diners.
I plan on using squaremeal again, not just for the recipes but also for finding new places to explore in my area and beyond. We love going to London as it’s only a short train journey away and there are so many places there. It’s good to have a website that not only lists each place, but also reviews them and shows the hygiene rating of each venue. It helps immensely when making a decision to go somewhere new that you have a trusted review.
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