Carrot Banquet 

13/03/26




The Carrot Banquet was a celebration of the humble carrot and the many humorous stories that make up its past, combining shared reading with a series of dishes that responded directly to the histories being explored.

Dishes served

Spicy Carrot and Coriander Margeritas 
Harrissa Pickled Carrots and Coriander Oil
Whipped Carrots with Pickled Raisins 
Carrot Skewers with a Carrot Juice reduction
Carrots, Tamarind Yoghurt and Vadouvan Butter 
Carrots, Peanut tahini, Coconut and lime leaf salsa 
Baba Ganoush 
Labneh With Confit Garlic and Za'tar 
Halloumi with Fennel and Chamomile Honey 
Barbecued Baby Leeks, Tarator and Egg
Gem, Shiso, Hazelnut & Apple Salad

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Guests were welcomed with a spicy carrot and coriander margarita and a copy of A Very Selective History of the Carrot. To begin, the section on the origin of the carrot was read collectively, after which everyone made paper hats decorated with carrot tops—referencing Elizabethan England, where carrots were considered exotic and their tops were used to adorn hats and clothing in place of feathers.

Flatbreads and dips were served first, including a whipped carrot dip with pickled raisins and coriander oil. Before the main dishes were fully introduced, a short reading on traditional Roman methods of carrot production and the story of Apicius was shared. This was followed by carrots with tamarind yoghurt and vadouvan butter, with cumin included as a nod to these Roman influences.

After all dishes had been presented, we read about carrots in World War Two and the shortage of sweets that led to carrots being sold on sticks dipped in toffee. To accompany this, carrots on a stick with preserved lemon were served. Finally, the desert of cardamon ice cream and carrot caramel were eaten and the banquet was brought to a close. 

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