I quickly volunteered for holiday family get togethers until my siblings enjoyed larger homes. Cooking was my hobby and table settings my art form. A group of four couples started a gourmet cooking club that lasted ten years. The host would pick the theme and would assign courses (and a few times, would assign recipes) Each course with an accompanying adult beverage.
Mr. Ralph was Prez of a small firm and would always prefer to host visitors and new employees at our home. Most other countries entertain at restaurants so we were flattering them by opening our home. I still have international friends because of this!
Gone are the days when I would make the pralines for a homemade cheesecake. Now I’m in my “semi homemade” style. There was a Food Network show with Sandra Lee with this title. She would use fresh ingredients with selected store bought items and her flair for decorating the table. Sometimes all you have to do is put fresh herbs on things and it just brings the whole meal up a notch.
Through the years ....
The cooking club.
You sound like my best friend since kindergarten. She had six sets of dishes and every time we went shopping together she had to go the china department and would find something new for her tables. She loved entertaining and I absolutely was terrified to try.
ReplyDeleteAnd my Sister is still at it. Although she is lucky enough to hire helpers to help chop and cook ... then serve and do dishes. I've hosted a few 8 or less friends over to the Clubhouse .. but now even that is too much to haul everything over, cook, enjoy then haul everything back!
DeleteI had two sets of Christmas dishes, one set of black, one set of white, my Mom's china, Dansk blue and yellow, Corelle (instead of paper plates as they are so lightweight), Italian pasta bowls with a huge serving bowl. China is in storage and Corelle is our every day dishes.
Thanks for reading!