I live with my husband, my family and six chickens in Darien, Connecticut. I have a small catering company and document my food adventures on my blog. If you want to contact me and talk food and parties, call me on 2036384076 or email me carolyneddie@hotmail.com.

My stories and recipes are from my childhood in Scotland, and my life in London, America and Copenhagen. I write about experiments in my own kitchen. This website started as an extension to my catering business. It morphed briefly nto posts about my travels and living as an ex-pat in Copenhagen. Now that I am back in Connecticut, it has returned to being a food blog!

I believe that cooking is really a few basic techniques applied to ingredients you have to hand.

So French cooking is characterized by local ingredients ,such as onions, garlic and wine. Italians use a lot of tomatoes, basil and olive oil. In Scotland we can do amazing things with oatmeal, salt, lard and a deep fat frier! Seriously though, we grow amazing produce such as raspberries and potatoes (have I mentioned my potato obsession?) and our fish and meat are world class.

Being in Denmark was a little like being back in Scotland. It has a cooler climate producing food that takes longer to grow, and as a result has a more intense flavor. Food appears in season, and then disappears. Pork is an important part of the diet, and takes center stage at Christmas.

Carolyn’s Absolutely Fabulous Events

Starting a catering company was a dream come true, I had always wanted to open a tearoom.  I was thrilled when the Darien Community Association (DCA) allowed me to play in their professional kitchens and cater a variety of events in the stately setting of their fabulous historic home. Check out Catering at the DCA

ABFAB

A few words on my name.  It was taken, as any Brit will know, from the brilliant television series Absolutely Fabulous or Abfab as it was affectionately known.  I always rather fancied myself as Patti, the glamorous character played by the stunning Joanna Lumley but in my heart I knew I was Eddie,  the always overweight, bumbling and slightly ridiculous character Jennifer Sanders wrote for herself.

The name is meant to be a bit of a joke, as, if you ask any Brit about a party or event, they will quite often reply that it was ‘absolutely fabulous’. High praise indeed. However, it is the goal I set myself each time I cater.

Fabulous Girls

I also have to mention that I have the most fabulous friends who work with me and supported me tirelessly in my venture. Over the last few years we have become a first class team and that might just be what makes me proudest of all.

Left to right my Fabulous Girls: Robin Ackerman, Caroline Burke, Rebecca Lowden, Sue Hayes, Me, Denise Cara . Not shown, Ginger Morgan (Flowers and sous chef and general inspiration, Ellen Powis (Away team, waitress, sous chef and invaluable support), Paula Nusslein (fabulous chef and kitchen guru), Heather Pommernelle (front of house, marketing and one class act!)

I am also posting a photo of my gorgeous family taken Christmas Eve 2013. by my, oh so talented, friend Kate Stoupas.