Lunch at Casa Carrascal,

Parcent 8th December

On a sunny and tranquil afternoon in early December, seventeen members of Montgό Vegetarians gathered on the terrace at Casa Carrascal, enjoying a drink before lunch and the warmth of the winter sun.  Little did we know that we had a real treat in store, (or that just a week later some of us would be mopping up and surveying the damage caused by fallen trees after ferocious winds and hours of rain!).

The outside of the house in Parcent is immediately striking, as the front is painted an eye-catching sagey green and once inside you are greeted by gleaming wood and clean lines, uncluttered and welcoming.  Immediately you know that you are in very capable hands!

Dave and Sue, the owners of the casa rural, provided a first class lunch in surroundings beautifully decorated for the festivities – logs were burning brightly in the dining area, hot chestnuts, spiced hot wine and Christmas crackers all added to the seasonal atmosphere. 

Everyone began with tasty bread, olives and alioli, followed by a surprise - an unexpected, additional course of blue cheese with red onion relish on crisp rounds of bread, mulled wine and hot chestnuts. The menu was so tempting that it had been difficult to choose between the starters of leek and potato soup or Italian rice salad of sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, roasted almonds, fresh basil with a superb dressing of lime and Dijon mustard.  A companionable silence fell as we tucked into our chosen third course.  From the main course we had chosen either a squash, chickpea and lentil Dhansak with onion and garlic pilaf or a cassoulet of mixed pulses, mushrooms, courgettes and shallots in a white wine and tomato broth, topped with parsley and thyme croutons, served with new potatoes and green beans.

During a much needed interval, the two children in our party delightedly captured our hearts, together with a few of the gifts and jokes from the spent crackers, comparing notes or colours, dividing up or inadvertently breaking the spoils with curiosity or experiments designed to discover which would fit into which!

The desserts arrived and delighted eyes feasted on the chocolate, date and fudge pudding with ice cream and hot chocolate sauce, the brioche stack of forest berries, drizzled with blackberry coulis, before witnessing the disappearance of every last morsel.

We had a wonderful time, the food was delicious, the service perfect, the company easy and entertaining.  When something is so well appreciated by all, it is clear that there has been a lot of attention to detail, which can only be achieved when people enjoy what they do.  Sue and Dave worked hard to make it all appear so easy and effortless – they are splendid hosts.  We could not have wished for anything more. 

On behalf of us all I would like to thank them again and I hope to have an opportunity to taste the alternative options on the menu very soon!