Knitionary: gourmet group

we've got a winner!

entertaining

First, thank you to all who entered my last giveaway.

I have 5 winners for a week of Blue Apron meals.

Congratulations to nswern, Venice1093, sklinn, debatdartmouth and dawn.

I have contacted you and cannot wait until you try your first Blue Apron!

The pictures above are from a dinner party we hosted last Saturday night for the summer installment of our Gourmet Group. I love it when my turn lands in summer and we can eat outside. We are 6 couples that meet four times a year; the hostess chooses the theme, plans the menu, and sends out the recipes. This group has been going on for close to 40 years and we have consumed some of the most delicious food and had a lot of fun while doing it.

My husband and I visited Jamaica in February and brought back two bottles of rum and several jars of various blends of jerk spice with the intention of having a Jamaican party. I'm happy that my theme was so easily chosen as that is the most difficult part to me. All the recipes were found on the internet and every single solitary one was a winner. If you are looking for a themed dinner party menu, look no further! Recipes links:

MENU

Rum and Coke

Stamp and Go

Shrimp with Chutney

Cuban Black Bean and Potato Soup

Jerk Chicken

Jamaican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Cooked Greens

Rice and Beans

Coconut Cake with Rum Cream

My midsummer garden is mainly sunflowers, hydrangeas and sedum--see my table arrangements above. The sedum will bloom in autumn but I love to pick them as green buds. The daisies and roses are still faithfully blooming, bless them. The last half of summer always hits me by surprise--somehow I think summer will last forever. But no, the days are getting shorter, the garden is beginning to poop out and the hydrangeas are starting to fade. In another month I'll start to notice real signs of autumn; I just can't believe it.

I never failed to walk by this huge sunflower without seeing at least two bees having a feast!

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Knitionary

August 01, 2016
27 Comments

Opa!

entertaining

Our summer gourmet group party had a Greek theme: OPA! Our hosts, Carole and Bill, borrowed the colors of the Greek flag to decorate the tables and bar which blended beautifully with their backdrop of white roses. There were 12 of us, and two tables of six were set up in the garden. We can rely that our California weather will be outdoor-perfect all summer long, and last night didn't disappoint; we barely needed a shawl at the end of the evening. I have to add, that while we expect perfect weather, we are very, very appreciative and grateful. California, you know I love you, but bring on the rain this winter! Please.

I'm confident that if you wanted to recreate this dinner party dish by dish, you'll have very happy guests! The soup was light and lemony, the moussaka was the best I've tasted, and the baklava (my contribution) was hands down the best baklava any of us had ever had. I'm glad I was able to make the baklava as I have friends who keep bees and give me honey whenever I ask!

We run our gourmet group (going on 30 plus years) this way: There are six couples and we take turns hosting. We try to meet 4 times a year, which is usually one dinner a season. The host couple chooses the theme and menu, selecting the recipes and keeping the main course for themselves. The recipes for the appetizers, first course, sides and dessert are given to the rest of us. We do most of the prep at home. Each couple brings a bottle of wine to compliment their recipe. Some hosts hire help to serve and clean, some don't.

If you've ever thought of getting a group together, you should. We have a lot of fun, eat really well, try new foods and cooking techniques, and over the years have never repeated a recipe. All 12 of us agree that this dinner party is always a highlight and NO ONE ever, ever misses it!

Menu

Dried Fig Souvlaki

Goat Cheese with Olives, Lemon and Thyme

with Crisp Rosemary Flatbread

Avgolemono Soup

Moussaka

Romaine Hearts with Lemon Vanaigrette & Shaved Parmesan

Spiced Fresh Orange and Honey Sorbet

Baklava

I love party favors! We were asked to take home the herb centerpieces and as many backyard lemons that we thought we could use. Nice!

August 09, 2015
2 Comments

pretty parties

entertaining

I'm looking back again, this time I'm gathering all my party posts from 2013. Last year had some memorable parties, table settings and menus. I always love to see how others entertain and think you must too, these party posts are often my most popular posts.

My husband and I like to fit entertaining into our schedules. Over the years we've come to realize that it does not need to be a big huge deal, just a few small touches can make a gathering of friends and family joyful and fun. I believe in stress-free parties, but alas, don't always succeed at that. But hey, we always have fun. The original post links are in the captions and in each post I try to give the menu and shopping links when possible. So here's to more fun in 2014! Skol!

I loved this table setting from My Elegant Yesterday last January.

I was able to use my antique medicine bottle collection for the table in Winter Dinner for 8.

Ellie retired, had a big birthday and went on a trip and her girlfriends threw her a party!

For our spring gourmet group we went to Margit and Freds.

I LOVED the table for Peep, our family Easter dinner.

A super quick menu for Make It Fast!

One of my favorite parties ever, Cavihour, and I must do it again!

Now we're in June and eating outside again, here is Summer Solstice.

We attend an elegant Wedding Anniversary Party and everything was p e r f e c t !

You Had Me At Bacon, such a FUN summer party. BLTs, that's all!

For our summer gourmet group we are at Bill and Carole's for bad girls book club eats again, and one of my prettiest posts.

Norma and Geoff host an outdoor "colorful evening".

Four beautiful tables, but all different, with Patty and Jack in Friday Night Lights.

In California, we never tire of outdoor parties. Here we celebrate Labor Day with Daisies to Dye For.

In the city for great food and a terrific view of the America's Cup Races.

Kayti and Morgan get married and the whole wedding party gets involved in Belle of the Ball.

A pretty but easy peasy After Concert Party.

I actually picked these roses in November so of course had to have a dinner party to celebrate!

Gathering Together, our small but lovely Thanksgiving dinner.

It was just a few weeks ago! Julebord, our Christmas gourmet group at our house.

Christmas Eve. It was a lovely night.

It was fun for me to look back on the wonderful evenings and the fun we've had. Before winter ends I'd like to have a soup party with soups on the stove and mugs nearby to serve yourself. We haven't done that one in years. So, we'll see, some ideas stay in my head and don't get executed. Anyway, I feel very blessed and hope you are inspired to make memories with loved ones and friends.

Before I go, some news from the knitting front: I'm closing in on finishing Jagger by Lisa Richardson in Angora Haze, and then will earnestly get back to the big cables in Homeland from the Pioneer book by Martin Storey.

Homeland


Jagger

I have the yarn the Kim Hargreave's Caris, above right (my BD gift from my girlfriends) and waiting for one more skein to arrive before I can finish Hearth, above left, for my granddaughter, also from the Pioneer book.

For Christmas I got the yarn for these two: Springsteen by Marie Wallin and Mystic by Kim Hargreaves. But think now I'm thinking I may have to put a few aside because the NEW spring/summer yarns are just about to burst onto the scene and I know I will be knitting at these 3, maybe 4 summer sweaters. I have been swatching away with some beautiful new silks and linens from Rowan and will be sharing very soon. Just wait until you see them, so stay tuned, because summer knitting is going to be very fun this year!

Linked to The Dedicated House
and Naps on the Porch.

January 06, 2014
11 Comments

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Opa!

pretty parties