I wish I was more organised with my photography on Friday night instead of being concerned with the food and the drink and the weather and the music and the guests, but alas I wasn't - which is probably a good thing, because despite being the multitasker extraordinaire that I am, one of the juggling balls was sure to drop, and if it had to be one of them, then I guess I am glad that photographs of the occasion was the one. At least it didn't drop on my foot.
The task of hosting the Christmas Party for my work colleagues and their families fell to me a number of years ago, just after we had moved to town. I must have done an okay job, because I've been doing it ever since. Generally we hold the party on the back deck - near to the kitchen, barbeque and pool, but since this year the weather was forecast to be coolish (well too cold to contemplate swimming by anyone over 10), and the garden was looking nicer than usual because of the easing of the water restrictions, we decided on a Garden Party. "Best party ever!" was the guests' consensus, so I guess my idea was a good one!
Since I didn't think to photograph the food, because I was too busy cooking it, here's the menu:Appetisers
Spiced Nuts
Cream Cheese Dip with Sundried Tomato and Caper Jam Topping
Spinach and Cheese Dip
Entrée
Prawn Skewers with Garlic and Chilli Butter
Main Course
Beef Steaks with a Festive Ginger Balsamic Marinade
Jacket Potatoes with Sour Cream
Guacamole
Pumpkin and Walnut Gratin
Asparagus with a Hollandaise Dipping Sauce
Greek Salad
Dessert
Pavlova served with lashings of Whipped Cream, a pile of Fresh Raspberries and Raspberry Coulis
Afters
Homemade Shortbread, Mince Pies, Christmas Cake,
Dutch Ginger Shortbread and Fresh Cherries
Coffee and Tea
We listened to nice music, we drank fine champagne (or beers - this was an Aussie Barbeque, right!), we talked, and we laughed, and we had a ball.
And now I'm glad it is over for another year.
PS I need to boast, because I made all that food, and because everyone thought our garden looked good, and everyone had fun and wouldn't go home until the small hours, and that, after all, is one of the signs of a good party, when the guests won't leave at the end. Right?
Okay. Finished showing off now.Bye.
Phew! You cooked all of that?
ReplyDeleteThat is a banquet not a barbie!!!
No wonder no one wanted to go home, I would stay until all the tucker was exhausted, too.
Well, done Jeanne. No pressure on any of us now when we get to meet you :-)
Hi Jeanne...sounds like it was a good night!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Menu!
xxx
Hi Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteNow I feel VERY humble - next to you, my cooking skills are VERY amateurish. There is no way that I could cook all of the dishes that you did, much less at the one time.
Well done, girl - you did an excellent job, and I agree with Ruby, with food like that I'd stay until it was all gone.
Have a great week,
Blessings,
Jillian
That all sounds wonderful!! We had a christmas/housewarming here a couple of weekends ago and I was so busy with all the food, greeting etc that I didn't take any photos at all :-(
ReplyDeleteI pretty much asked my last guests to go home at 10pm because Bethany was refusing to sleep and it got to the point where I basically said ok that's it everyone can go now so I can get this baby into bed. No partying in the wee small hours here, unless it's the bbay partying in her cot LOL
next year, I am coming to your work party. Looks like lots of fun.
ReplyDeleteDrooling...
ReplyDelete