The Latymer at Pennyhill Park

I had a fine haul of presents for my birthday, which started with a shared half bottle of Krug with my toasted bagel with a poached egg and a candle on top :o)  Cookery books, some really bright bicycle lights, wide-mouthed Thermos (yay! hot lunches ahoy!) and a tasting collection of wine from the Camel Valley.

I'd been given warning to pack various outfits into a bag for a couple of days away already but the main event was still a secret until I opened Mr TOTKat's birthday card in the morning.  Dinner at The Latymer at Pennyhill Park!  We've been to Pennyhill a few times already but only ever eaten in the brasserie there.  It's tricky to get a table at the Michelin starred Latymer but this time we had a booking.

Without a pause for thought, the tasting menu was chosen and the wine selection to go with it...

The menu

 

Poached and roast duck liver from Langres, duck and beetroot consomme, Sour dough crisp, artichokes, truffle emulsion, Pedro Ximenez foam

 

Marinated rainbow trout, slow cooked octopus, seaweed salad, dill mousseline, warm seaweed tea

Cassoulet of clams, baby squid, poached quail egg, squid ink gnocchi, clam veloute

Freshly baked breads with unsalted butter

 

 Us, enjoying a glass of Perrier Jouet

 Poached breast of royal Anjou pigeon, mustard cream cabbage, roast kohl rabi, glazed new season black figs, bread and bay leaf puree

Red mullet, roast Scottish langoustine, anchovy beignets, Cornish samphire, bagna cauda jus

The Latymer from a corner table

Poached fillet of Limousin veal, sweetbread, pickled baby onions, roast cavalo nero, lavender jus

Fourme d'Ambert, Beaufort, smoked paprika crisp, pickled apples, celery cress

Glazed pea cassonade, Yorkshire strawberries, mint ice-cream, crispy tapicoa

 Coconut parfait, confit pineapple, rum gel, marinated raspberries

Bitter chocolate delice, pistachio marzipan, coffee tagliatelle, caramel powder, almond foam

 List of petit fours

 Very strong coffee

 The petit fours

 Tea

It was a fabulous tasting menu - I could have had one or two courses fewer and felt a bit less stuffed at the end but I don't regret a single mouthful of the whole meal.  I did have to cheat a little bit though, and stick some of the petit fours in my handbag for later.