We have a lot of new followers since we threw our last big dinner party! I can’t wait to show you all what great fun was had through all nine courses. Read on to see what we did, why we did it, and how we did it!
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Holly and I have stressful jobs. We have stressful lives. And our tribe means everything to us. Sitting down and having a great dinner with the gals is better than any therapy session (And did I mention the great food?). Our tribe has committed to doing a dinner party once a quarter and it is an EPIC affair!
Since we pair up to throw these dinner parties, Holly and I spent a lot of time bouncing ideas off of each other. We needed a theme, and Holly came up with a great one. Our theme was “Simple”. Although our dinner was far from simple, as we did all recipes from Ottolenghi’s amazing cookbook entitled “Simple”, which is definitely one you should add to your collection!
Each dinner party consists of at least 8 courses. We have 10 gals in our group for a total of 100 dishes that we serve! Getting ready is a several day affair, and includes a spreadsheet, many notes and alarms and many Instacart orders (We are not affiliates of Instacart and have no skin in that game, other than to say, Instacart is the savior of the dinner party!) Just like blog recipes, we test everything ahead of time and decide how best to present each dish.
Last night, our appetizer, Charred Cherry Tomatoes on Cold Yogurt, was served on the deck with a Hugo Spritz. The gals noshed and talked while we finalized the rest of the dishes. After moving inside to my dining room, we settled in for the next 8 courses!
The courses were served with wine and sparkling water and ranged from “Grilled Grapes with Burrata” to “Harissa and Garlic Confit Roasted Potatoes”. The only meat containing dish at this dinner party was “Lamb Meatballs served with Rice with Pomegranate and Mint”. We stuck with fun preparations of many vegetables including eggplant and butternut squash, and were excited to see how well the mostly plant based menu went over in our group. (As always, since we were having a blast and busily trying to get food on the table, we took far fewer photos than we had planned.)
Although we like to host very elaborate dinner parties, we realize that this is not for everyone. A truly simple gathering can be just as perfect. Do you like to cook? Serve your favorite meal. Don’t like to cook? Order food from your favorite restaurant. Want to see what your friends can cook? Host a potluck! Strong communities are built from strong relationships. What better way to build stronger relationships than by gathering around the table? Get your dinner party on the calendar now!
And to our tribe, from the bottom of our hearts, we love you. Our dinners have gotten us through tough times, stressful times, and times when a night away from the chaos was truly life saving. May we never stop this tradition, and may we always laugh until we cry.
Looking for more on our dinner parties? Check out these previous posts:
Good Food Reads- A Moveable Feast-The Menu
Friday Five: Ideas for Building a Food Community
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OK you two can invite me anytime.
WONDERFUL menu, great table setting. Can’t imagine the work you put into this meal . Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did reading about i.
Thanks Joy! We had so much fun! 10 female ER docs are always a recipe for a great time! Miss you!
Wow!
I’m still having tastebud and good-time flashbacks from the book club you hosted. This event sounds even more delightful.
Outstanding offerings from two epicurean and fun ninja-masters!
Thanks Tom! Hope you are well!