Ricard`s Bastille Day Summer Garden Party, July 2012

Last week, celebrities, journalists and serious petanque players braved the weather to take part in Ricard`s (France`s number one anise) petanque summer garden party to celebrate Bastille Day, in Chelsea Physic Garden`s idyllic surroundings. Stars such as Kiristini Blahnik, Tallulah Adeyemi, Preeya Kalidas and many more, all attended the event to enjoy a lavish feast of Gourmet French BBQ food and stunning Ricard cocktails.

Held in one of Britain`s finest gardens, this event had all the atmosphere of the South of France, yet with a quintessential British twist. The dress code for the party was be `French vintage` and guests were encouraged to don their finest dandy blazers and pantaloons, as prizes were also promised for those with the most inventive or creative outfit. It was a fantastic day, filled with a wonderful hybrid of cultures, excitement and flavours.

Unfortunately, the weather didn`t go in our favour, but it didn`t dampen spirits! There was however enough good weather for the petanque tournament to take place, and in a rather competitive set of games, the lucky winner was given the fabulous prize of a trip to Ricard`s birthplace, Marseille. The petanque was split into an amateur and a professional set of tournaments, with the East London Petanque Association (ELPA) will arriving in suitable Dalston style to test their young skills against the pitch perfect expertise of the petanque Pentaque veterans.

There were also other fun games available such as croquet, treasure hunts and giant Jenga games. However, if you prefer a sedentary and relaxing Saturday afternoon like me, then you could simply kick back and enjoy a refreshing Ricard cocktail, with the accompaniment of a French band, Trio Manouche, who provided the music, with a gypsy jazz vibe creating an ideal soundtrack to a playful day.

Ricard cocktails on offer included the classic Perroquet and delicious Marseille Fizz – both were absolutely delicious! Also, for the first time ever, an exclusive Ricard ice cream was created showcasing the great taste of Ricard in a revolutionary way. The Ricard ice cream has been created on a vanilla base with an infused flavour of mint; reminiscent of the iconic Ricard mojito recipe.

The mouth-watering gourmet French BBQ was provided by the Tangerine Dream Café set deep within the Chelsea Physic Garden. The café has a philosophy of expertly sourced seasonal ingredients, simply cooked and well presented, which change throughout the year. The Bastille inspired menu seemed like it would please even the most demanding food lover. Cold French picnic specialities and crepes were also available in addition to the delicious minute steaks and merguez sausages on the grill. Cheese and charcuterie boards were an extra and very welcomed touch, with tempting pastries and lemon tarts for those who had a sweet tooth; ensuring every palate was catered for.

Please check out the FB page for more info on this year`s event https://www.facebook.com/ricardinlondon