We consider ourselves very lucky to have friends who are gracious and innovative hosts.  When Carole and Bill invited us over for bocce ball and lobster, we knew it would be a fun evening and couldn't say yes fast enough.  The weather was picture perfect, the setting sublime, and the menu was simple perfection.  Let me share a fun evening with you!








We've been having so much fun playing bocce ball.  We have several friends who have installed courts.  It seems like it's pretty popular around here.  I never remember any private bocce ball courts until the last half dozen years or so.  Most courts have ground granite and oyster shells for their surface, but this is an artificial surface, more like a tennis court surface.  Bocce courts are a beautiful feature for a back yard and don't take up as much space as a tennis court and is more fun to play as more people can be involved.  Plus no special clothes and you don't get sweaty! 

I first played Petanque (the French version of the game) in the south of France a few years ago.  A friend organized a 2 day tournament for the 50 plus friends who had gathered in Collioure, a small town in the south of France near the border of Spain.   A mutual friend was having a significant birthday and decided he would celebrate it in Collioure.  Be forewarned, if you decide to have a destination birthday, be prepared that everyone will accept!  I only tell you about this petanque tournament because my husband and I won!  Me, non-sporty me, actually won!  This is the first sports tournament I have ever won and I was positively giddy! 

The landscape surrounding our friend's bocce court is dotted with Coastal Live Oaks, natives to California and one of my favorite trees.  We had an incredible 400 year old live oak in the back yard of our previous home.  I miss that magnificent guy.  To complete the setting, recently planted Iceberg roses, olive trees, lemons and limes are just getting a footing.  Chairs and tables with umbrellas provide seating on either side of the court because there's plenty of down time in the game.  Our hosts brought wine and appetizers to the court and we played for about an hour before it was time for our lobster fest.

Expert advice from Carole.

Time to eat!

Our hosts went to the fish market that morning and chose their lobsters   and asked that they be cooked and ready to be picked up at a certain time later that evening.   When it was time for the pick up, you bring a cooler with some heated gel packs inside,  bring them home and serve them up.  Yep, that's it!   I could not have been more surprised when Carole  opened the cooler and there they were, hot and ready to go!

Sour Cream Coleslaw, recipe below.

My plate was gorgeous.

Eating lobster is messy business. A plastic tablecloth, paper bibs and these cute paper place mats are a must!

My husband and I went berry picking earlier this week so I brought the dessert.  I'll post my pie recipe soon.

My hostess said I could take home the shells to make stock.  Five quarts are now in the freezer. I see a lobster bisque dinner party in my future!