It was the birthday again on Sunday and we had a pizza brunch party. Unlike the big “retirement” party last year when the guest list was planned weeks in advance I had no idea who had been invited because I just told people as and when I saw them – no email address list or anything synchronised like that. So I made getting on for 8 kilos of pizza dough. What’s more, it was supposed to be about 80% hydration but it came out 85-90% – well pourable. This I made on Friday and it sat in the fridge.
Prepped all day Saturday, got up 6.00 a.m. Sunday and continued. Black bean soup, followed by pizza & coleslaw followed by Sue’s mango ice cream. Pizza toppings: Claudia Roden’s Coca (aubergine/red pepper), Pissaladier, Russian (spring onion/parmesan), Fiamma (red onion, rosemary, chile flakes), Mexicana (onions, jalapenos, coriander, corn, courgettes, avocado, goat cheese/soured cream), spinach, walnut, blue cheese, Marguerita. Had about a gallon of tomato sauce on standby, boxes of cubed mozarrella, grated feta, parmesan.
In the event, had a full gastronorm size Coca and Pissaladier ready when people arrived, made the same size half-and-half Russian and Fiamma a little later, and two Mexicana on 400g bases on pizza tins. (I had ten 400g bases ready pressed out on tins in my pizza rack). After the black bean soup that was all we managed to get through. The pressed out bases went back in a dough box and into the fridge. The coleslaw somehow got forgotten, the tomato sauce was untouched, as were the cheeses, etc. Didn’t even get onto the ice cream.
Monday Sue cooked me a wonderful birthday Beef Creole and I made the two tin loaves above with pizza dough – just poured it straight into the tins. Pizza for lunch today with a bizarre mixture of toppings. The tomato sauce has just gone into the Tomato Bread with Sundried for customers tomorrow – we’re getting through it all!
And I have to show you this:
Pam, who did the pen drawings and the last couple of Bethesdabakin’ events did me a lemon and almond cake. Isn’t that fantastic?
The PArtisan Baker 
Happy Birthday, Mick. Ain’t retirement grand?
It’s killing me!
Thanks for the birthday wishes
that cake’s brilliant! any left? 🙂
One of the nice things about the party was the number of people who turned up with cakes and biscuits they had made – all of them wonderful. But, Marcus, that cake didn’t last long – I just insisted on getting a photo before the gannets fell upon it.