ANZAC Day – Catering for the Australian Embassy

I’ve had quite the morning, and I thought that while I still have adrenalin pumping through my veins, I should write about ANZAC Day and the morning tea at the Australian Ambassador’s residence in Rome that I catered for.

If you read my last post, you would know that my week has been really busy ad hectic.  I do have good time management skills (which I think comes from Sister Flora Orr being my first Charge Nurse at The Royal Melbourne Hospital) and that definitely helped me fly through the week without one panic attack.  I do suffer occasionally from anxiety and the odd panic attack, and yesterday I was wondering whether I might get anxious due to the fact that I was feeling so uncharacteristically calm!!!  So, Saturday was my birthday and I continued cooking for ANZAC Day, made BBQ Meatloaf for lunch for the two permanent staff and myself, and was home in time to make myself look decent and have a beautiful dinner out.  Sunday I just went in for a couple of hours to do some last minute prep before today.

My ANZAC Day morning began at 07:30.  Guests started arriving shortly after 10:15.  My first task this morning was to make the Vegemite sandwiches. I then had to cut & chop the smoked salmon (didn’t realise I’d bought a beautiful intact half salmon that wasn’t sliced and also still attached to the skin), prepare the lemon mascarpone and assemble the blinis. Once guests started to arrive, meat pies, sausage rolls, and mini quiche were put into the oven. As they were heating I alternated between assembling the mini pavlovas, adding the Anzac biscuit crumble to the cheesecake cups, and putting the sugar poppies on the chocolate mousse. (Going back and forth to the oven to continue getting all the savoury items out on the table).

It all went so well, and I was elated to receive so many compliments. It really is the best feeling in the world to have satisfaction from your work!

SO… the total tally of finger food made for today;

• 175 Mini Meat Pies
• 250 Sausage Rolls
• 110 square Vegemite sandwiches
• 75 Smoked Salmon Blinis with lemon mascarpone & capers
• 120 Mini Quiche (various fillings)
• 120 Lamingtons
• 80 Raspberry Cheesecake Cups with Anzac biscuit Crumble
• 80 Mini Pavlovas
• 80 Chocolate Mousse with sugar poppies
• 150 Dark Chocolate Truffles
• over 200 Anzac biscuits