A spring feast at Summerhall

Tags

edinburgh, edinburgh foodies, fireside collective, foodie event, seasonal ingredients, seasonal produce, spring, summerhall

On the 1st of May, spring came to Edinburgh. But not in the way you might expect. Picture a blustery, damp evening in the capital, with just one haven of floral loveliness glowing through the gloom, where the aroma of freshly baked dough filled the air and girls danced with garlands in their hair.

Summerhall’s Dissection Room was the venue for Edinburgh-based events company the Fireside Collective’s latest foodie creation – the Spring Blossom Party. Stepping into the spacious venue I felt the stresses of my day slip away and my senses piqued by gorgeous spring flowers that adorned every wall, neuk and cranny.

The contrast between the stark, clinical backdrop of the old vet school coupled with the colourful, lavish floral displays – designed by the expert hands of Pyrus – felt pretty special. The juxtaposition tricked the mind, and I felt almost transported into an otherwordly plane.

As with any well thought out foodie event, the magic lay in the detail. We were greeted by elderflower and champagne cocktails, the perfect spring sparkler, and encouraged to make our own flower garlands to wear. The long dining tables were promisingly dressed for a hearty feast, draped with cherry blossom and other such foliage.

the party kicks off at Summerhall

Spring had truly sprung, and along with it came a veritable feast of earthly goodies. The communal element to the feast meant everyone got talking, and the atmosphere felt almost celebratory. We sat down to shots of tangy gazpacho and refreshing mint and pea soup, which added colour to the table and a hint at the tasty delights to come.

eyeing up the salmon rillettes

What followed was a trio of salmon rillettes with a caper and gherkin dressing, served with homemade oatcakes that was simply delicious. The main event came in the form of pizza breads and spring inspired salads, expertly prepared by Sarah-Jane Cooking who specialises in using fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. Particular highlights included the chorizo, blue cheese and walnut pizza bread and the uber refreshing cucumber, coriander and lime salad, which felt like I was literally tasting spring.

The finale came in the form of a cake platter – well hello there, heaven. For a moment I had to remind myself I was in public and the cake board was for sharing, but everything just look so bloomin’ scrumptious. I settled for a slice of the rose petal sponge cake and white chocolate & chilli pie (well it was a feast, after all…) and they certainly didn’t disappoint.

hello, cake

The feast itself was followed by further revelry and Motown-fuelled dancing, probably well into the wee small hours. But, with it being a school night, I skulked off into the night with a smile on my face and a belly full of spring.

The Spring Blossom Party was merely the start of a series of Fireside Feasts run by the collective, with the next shindig planned in collaboration with cakey extraordinaires LoveCrumbs. Quite frankly, I’m already salivating.