eBay wedding auction
Rather than suffer a quiet summer weekend due to a cancelled wedding, Peckforton Castle in Cheshire has put a July wedding package up for auction on eBay – and so far has just £5k bid. The package, which includes welcome drinks, a three-course meal with wine, an evening finger buffet, bridal chamber, use of the Castle’s wedding experts, plus a guarantee that the couple will be the only bride and groom celebrating at the castle on the day. Bidding began on the package on 19 April, and will close on Friday 29 April – the date of the Royal Wedding. The winning bidder will undoubtedly bag a bargain for a luxury wedding at Peckforton for 24 July 2011.
Forty year-old menu
Celebrating its 40th birthday, the Capital Restaurant at the Capital Hotel in London will introduce a special tasting menu featuring dishes served on the premises over the past four decades. Available from 11 May, the tasting menu will include former head chef Brian Turner’s brandade of sole, David Levin’s artichaut a la Nissarda, plus several of current head chef Jerome Ponchelle’s interpretations of popular dishes served at the restaurant in the past.
EnoClub returns
In collaboration with Wine Chap, Russell Norman’s Polpo in Soho is to run a second series of EnoClub, pairing fine Italian wines with the Venetian menu served at the restaurant. Beginning 26 April with a Veneto & Trentino wine pairing, EnoClub will continue once a month until October. The evenings cost from £40 per person, and include eight different wines usually available from £40-£100 per bottle.
Sabre
Le Vacherin is to host an Annual Champagne and Sabre dinner on 13 June, celebrating the art of sabrage - where Champagne bottle tops are sliced off using a sabre sword. Priced at £80 per person, the evening will pair a special Le Vacherin menu with Champagne as expert sabragers entertain diners with their slick skill.