Shepherd's Pie for a dinner party — went down extremely well

I made Shepherd's Pie for eight guests who had varying familiarity with the cuisine. Every single person asked for the recipe. The subtly sweet with caramelised elements profile was the main talking point — no one had quite experienced mature Cheddar used that way before.

pub food culture has undergone a renaissance in the gastropub era. I explained the a full English café breakfast context as I served it which helped people appreciate it fully. English Breakfast tea was what I offered alongside and it worked perfectly. Excellent dinner party dish — impressive without being inaccessible.