Henry James — ‘There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.’

Although tea drinking was popularised in England during the 1660s by Charles II, afternoon tea did not become established until the mid-nineteenth century.

Tea consumption increased dramatically during the early nineteenth century and it is around this time that Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford is said to have complained of “having that sinking feeling” during the late afternoon. At the time, it was usual for people to take only two main meals a day, breakfast, and dinner at around 8pm in the evening. The solution for the Duchess was a pot of (tea leaf, of course) in a china tea cup and a light snack, taken privately in her boudoir during the afternoon.

The solution for the Duchess was a pot a tea with some small, filling accompaniments that would see her through until dinner time.

Later, the Duchess friends asked friends to join her for “tea and a walking the fields.” Other social hostesses quickly picked up on the idea and the practice became respectable enough to move it into the drawing room. Before long, it became highly fashionable to enjoy the ceremony of afternoon tea.

Afternoon tea was soon all the rage, and quickly became established as an important part of the day – performing the function of being restorative but also it was soon to become a convivial event where you could socialise.

Nowadays, afternoon tea is the perfect option for a celebratory event – you can enjoy it with tea, champagne or prosecco and can theme it accordingly or opt for a more traditional version.

Afternoon teas are becoming increasingly popular for weddings or corporate events. To chat to one of our friendly team call us on 01293 862111

 Or email info@anisecatering.com. We can tailor any of our menus accordingly.

See our sample menu below.

Rich Fruit Scones

With Clotted Cream & Strawberry Preserve

Double Chocolate Cookies

Stem Ginger Cookies

Choice of 2 Slices of Sumptuous Cakes Such As:

Victoria Sandwich

Carrot Cake

Rich Fruit Cake

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Selection of Sandwiches to Include:

Oak Smoked Salmon

Cucumber & Cracked Black Pepper with Cream Cheese

Ham & Real Ale Chutney

Free Range Egg Mayonnaise & Watercress

Somerset Brie with Cranberry Chutney

Selection of Hot Dishes Such As:

Homemade Cheese Straws

Butchers Best Chipolata Sausages Cooked in Honey

Crispy Homemade Sausage Rolls with Free Range Pork Sausage Meat, Fresh Herbs

& Puff Pastry

Quiches

Selection of Kettle Chips:
With Houmous, Tzatziki & Taramasalata Dips

Pic from https://www.wedding-venues.co.uk/wedding-ideas/2015/8-temptingly-tasty-alternatives-to-the-sit-down-meal

Here at Anise, we have years of experience in catering for weddings, christenings, corporate events, VIP events, trade shows, festivals… Oh – and we love food!

You event is in the planning stages. You know you want to opt for professional catering but how do you know which type to go for? With our expert event managers and carefully selected suppliers, we will work closely with you to provide the perfect event!

We can help Part of the service we offer is to guide and help you work out which function menu will work for you. Our friendly team will guide you accordingly.

Your type of event will help us work out which catering will work best for you If you are hosting a high-profile product launch, a sit-down meal may work better than say, a barbecue or canapés which encourage a more relaxed vibe and are good events for staff or clients to meet each other and chat.

Talk to us about your preferred menu If there are particular foods/drinks that you want to incorporate into your menu then let us know and we’ll work closely with you and our experienced chefs to come up with your perfect menu.

Do you want a theme?

We provide themed menus which have proved hugely successful. And we can provide much more than just catering, whether it’s an ice vodka luge marquee, an ice cream cart, a bouncy castle, a singing waiter or a DJ. When is it?

Time of the year and where of your event also makes a difference to the type of experience we can offer. Obviously, nobody wants to attend a BBQ in December but canapés could be a better option for you!

How many attendees do you have?

A good starting point is to look at your approximate numbers and then think about your ultimate aim for the event.

Have a look at our menus

Have a look at our food and drink menu pages which will get your taste buds tingling and provide you with inspiration!

Drinks; we’ve got it covered!

Whether you’re planning a VIP drinks reception or you just want to pair the perfect drinks with your menu, our wine consultants have a wealth of knowledge and experience gained worldwide allowing us to select only the finest wines to complement our stunning dishes. Working closely with a number of local vineyards, we can supply a variety of wines to order alongside Hepworth & Co, our preferred local brewery.

You can’t have a wedding without having cake! Today as wedding cakes become more outlandish and unusual, we look how the wedding cake tradition began.

The tradition of a wedding cake goes back to Roman times when a cake of meal was crumbled over the bride’s head to provide good luck for their marriage.

Roman wedding cakes were made by baking a mixture of wheat or barley (symbols of prosperity and fertility) and salt into small cakes – rather like large bread rolls.

In Medieval England, cakes were stacked as high as possible for the bride and groom to kiss over. A successful kiss meant they were guaranteed a prosperous life together.

Traditionally the bride would place a ring inside the couple’s portion of the cake to symbolise acceptance of the proposal. During the mid-17th century to the beginning of the 19th, the cake was served at most weddings. Guests were expected to have a piece out of politeness. It was considered very rude and bad luck not to eat the bride’s pie.

Fruit cakes were a sign of fertility and prosperity, which helped them gain popularity because married men wanted to have plenty of children. The bride’s cake eventually transformed into the modern wedding cake we know today. In the 17th century, two cakes were made, one for the bride and one for the groom. The groom’s cake eventually died out and the bride’s cake turned into the main cake for the event. The groom’s cake was usually darker and richer than the bride’s.

Queen Victoria started the trend for the big, white wedding (in her choice of attire and cake). Previously, icing and frosting had been expensive and so, were reserved for solely rich and wealthy families. But from the 1840s onwards sugar and icing were more accessible and so, less wealthy families began to imitate the weddings of the rich.

This show of wealth and status has continued into the present day (and is often evident in the cake). Princess Diana’s cake was an impressive five tiers whilst the Beckham’s cut their four-tiered cake with a sword!

The cutting of the cake is a task full of symbolism. The cake was originally intended to be distributed among the guests by only the bride because consuming the cake would ensure fertility. As weddings grew and the number of guests increased this task became a joint venture, the groom needed to help cut the growing cake and distribute it among their guests.

In the 18th century, newlywed couples would try to keep the cake until their first anniversary to prevent them from marriage problems in the future. This is one of the reasons why cakes in the 18th century were made of fruits and blended with wine, to ensure their longevity.

Nowadays you’re lucky if there’s anything but crumbs left after the wedding day!

Pic c/o bbcgoodfood.com

How to find your perfect wedding venue

 

At Anise Catering we arrange and manage events across the Southeast of England. All of the venues we have on our books are rich in history and character and can accommodate both intimate weddings to larger affairs.

It can seem overwhelming when trying to pick your venue but we are here to help you find the one that’s right for you.

Do your research:

Have a look at all the venues we offer, each one is listed on our venues page: http://anisecatering.com/venues/

Its a numbers game:

Work out the logistics. This is one of the first things you’ll need to do and is good to do before you fall in love with a venue that can accommodate all of your guests. Most of our venues have ample parking but if you’re having 200 guests instead of an intimate wedding of forty, having enough parking spaces will be a big factor in which venue you opt for.

Food for thought:

Decide whether you’re after a BBQ, a formal sit-down wedding breakfast or canapés. This will also help you and our team work out which venue will suit your day and needs best.

Time of the season:

If you are opting for a summer or you’d prefer a winter wedding then this may also affect your decision on which venue to pick.

Put it down on paper:

Talk through and write down all your ‘venue essentials’ with your partner. Our friendly team are well versed in each venue but if you can tell us more or less what you want from your special day, we’ll be able to guide you that little bit better. Call us on 01293 862111

Visit the venue:

We can arrange a no-obligation tour so you can see the venue come to life. We can also send you pictures of other weddings that we’ve arranged at the said venue. Take photos as you go around so you remember the features and the rooms. Think about where you’d have your wedding pictures taken while you look around.

Ask away:

There is really no such thing as a silly question when you’re searching for the perfect venue for your big day.

Are you having a themed wedding?

If you’re having a theme let us know. Bodiam Castle for example, boasts spiral staircases, battlements and a portcullis. We can assist with a medieval theme including hawking demonstrations and medieval games!

Happy hunting from all of the team here at Anise!

 

 A brief history of the Wedding Toast

The origins of toasting can be traced back to ancient societies in the form of raising their cup as a drink offering to their god(s), but there’s also evidence that the ancient Greeks drank to eachother’s health which can be seen in The Odyssey when Ulysses raises a glass to Achilles.

Toasting at weddings then, dates as far back as the sixth Century B.C. When there was a gathering, the Greeks would pour the wine from a common pitcher. The host (the bride’s father) would drink from his glass first to prove to his guests that there was no poison placed into the wine. In these fraught times, the Greeks would spike the drinks of their enemies to ensure silence and even use to prevent a messy divorce!

 

The warring neighbours often ended in a truce that brought the leaders’ children together in marriage. And a banquet celebration. And this is where the tradition of the wedding toast began.

 

The actual term “toast” comes from the Roman practice of dropping a piece of burnt bread into the wine. This was done to temper some of the bad wines the Romans sometimes had to drink.

 

One of the first written accounts originated back in the 16^th century, with one of the first written accounts using the word found in Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor when the character Falstaff says “Go fetch me a quart of sack; put a toast in’t.”

 

Over the next centuries the term toasting gradually incorporated the honouring of people. The person being honoured often received the piece of toast. Not only was this an honour, it was also used to make the bread edible and also soak up the acidity of the wine.

 

By the 17^th and 18^th centuries the practice was so popular that Toastmasters were employed to ensure that the toasting didn’t become too excessive!

 

Tips for Giving a Great Toast

When it comes to acknowledging the bride and groom with a toast, make sure that all the glasses of the guests are filled and then fill yours last before making the toast. The proper order of the pouring will always start with the bride, then the groom, then the maid of honour, then all parents of the bride and groom, and the best man receives his last.
Hold the glass in the right hand and extend it straight out from the right shoulder. This is a gesture done to show that you come in friendship and peace. The toast should always end with an indication to all guests to repeat the last line of the toast. For an example, “Please join me in wishing the happy new couple many wonderful years to come, To the bride and groom.” At that point, the first sip of wine should be taken.

 

Cheers!

 

Image c/o theknot.com

 

To celebrate National Fish & chip day, 2^nd June, Anise gives you a brief history of a national institution – fish and chips.

 

In 1910 there were more than 25,000 fish and chip shops across the UK, and by the 1930s it increased to over 35,000.

 

Winston Churchill called them “the good companions”. To each other, yes, but also to the British public.

 

They sustained morale through two world wars and helped fuel Britain’s industrial prime. Cheap, easily accessible, tasty, filling and comforting this was a dish that has been feeding the masses since the 1860s and still continues to do so today.

 

George Orwell in The Road to Wigan Pier (1937) put fish and chips first among the home comforts that helped keep the masses happy and “averted revolution”. During World War II, ministers bent over backwards to make sure fish and chips were one of the few foods that were never rationed.

 

The story of the humble chip goes back to the 17th Century to either Belgium or France, depending on who you believe.

Oddly enough, the chip may have been invented as a substitute for fish, rather than an accompaniment. When the rivers froze over and nothing could be caught, resourceful housewives began cutting potatoes into fishy shapes and frying them as an alternative.

Around the same time, fried fish was introduced into Britain by Jewish refugees from Portugal and Spain.

 

The fish was usually sold by street sellers from large trays hung round their necks. Charles Dickens refers to an early fish shop or “fried fish warehouse” in Oliver Twist (1839) where the fish generally came with other carbohydrates – sometimes bread or baked potatoes but there was no sign of the golden battered fare yet…

Who was it who had the bright idea to marry the fish and the chips together? Some say it was a northern businessman called John Lees. As early as 1863, it is believed he was selling fish and chips out of a wooden hut at Mossley market in industrial Lancashire.

 

Others claim the first combined fish ‘n’ chip shop was actually opened by a Jewish immigrant, Joseph Malin in East London around 1860.

 

Whoever you believe, the idea caught on and captured the tastes of the masses. At a time when working-class diets were bleak and unvaried, fish and chips were a tasty break from the norm.

Outlets sprung up across the country and soon they had become a firm mainstay of Victorian life in England.

 

Italian migrants saw the queues and the potential of a successful business model and so shops sprung up all over the UK.

 

 

How they’ve changed being served over the decades:

 

Pre-1980s – To keep prices down, portions were often wrapped in old newspaper – a practice that survived as late as the 1980s when it was ruled unsafe for food to come into contact with newspaper ink without grease-proof paper in between.

 

1990s/2000s – Once the newspaper was deemed unfit to come into contact with what we were consuming, high-end restaurants and pubs wrapped their fish and chips in ‘designer’ newspaper: as a nostalgic nod to earlier times. The 1990s (like the 1960s) was full of working class people hitting the big time in all industries such as art, music, TV, film and so suddenly mainstays of working class life – such as fish and chips – had now become cool and trendy.

 

Now, there’s a trend emerging to serve fish and chips in disposable newspaper cones. And at fish and chip shops, it’s just grease proof paper.

 

How we serve them at Anise:

 

Fish and chip cones – traditional fresh fish and chips served in a newspaper cone, served with sea salt and malt vinegar. We serve fish and chip cones in the evening section of our menu, perfect for guests who require some tasty sustenance later in the evening.

 

Hidden in Lewes, Anne of Cleves House is a unique venue steeped in history, character and charm offering peace and romance for intimate weddings of up to fifty guests.

Beautiful wedding ceremonies are held in the East Room decorated with original oak beams, leaded windows, a brick tile floor and large Tudor fireplace. Easily adapted to both seasons; warmed with a burning log fire or draped with flowers for a summery atmosphere.

After the wedding ceremony drinks and canapes can be served in the peaceful Tudor garden the perfect backdrop for your wedding photographs. Additional time may be added if you wish to stay a little longer or even have your whole wedding reception here with us, feasting and dancing the day way.

Anne of Cleves House is in the peaceful Southover area of the town but still within easy walking distance of local car parks, train and bus stations, and local hotels making it the perfect wedding location for the perfect wedding day.

Our partnership with Anne of Cleves shows plenty of promise; we are excited to meet with newly-engaged couples hoping for something a bit different for their special day.

To hear more about our work with Anne of Cleves please call our head office on 01293 862111. If you have booked your venue you can also arrange a complementary tasting with us.

If you are planning a wedding, you will want everything to be perfect. At Anise, we know that attention to detail is critical to ensuring that your wedding runs smoothly. Our wedding menu selections are designed to give you both choice and flexibility in the style of food and service. You are going to want to try your dress on, so why wouldn’t you want to taste the food? Follow Anise’s tried and tested advice in order to get the most out of your wedding tasting…. Here are the questions that you should be asking (before and during!)

 

Is the tasting FOC or is there a charge?

Here at Anise we offer a free consultation and quoting service; along with menu tastings that take place in our production kitchens. Tastings provide a ‘dress rehearsal’ for your special day and gives you the opportunity to meet and discuss your requirements with our head chef & event managers who will oversee the catering for you.

Are the tastings done face to face? Do we both need to be there?
Organising your wedding is one of the most special and personal events of your life. As a company we believe in working closely with our clients and always like to arrange face to face meetings with the bride and groom to help begin the planning and preparation. We can offer guidance on serving suggestions and the suitability of each selection, based on your guest numbers, equipment requirements and the facilities at your venue.

 

 

Are there any hidden charges?

Because no two weddings are alike, here at Anise we will ensure that your wedding is tailor-made to your requirements. If you’re not sure what you want, we will happily discuss all the options with you and you can rest assured that there will be no unexpected surprises and no hidden charges.

 

Will the caterer make special meals for children and other wedding pro’s, and what does the caterer charge?

You will need to feed some of your wedding pros who’ll be there at your reception, like your photographer, wedding planner and your DJ (as well as their assistants). Find out what the charge is for children of they are invited and what the caterer an offer them.

Is there an extra charge for vegetarians/ vegans/ gluten free eaters/ kosher/ halal?

A caterer may be willing to work with special dietary restrictions, but it could mean additional costs. If offering a special meal to certain family and friends is important to you, but the caterer’s fees are hefty, you might have to find room from elsewhere in your budget or look for another caterer.

 

How many weddings has the caterer previously worked on?

Reading reviews is one thing but it’s good to do a bit more research before you get trapped in to a contract with a second-rate caterer. Check the website, read the blogs (if they have any), read the testimonials and don’t be afraid of calling up the company beforehand to ask these questions.

 

Can dishes be tailored accordingly?

At Anise dishes can be tailored to your individual requirements in order to compliment the theme or colours of your very special day.

 

Can I be sent a quote?

Any company worth their salt should send you a formal quotation and there should be no-obligation before you sign any contract.

 

Can you work to a certain budget?

Discuss your budget before you start liaising with your caterer. Then you can work with them and see whether it’s a figure they can work with.

 

When planning a wedding, it can sometimes feel very daunting. After all, there is so much to think about it’s hard to know where to start. With over…. years experience and a proven track record, we like to call ourselves wedding planning experts….

 

Budget

The dreaded ‘B’ word! Yes, we know it’s boring but planning a wedding with no consideration of your budget is a bit like going to work in your pyjamas.

 

Find out what you like (and what you don’t)

Join Pinterest board or put together a mood board of things you like. This is a really good way of working out colour schemes and seeing if you and your partner are on the same page. Give yourself enough time to work out what you like and don’t make impulsive decisions.

 

To compromise or not?

Sometimes you and your other half may disagree on certain things so that’s why it’s good to make sure you communicate from the word go. If you feel strongly about including readings or having someone at the wedding make your feelings known (but do it in an adult way). In the same vein if your other half feels strongly about music, food or attendees make sure you listen and respect his or her opinions and feelings.

 

Play to your strengths

If you’re creative and you want to get crafty then making invitations and favours and other bits and pieces can be really enjoyable and fun. If you’re not so crafty then google people that can help.

 

Give yourself breaks

If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed with it all don’t panic. Take an evening off from everything wedding! Go to the cinema or enjoy a meal and give your brain a rest from it all. Things will always look clearer the next day.

 

Be realistic

If you set yourself unrealistic targets things will soon seem completely unmanageable. Set yourself realistic targets that you can actually meet. Try and focus on one area of wedding planning at a time rather than trying to achieve everything at once. This will only lead to a frazzled bride and groom to be!

 

Don’t lose sight of the big picture

This can be very easy to do. Remember what the day you’re planning is actually about and try to get everything in perspective (as hard as this may be when you’re buried in spreadsheets and invites…. Nobody will remember which colour favours you had in a year’s time so don’t sweat the small stuff.

 

 

Photo credit: theweddingplaybook.com

STAFF WANTED

 

 

Anise Catering is a long established catering company with a reputation for high quality, reliability, fantastic staff and great food! We are looking for casual staff to work with us at a variety of events throughout the year and would love to hear from you.

 

WAITING & BAR STAFF

Enthusiastic, well presented waiting & bar staff are required to work at events, mainly at weekends. Own transport, or transport with a friend is required as events take place at various locations.

 

KITCHEN ASSISTANT’S

We are looking for extra pairs of hands to help wash up and pack away kit returning from events. Vehicle loading and general warehouse duties will also be required.

 

16 – 17 years old £6.72 per hour
18 years old and over £8.52 per hour
Mileage paid after first 10 miles
One way travel time paid to venues further afield

 

Please contact Anise Catering for further details

01293 862111

info@anisecatering.com