Catering for the Raceday Crowd

One of the most unique ways to experience Flemington's Melbourne Cup Carnival is actually outside of the racecourse in the areas known as the Nursery, the Rails and the Domain. Outside of the Cup Carnival, these areas are just carparks, but during the eight-day event they transform into a giant street party, where the race-acquainted mingle with the social set and punting goes hand-in-hand with picnics. Members of the VRC apply for "sites" through a ballot, and pedestrian passes for the Nursery, Rails or Domain can be purchased for guests who aren't members to allow them to join the festive atmosphere.Unless specifically requested, sites are self-catering and allow guests to bring their own food and beverages for the day. But for a Nursery novice, the prospect of catering for 20 guests can be a daunting experience, and one which requires thorough planning and spreadsheet skills to get the job done right! Here are some points to consider when planning your site to ensure a successful Carnival day.1. Fancy or fun?The first question to answer is what kind of site will yours be? Take a look at your guest list to give you a guide: are you inviting the boss and his wife, will the in-laws be coming along, or will your site contain 19 of your closest mates? If you want to make a good impression, chances are you'll want an elegant site with tasty canapés, glasses of champagne and bottled brews, but if you're looking for a more casual affair you may be happier with an Aussie barbecue, tinnies and Passion Pop. It really is up to you, but make sure it's a space where your guests will be happy to stay - you don't want them to site-jump to your neighbours'!2. To cater or not to cater?Now you've decided on the tone of your site, it's time to start planning the food. If you want a fancy affair with minimum stress, it would be wise to choose a VRC recommended caterer from their approved list to cover everything, from the nibbles and bubbles through to the site set-up and even the hiring of wait staff. View the VRC's list of approved caterers on pages 12-13 of the 2013 Members' Carnival Guide.Unaccredited caterers (ie. those not on the list) are not permitted in the Nursery, Rails or Domain, but that doesn't mean you can't provide some quality canapés for your guests - sites are able to be catered "car boot/hamper style", meaning you can BYO as long as they arrive in your car.3. Too much or too little?The golden rule to remember when planning catering for an event such as this is always to over-cater on the food. You may think your guests want a beer-to-sandwich ratio of 4:1 (and it's true, they might), but waking up four days later with the same hangover due to lack of food and cheap booze (we'll get to that later) makes you a bad host. Always order more food than you think you need - remember, it's a long day (the first race on Derby Day is at 11:20am and the areas close at 6pm) and you can always eat the leftovers for breakfast the next day!4. Are you the next Masterchef?If you've already had your Derby Day outfit ready for several weeks and are quite adept at cooking, you may want to try your hand at catering your site yourself. The main points to consider when cooking for such an event are to provide a nice mix of food (don't just do hundreds of sausage rolls and quiches because pastry is your specialty), and ensure they aren't super messy to eat (bite-sized morsels are perfect, or food that can be eaten with just a fork is best if you want to plate-up). Taste.com.au has compiled a special Melbourne Cup recipe collection to assist with your raceday catering cookery.If you're barbecuing, make sure you've filled your gas tank (there are no electrical points at the sites and generators are prohibited) - running out of gas when the meat's only half-cooked is not an ideal situation to be in!5. Space and timeAs mentioned in the above point, it's a good idea to have a variety of food to keep your guests' appetites sated and it's also advisable to bring out different foods at different times throughout the day to ensure there's always something to soak up the alcohol.If starting super early (before the first race), it's a nice idea to begin the day with some brunch food: think mini pastries such as croissants, danishes and muffins with breakfast sandwiches (bacon and egg, and salmon and cream cheese) and slices of fruit. Keep some nibbles, such as corn and potato chips, dips and nuts, out on the tables throughout the day for guests to pick at. Bring out some heavier items around 1pm: sausage rolls and quiches, samosas, meat skewers, a variety of sandwich points and salads (pasta and rice salads are raceday winners), or get the barbecue cranking if that's your meal plan. After 3pm it's time to bring out the dessert selection: a variety of cheeses and crackers, mini scones (perhaps best to jam-and-cream them beforehand to lessen the mess), cupcakes, brownie squares and patisserie of the moment, macarons. Our favorites are from LuxBite, who have released a limited edition Champagne Cherry flavour (with the champagne being Moët et Chandon, oh la la!) in time for the Spring Carnival.6. Herbivores and the health consciousI personally know diets generally go out the window when it comes to raceday dining, but some of your guests may have more willpower than you (or I) when it comes to snacking at the track. To truly be a good host, you should provide some healthier options for your guests when catering your site. One or two people will always surprisingly declare themselves to be vegetarians as well, and then there are those with allergies to consider (make sure you're aware which dishes have nuts, dairy and gluten in them).Vietnamese street food vendor Roll'd offers the perfect healthy raceday snack in the form of Roll'd Soldiers (their take on the rice paper roll), which are made in six flavours (from gourmet soft shell crab through to vegetarian favourite, tofu) and come with a choice of tasty dipping sauces. And best of all, the prawn and pork and tofu varieties are also gluten-free - way to impress the fussiest eaters! Prices start from $2.80 per soldier, or for $8.40 you can taste-test three flavours with a soft drink included.7. Budget bubbles vs. quality plonkWith the solids taken care of, it's time to sort out the liquid lunch portion of your catering. Unless you're putting on a generous, all-expenses-paid event, you'll probably have friends whispering in your ear requesting that ticket prices stay as low as possible so they can put most of their hard-earned on the quaddie. The one rule we've learnt when it comes to buying booze is not to skimp on quality. By this, I don't mean pay ridiculous amounts so you can have multiple cases of fancy labels, I just mean don't buy super cheap alcohol simply because it's super cheap. Buy beers and wine you know are decent, but not necessarily top shelf, and if you're buying something new, make sure you test it first - don't buy a full case of discounted French bubbles only to discover the cheapest Aussie sparkling at the local bottle-o is better.Keep a lookout for stockists that provide a discount for purchases made by the case, or wait until some of the major retailers put on a flash sale ("20% off six bottles or more" tends to happen a lot around Carnival time). You could even make a day trip of it and visit some local Victorian wineries to buy direct from their cellar doors - the Yarra Valley is a favourite destination of OTOT and not only provides a great selection of quality red and white wines, but also some outstanding sparklings and super ciders. Visit Yarra Valley Wine for a list of producers with cellar doors.And just like the food, it's a great idea to have a nice selection of beverages for your guests to enjoy, rather than just beers and champagne. Don't forget the soft drinks either, as a few cases of sodas and bottles of still water are always appreciated at some point during the afternoon, and are entirely necessary if Melbourne happens to turn on a beautiful spring day.If you're an experienced Nursery, Rails or Domain racegoer and have a great tip for successful site planning, please share your knowledge and leave a comment in the section below.Photo credits: www.vrc.net.au, www.novafm.com.au, www.thebiggroup.com.au, www.luxbite.com.au and www.rolld.com.au.By Lisa Tan

Pitt Cue Co., London, UK

A warning: if you are vegetarian, do not read on for you will find no peace in this post. It's strictly for carnivores only.Starting our life selling food from a van, Pitt Cue Co.'s popularity was such that friends Tom Adams and Jamie Berger decided their authentic American BBQ fare deserved a more permanent location. So early last year, much to their frequent diners' delight, they moved into a site around the corner from bustling Carnaby Street.Pitt Cue, the restaurant, is little larger than a hole-in-the-wall, with a super discrete exterior and no obvious signage. Despite the lack of decoration, it's surprisingly easy to find - just look for the constant line of hungry wannabe-patrons queued out the front.It's a scenario that's bound to happen when your restaurant only seats 30 covers - just over 20 in the cramped downstairs dining room, and 7 upstairs in the bar area - and you serve mouth-wateringly delicious and affordable comfort food. Gladly, the staff ensure an efficient waiting policy and filter hungry diners through the bar area only a few at a time to avoid claustrophobia.The bar menu is extensive - but only if you like bourbon. There's a lengthy list of the spirit, separated into "bourbon" and "rye" categories, while the cocktail list promises bourbon as the base for every concoction. Fear not, non-bourbonites, for they do sell beer (their own "Whatever" draught and a selection in bottles), one cider (a traditional still one), and American Root Beer and Cream Soda.On the reverse, Pitt Cue's food menu is very succinct and changes regularly. You've got "MEAT" which contains three to four kinds of the stuff vegetarians fear most, followed by a couple of daily specials, a choice of five sides, a couple of bun-inclusive options and some "extras" (generally, more meat in smaller portions).On my latest visit, we hungrily ordered smoked chipotle wings (£5.50), the beef rib (£12), pulled pork (£11.50), and bone marrow mash and grilled broccoli with almonds (one side is included with each meat order). The wings arrived first, coated in a sticky and tangy sauce that was milder and sweeter than I expected. To the relief of the ever-expanding line outside, the mains followed quickly, presented in canteen-style tin trays with homemade pickles, onion and a chunk of chargrilled sourdough bread on the side.The star of the show was undoubtedly the pulled pork, which I can't quite seem to go past every time I've eaten here. It's perfectly moist, shredded into strands as light as fairy floss, with a delectably sweet, smoky marinade as the finishing touch. In a word: amazing.I would usually eat it with the green chilli slaw (a refreshing, zingy coleslaw with just the right amount of sauce and spice), but opted to try something different with the grilled broccoli and almonds. The broccoli was tasty and not overgrilled, but I regret not ordering the slaw - it's the right choice with the pork.Although the beef ribs were a little fatty, the meat just fell off the bone as they were ungraciously torn apart. The marrow mash was silky smooth and super tasty, providing a rich accompaniment to hunks of sticky beef.After wolfing down our meal in record time our server offered us the dessert menu, which we declined - partly due to the waiting hordes, but mostly due to our expanded bellies. Using the former as an excuse, she nicely replied, "No rush, you guys can stay all night if you want," which is unique and quietly comforting at a joint like this. I don't think the lengthy queue would see it that way.Pitt Cue Co., 1 Newburgh St, London W1F 7RB. Open Monday - Saturday 12-3pm and 5:30-11pm; Sunday 12-3pm and 6-10:30pm. No reservations. A meal for two people costs between £30-£50.By Lisa Tan

The Fat Duck, Bray, UK

Getting a reservation at The Fat Duck is as difficult as finding hen's teeth. They open reservation lines (phone and web) two months in advance and if you don't get in the minute they open, you're doomed to fail. As it happens, Boyfriend Drew lucked out and secured a wait list cancellation for a Saturday night reservation - a hen's teeth booking if I ever saw one - and I can only wish a heartfelt "thanks" to the person who gave it up and hope they get to experience the divine delights of this incredible restaurant one day in the future.Regularly rating in the world's top restaurants (currently #2 in the Elite Traveler & Laurent-Perrier awards, and #33 on S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna's The World's 50 Best Restaurants), this three-Michelin-starred gem is the creation of self-taught culinary genius Heston Blumenthal, he of the crazy concoctions such as meat fruit and egg and bacon icecream. The Fat Duck is located more or less in the middle of nowhere (five minutes from central Maidenhead, which is 40 minutes by train from London) in a tiny village called Bray - tiny being the operative word. Amongst the dainty little houses also resides Blumenthal's other culinary ventures, The Hinds Head (one Michelin star, Pub of the Year in 2011) and The Crown at Bray (a traditional British pub).It's hard to know where to begin with our gastronomy adventure that is dinner at The Fat Duck - and how much to reveal in my review. After sitting down at our table, waiters swept over to our neighbours with something truly intriguing and as I peeked over my shoulder to take another glance, I was cheekily warned, "Don't look! It'll ruin the surprise!" For the advantage The Fat Duck has over all of its competitors is that of expecting the unexpected.Having seen the episode of Masterchef: The Professionals where the finalists were sent to The Fat Duck for training, a few covers of signature courses were blown in the process. At the time, it made me want to go there more, but sitting in the restaurant with all this wonderment going on around us, I wished I had gone there with a clear mind and let dish after dish explode it in a fantastical manner.I will tell you what you can expect on the menu; but I won't tell you how you can expect it to be served. And I'm only going to show you select photos I took - ones which prevent the surprises from being revealed entirely. On the 14-course menu (yep, better put your eating pants on!) we have aperitifs of vodka and lime, and gin and tonic, presented in a very cool fashion; a decadent combination of quail jelly, crayfish cream and chicken liver parfait served with a slice of truffle toast and spectacular oak moss; the earthy snail porridge, which is exactly as the name suggests; my personal favourite, the delightful Mad Hatter's Tea Party, with mock turtle soup and a toast sandwich; "Sound of the Sea", a multi-sensory experience with edible sand; the unusual but refreshing combination of lamb with cucumber; the perplexing Eggs in Verjus (c. 1726), Verjus in Egg (c. 2013), which is actually a dessert; and the aptly-titled final course "Like a Kid in a Sweet Shop", which takes me right back to the days of childhood birthday parties where everyone departs with a lolly bag.While most dishes were mouth-wateringly delicious, my palate was challenged by a few of the courses. The "Sound of the Sea" needs to be eaten altogether - and quickly, otherwise the sea foam turns the sand into a congealed mess. The Salmon Poached in a Liquorice Gel was almost too sweet for my taste buds, but thankfully the sprinkling of grapefruit cells gave a much-welcomed zest to the dish. The Hot and Iced tea was the least liked of all courses - it's exactly what it says it is (one part hot iced tea, the other cool iced tea, in the same cup), though it has a thicker, gel-like texture and, as Boyfriend Drew said, it "tastes like lemon Fairy liquid smells". It was hard to get past the image of washing dishes while drinking this dish.The Fat Duck is not just a restaurant - it's a theatre production of great gourmet skill, designed to delight and entrance its audience with the most complex presentation methods ever seen. Some people may baulk at the cost of the tasting menu (and there is only the tasting menu - no á la carte options here), but be assured you are not just having a fancy meal, you're having the most unique, tasty and surprising meal you've ever had in your life. And speaking of surprises, the biggest one was left until the very end, when I was presented with my "Like a Kid in a Sweet Shop" bag with an extra bonus inside - a (belated) birthday card signed by the man himself, Heston Blumenthal.(If you can, save the contents of your Sweet Shop bag for a later date - not too late, as there is an expiry date on the bottom - so you can make the Fat Duck experience last longer. And the Queen of Hearts is so deliciously ingenious you'll want to savour her sober, perhaps with a cup of tea, and wish you had a full deck.)The Fat Duck, High Street, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AQ. Open for lunch Tuesday - Saturday from noon; dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 7pm. 14-course tasting menu £195 per person plus service. We drank 2012 René Muré Signature Pinot Gris from Alsace (£60) and Château Belá Egon Muller Riesling from Slovakia (£60).By Lisa Tan