EAT Cambridge '16: Pot Luck Lunch

There's a fabulous group of people in Cambridge that form the #CambMeetUp group - we're lifestyle bloggers, food bloggers, beauty bloggers, fashion bloggers and all kinds of types of bloggers you can think of. They're a fabulous group of people and a great community to be a part of, but I was excited beyond belief when Karen Harvey, a lovely and amazing photographer and foodie, decided to spawn a separate Cambridge based group: Cambridge Eat Up!. Together we eat, discuss, appreciate and experiment with food, all in the good name of filling our bellies with yummy treats and satisfying our foodie natures.

EAT Cambridge was obviously a perfect opportunity for us to all come together in real life, and come together we did at Pina's house for a Pot Luck Lunch. The concept is easy: everyone makes something, savoury or sweet (or both), brings it along and we all sample each others dishes.

There was an incredible range of food. You couldn't have imagined the array of plates was going to be that extensive or that delicious.

These quiches were just what you want from a quiche: perfect pastry and a tasty combination of flavours. (I can't for the life of me remember who made them!).

Jess made these amazing falafels. Even though they were a last minute change from her original plan of Neopolitan Protein Fudge, they were delicious, and I also loved her cheese scones!

The different breads on offer were fantastic. I haven't mastered bread yet, but I love to eat it, and the options available, made by Aoife and Helen (and possibly others - I forgot to take full note of who made what!) were lovely. Miles better than any store brought bread any day!

It's always nice to add a bit of salad to a buffet, and these didn't disappoint. I loved the rocket and beetroot salad made by Kelly.

And this Jersey royal potato & rocket salad, made by Michelle.

Now what would a lunch be without dessert!? Whilst I love my savoury, I love my sweet even more. I'm a baker through and through and I was super excited to see all the savoury dishes that would be on offer!

Jin (the winner of last years Cambridge based Bake Off!) made these incredible Pandan & Black Sesame Chiffon Cakes. They were so light, unbelievably tasty and packaged in such a cute way!

Naomi Davies' Crostata's (Italian Jam Tart) were not only great to look at but great to eat too! The range of skills on show at this lunch just got better and better!

This Rhubarb and Amaretti cake was one of my favourites. I love rhubarb and this was perfection from Gina of Apricot & Fig.

Michelle pulled out of the bag twice by also bringing along this chocolate, quinoa, pistachio and raspberry bark. So simple but so effective, and very yummy!

My addition to the table was of course a sweet one. My original plan was to have a four-tiered, blue and pink extravaganza of a 'Dropped Ice Cream Cake,' but I ran out of time and made a two tiered extravaganza instead.

Despite it not being my original concept, and lacking the blue buttercream part, I was happy with how it all came out and will have a post up soon about how it was done and how easily you can do it too!

The Pot Luck Lunch wouldn't have been complete without something to wash all the food down with. I loved these THOR drinks: Apple, Mint and Ginger. They were refreshing and sweet and although I was originally skeptical of the mint, it tasted great.

I know that Jess enjoyed her Gin and Tonic!

This Gin Explorer subscription box was really cute and had some really interesting gins inside. I'd definitely be intrigued to sign up one month and see what I could learn about a drink I really don't know all that much about! (On that note, click here for Vera's Gin Club - a great sounding gin lover's club made by Lyndsey of the Cambridge Eat Up! group).

The goodies don't stop there either. There was an amazing goody bag given to all of us at the lunch, rammed full of amazing products, many of them local. I could be here for hours listing everything inside and waxing lyrical about how great it all was, but I'll let the picture below explain and I'll simply say: phenomenal!

Photo: Jin Yee Chung

Phenomenal lunch, phenomenal effort by everyone and phenomenal company all round!

Have you ever attended a 'pot luck' event? What events have you been to at EAT Cambridge?