Barnes & Maracle

October is glorious with its foggy, cool mornings that give way to warm sunny afternoons or terrific monsoons and it is this time of year that I start to feel like hunkering down and enjoying my home. October also reminds me of when Star and I first envisioned our catering business Barnes and Maracle. After many years of working in various restaurants near and far we decided it was time for us to branch out on our own and form our dream catering company which involved our plan to wine and dine people and bring the ease of dining out at a restaurant, into our client’s homes. As two ladies who love to eat and cook, we create dishes that are full of flavour and inspired from cuisines around the globe using fresh, local ingredients, some of which we grow ourselves. We are happy to introduce two ways that you can enjoy our menu this Fall in the comfort of your own home.

Delicious Delivery Menu Available online at www. barnesandmaracle.com has a selection of snacks such as crispy spring rolls, fritters, vitality bowls, desserts and take and heat meals that are inspired from seasonal ingredients and easy to assemble and heat up. Order by Wednesday and the food will be delivered to your home on Friday afternoon in time to heat up for supper. Elegant In-Home Dining Experiences A customized dining experience that we bring into our customers homes for celebrations or when you want to treat yourself to a special meal. Elegant birthdays, surprise parties and anniversaries in your own home are our specialty. How it works: We create menus for as little as two people and up to fifty people and consult with clients online, by phone or in person to discuss ideas and what kind of food and style of service is desired. Barnes and Maracle offers simple and casual service to fine dining with all the bells and whistles. The price range depends on various factors and we are happy to work with any budget. Sample menus from past events are available to view on our website to get an idea of some of the delicacies that we offer. There are some great photographs on our social media platforms that showcase the food we make and grow in our gardens. We have some tasty treats available through the cow op online market such as frozen soups, curries and pasta dishes and it is a great place to pair our meals with other local food suppliers. We are always excited to create new menus that are unique to our clients’ taste and cook meals that are a memorable and delicious part of the occasion. Thanks for the support and as we reminisce on our beginnings here is a simple and elegant recipe that we used for our first event as Barnes and Maracle.

*Pro tip - for the freshest oysters we go to Timothy Oyster Co. in Ladysmith or Mad Dogs Crabs Seafood in Duncan

Star’s Sherry Mignonette Courtesy Barnes & Maracle Catering

Always a cold bottle of sparkling wine At least a dozen fresh oysters in shell Oyster shucking knife 2 clean dish cloths A nice platter for serving oysters 1 lemon cut in wedges Horseradish for those who like a kick

½ cup Good Sherry Vinegar 1 Shallot finely diced Generous pinch of coarsely ground peppercorns ½ tsp sugar Salt to taste

Method

Pour yourself a glass of wine. In a small mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix gently. If you don’t know how to shuck an oyster consult the Google as there are many videos available or if you are like me, get your dad or Star to shuck them. Place the oysters on your beautiful platter, serve with mignonette, lemon wedges and horseradish. Eat. Drink. Repeat!