Finding a caterer who actually fits your needs shouldn’t be hard. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned from experience, it’s that “shouldn’t” doesn’t count for much in the real world.
We’ve come across plenty of catering companies with rules about guest numbers, locations, equipment and dietary requirements that can leave couples having to rethink what they actually want. But, if you ask us, that’s not how catering should work. At Hog Roast Cockermouth, we prefer to work around the client, rather than asking the client to work around us.
That means menus can be adapted to suit pretty much every dietary requirement, while our mobile setup means we’re not particularly fussy about where we’re cooking. Our equipment runs from gas canisters rather than relying on mains electricity, so a remote venue or a bit of questionable British weather isn’t enough to put us off.
And that came in rather handy for Sarah and Alex, who had chosen Low Hall the Lakes for their wedding. Tucked away in the northwest corner of the Lake District, surrounded by greenery, streams and plenty of peace and quiet, it’s the sort of place where you can properly escape from everything. Fortunately, Sarah found Hog Roast Cockermouth while planning the big day and was relieved to discover that catering for 70 guests at such a secluded venue wasn’t going to be a problem.
For the food, they settled on our Alfresco Menu, starting with a grazing table piled high with Italian meats, fine cheeses, olives, fresh fruit, vegetable sticks and artisanal breads. We also prepared a separate gluten-free board, keeping everything safely apart for guests who needed it.
Then came Hog Roast Cockermouth’s signature – the hog roast. After hours of cooking on our purpose-built grill, the pork was tender enough to practically fall apart, while the crackling delivered exactly the sort of satisfying crunch you’d hope for. Sage and onion stuffing, applesauce, sweet potato and classic fries and hearty sausages filled out the main spread, alongside meat-free skewers and jackfruit buns for the vegetarian and vegan guests.
And because nobody really wants a wedding meal to end just when things are just getting good, there was dessert too: lemon cheesecake and profiteroles, both of which disappeared insanely quickly.
In the end, Sarah and Alex got the secluded Lake District wedding they’d pictured, without having to compromise on the catering to make the venue work. And that’s really what we’re about at Hog Roast Cockermouth: making the food fit the occasion, wherever that occasion happens to be.
