Happy Hour Pud Inn 2013

30 June 2013

‘Happy Hours’ in five sweet courses
We served up a jolly good 2.5 hours of sweetness on Saturday 22nd June at the sell-out ‘Missie Cindz Pud Inn Club’ held in the Rutland Arms. Alcohol makes most things better and that especially applies to desserts. The full boozy pudding menu (keep reading and you’ll find out the courses) was reflective of the enthusiastic Sheffield makers, bakers and creators our city has to offer as well as to give diners super delicious desserts, of course.

A big thank you to our guest chefs, restaurants and bakers who pulled out all the corks with their generous and wholesome puddings, capturing the happiness of culture and creative use of alcohol in their own unique way.

In every event, I like to add touches of Missieness, including a ‘Score and Comments’ sheet to get diners talking and interacting with their desserts, a Pud Inn Happy Hour quiz so everyone can work in their table teams to win foodie prizes, and if five courses wasn’t enough pudding, I also incorporate a playful ‘Happy Hour Treats Table’ – this was a table where diners could voluntarily bring in some of their own favourite homemade (or shop bought) food treats with a booze theme for everyone to try. There was a plethora of treats that clearly showed Pud Inn diners had cleaned out their liquor cabinet! (pictures below)….

What’s for pudding at Missie Cindz Pud Inn?

Course One: White Chocolate Mojito Cheesecake made by Carol Greene.

I first met Carol at last Christmas Pud Inn and she’s been coming along to the club ever since. Each time Carol joins us she always embodies so much pudding enthusiasm – truly capturing the fun and meaning of Missie’s Pud Inn, from the way she contributes to the Treats Table through to sharing lovely pictures and comments online – everything Carol does embodied the fun and togetherness of PudInn. So I couldn’t resist not asking Carol to be one of the five guest bakers at the event, and it looked like our diners had fun with you too, Carol!

Carol shares with us a little bit about her pudding course – “I was thrilled (and flattered) when Cindy asked if I would like be a guest baker for her ‘Happy Hour’ pudding club event at the Rutland Arms. I immediately began to experiment with desserts that included alcohol, and test them out on family and friends. I knew I wanted to make a dessert that resembled an alcoholic drink so I adapted a recipe for a lemon & lime cheesecake.

Served up in small glasses with a trendy black straw, spring of mint, and a slice of lime. As I placed the straw in the dessert, I felt it served no real purpose other than as a decoration, so I then decided to fill it with some lime sherbert and plug it with a little white melted chocolate. I thought this added a fun element to the cheesecake, and everyone could tip the sherbert into the glass, should the flavour of the white rum be too strong for them. It proved to be a good ice-breaker, and talking point, so I was very happy that I made the effort to make them. All 30 of them!” – the detail and effort you contributed into your course Carol was indescribable ~ thank you!

Comments from diners from their score sheets included:

• “Fab flavours, perfect combinations! Absolutely ‘bomb diggitty’!!”
• “Lovely fresh taste from the mint and lime. Very light and fluffy”
• “Lots of fun surprises; the sherbert, white chocolate and raspberries  – oh and the ginger biscuit base was amazing!”
• “All my favourite things in one glass! Amazing.”
• “Amazing presentation, but could be a little more zingy – loved the straws!”
• “I just keep finding new bits with every mouthful!”

Course Two: Nonna’s Tiramisu made with Marsala and secret liquors

Next up was Sheffield’s Nonna’s sharing with us their renowned classic Italian dessert. Particularly good for lovers of strong coffee, marsala, dark chocolate and rich creaminess of mascarpone. Indulgent in every mouthful. I was really pleased when Gian Bohan, founder of Nonnas showed interest to get involved with Pud Inn when I got in touch. I first met Gian at The Coffeehouse weekend at the Chinmey House earlier this year – with a food enthusiasm that very quickly becomes infectious and passion for good food, Nonna’s added a perfect Italian touch to our Happy Hour themed event.

…but, I must admit, I hadn’t tried their Tiramisu until Pud Inn…Um, hello sweet tooth…!

Comments from diners from their score sheets included:

• “Lovely flavour!”
• “Divine! Alcohol very subtle with a nice amount of chocolate on top”
• “The extra boozy sponge base was particularly a good surprise!!”
• “Bella, Bella – so light and delicious”
• “So good. I ate TWO!!!” <—- how did that happen!? :)
• “Huge! Perfect balance of cream and spongy goodness – loved the super boozy bottom.”

Siversmith's indulgent Chocolate Eccy Road

Next up was Pudding Course Three: The Chocolate Eccy (Ecclesall) Road made by Silversmith’s Chef Lee Simon Mangles (twitter: @LeeSimonMangles / @Silversmiths)

For those who aren’t from Sheffield, Ecclesall Road is on the outskirts of Sheffield and is one of the city’s most vibrant commercial districts.

This was a creative (and super clever) deconstructed version of the Rocky Road. Chef Lee even made his own marshmallows, honeycomb and everything! It was a dessert that you really must see LIVE to appreciate! – a pudding course that truly reflected Silversmith’s creativity with food. Brilliant….

Chef Lee of Silversmiths tells us that “my dessert was a play on rocky road, but as I’m a Sheffielder I decided it would be fun to make the Eccy Road for Pud Inn. For my course, I have a dark and white chocolate terrine starring as a traffic cone, own-made honeycomb, puffed chocolate rice (rocky road), chocolate sauce (the road), handmade marshmallow (road markings) and chocolate crumb (as the soil), I also usually have some micro red chard to symbolise the grass.”

Comments from diners from their score sheets included:

• “Brilliant idea and presentation was fantastic!”
• “Lovely – honeycomb and chocolate pyramid especially. looked too good to eat!”
• “Lovely artistic idea!”
• “Ingenious!! Loved the playful elements.”
• “Rice krispies and honeycomb were really nice but the chocolate terrine was a little too rich for me”
  
• “Chocolate heaven!!”

Chef Mike's Gateux Breton and his drunken friends

Course Four: Gâteau Breton and his drunken friends made by Rutland Arms Chef Mike.

Who were Breton’s drunken friends I hear you ask? – Chef Mike’s own-made Rum and raisin ice cream and orange zest soaked in Cointreau. This was my first time having gâteau Breton, and it’s difficult to describe, as it is a cake and not a cake – a cross between buttery shortbread and Madeira cake. It was a supremely simple cake that had a lovely crisp, dense texture and it paired (played) perfectly with his companions. So very buttery and so very French too with a wonderful buttery smell as it was warmed up to serve.

I wonder why its called a gâteau because its doesn’t really conjure up what you would term gateau like ~ any ideas?

Comments from diners from their score sheets included:

• “Loved the orange!”
• “Soft, beautiful textures! Orange peel/zest and ice cream was one of the best I’ve every had!”
• “A beautiful cake with a freshly baked taste. The Rummy ice cream balanced well with the cake and kept it from tasting too dry ”
• “Wonderful. Please sir can I have some more!??”
• “Very strong & boozy but really nice!”
  
• “Delicious. Not too sweet and very nicely boozed up!!”

Course Five: French Martini Cheesecake made by Fiona Silvester of Very Delicious Cheesecakes

I was really pleased to have Fiona involved in Pud Inn again, her last involvement at our Party Pud Inn Club went down a storm with diners coming out at top favourite. Very Delicious Cheesecakes prides themselves on making the most delicious cheesecakes to excite your taste buds and I was really excited when Fiona showed support to get involved again. For our fifth and final pudding was a delightful French Martini Cheesecake (with Fiona adding her own very delicious signature to the course) the perfect way to seal an afternoon of dessert pleasures.

Comments from diners from their score sheets included:

• “Cute presentation and wonderful flavours”
• “Close second fave. Fantastic proportion of cheese filling to base, and fab jelly wobbling goings on!”
• “Can I have another one (or ten!!)?!”
• “Cheesecake texture was amazing! Loved the boozy flavour”
• “Deliciously light and tasty”
  
• “Loved the jelly. I could’ve just eaten that!!”

So there you have it. Another Missie’s Pud Inn Club: Mission Completed. Sugar sweats or not, Sheffield’s sweet-tooth has definitely being pulled!

A personal big thank you to all our pudding makers for the afternoon’s courses – plus, not forgetting the Rutland Arms for being the ideal place to have PudInn. Everyone made a contribution to Pud Inn in their own time for the love of a good pudding and to bring pudding enthusiasts together.

So who was voted diner’s ‘favourite’ pudding I hear you ask? (drum rolls please…..) – Pudding no.1 made by Carol Greene AND no.3 made by Silversmith’s Chef Lee, our diners were really impressed and in awwe with both taste, presentations and the effort you both put into your course. Congratulations to our diner James Silvester (@TurbochargedJJ) for being an awesome, incredibly sweet and enthusiastic PudInn diner. You captured the fun and meaning of Missie’s Pud Inn, and thank you for sharing so many delicious photos of the event. Your complimentary Rutland Arms food voucher is on its way to you.

I’m sorry to those who weren’t able to purchase tickets to our Happy Hour Pud Inn and wanted to join. We always have a lot of interest for the event and places/spoons are limited! I will be planning our next event very soon and hope you will be able to join me for that.

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Feeling lucky to have the best of both cities. Goodbye Sheffield (more fun soon...). Hello London city (let the cooking up 'good stuff' commence!)

Sheffield > London > Sheffield (it’s worth travelling up for!)
To me, creating memories, new experiences and making new friends are what makes Pud Inn club worthwhile in organising. It’s always a pleasure cooking up exciting stuff for people who appreciate what I do, and I was really pleased to see how even though I am now residing in London as a Graphic Designer there’s still LOTS of interest and support for Pud Inn. At first I was worried with me relocating to the Big Smoke I’d have to ditch Pud Inn events, but I’m still passionate about doing my bit for the Sheffield food scene and community. Finally, thank you to everyone who attended and we look forward to seeing you all again in September – Missie Cindz :)

Many thanks to Chef Mike, Hannah and Chef Lee for your help in dishing out courses – you’re all great!

{All photos courtesy of Pud Inn diners – James Silvester, Amy Farry, Elizabeth Swanson, Carol Greene and Jessica Manzanares. There are more photographs of the event on my facebook page here, scroll right down to the bottom}

Missie Cindz