Kaye Winwood is a remarkable figure on the Birmingham food scene and her Jewellery Quarter-based business GULP equally is a remarkable enterprise in this neck of the woods. I reported my first visit to GULP in April 2023 (Blog 308) and time has hastened on since then and I have dined at Kaye’s establishment several times since then. One of the regular events Kaye has established more recently is her Reading table where guests come along and share, if they wish, a themed piece of literature of their choosing and meanwhile have a good nosh. The day of the latest event was the fifth anniversary of the founding of GULP and the reading table event was doubling as a celebration of the notable anniversary and so, quite logically, Kaye had chosen the subject of ‘Parties’ as the theme for the evening.
It was fun to join the other diners, only one of whom was known to me, around Kaye's table, laden as it was with numerous hors d’oeuvres which, as our hostess pointed out, were very much piscaterian in nature, and none the worse for that, including as it did beluga caviar-laden crisps, some very fine olives, sweet and tangy pickles, and toothsome candied fruit which, by the look of it, conjured up an expectation of smoked trout or salmon (a bit of a trompe la langue there). As we nibbled, we read our five easy pieces.
I had given it some thought and after deciding not to read the Bible’s account of Belshazzar’s Feast or its description of the wedding at Cana where Christ turned water into wine or even The Last Supper, all of which may have been too portentous, I was inspired to read the piece on Mr Fezziwig’s ball in Dicken’s A Christmas Carol which, it seemed to me, was just about the most influential party in literature history given that it set the pattern for Christmas parties right up until today.
Unfortunately, or perhaps, fortunately, Fezziwig’s Christmas efforts went unremarked upon as I chose, at the last minute, to read instead an altogether lighthearted piece I had suddenly thought of on the tram from New Street station to the Jewellery Quarter. The lyrics from Jona Lewie’s You’ll always find me in the kitchen at parties went down a storm and everyone joined in the repeating choruses and thunderous applause followed the final stanza where Lewie finally found himself out of the kitchen and happy with his new girlfriend.
The Hors d’oeuvres were followed by a resoundingly good and satisfying meal centred on a large and perfectly cooked baked salmon with some delightful accompaniments.For dessert there was a fabulous table full of a meringue fantasia, breathtaking to see and naughtily delicious to eat.
Well done to Kaye Winwood on setting up the unique GULP and happy birthday. I am soon to return to GULP for an Italian Futurists evening with some friends which Kaye is curating. Can’t wait!
Rating:- 🌞
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