Dinner parties are about people and food. Last Saturday we had a sit down dinner for 19 people (including Regee and me). Here we all are--save for one couple who had left just before we thought to take a photo.
And here is one large ham--Filipino style--that was served.
Quite apart from people and food, it is also interesting to see what goes into preparing for a dinner party. So, click on “Read more” below to see Regee’s dinner planning schedule--and then some more photos of people and food!
Phew!! She prepared and cooked for five days right up until 6.50PM on Saturday night when she hurtled up the stairs to shower and change from Chef to Hostess. I don’t know where she gets the energy.
Here are a few photos of the prepping stage:
OK. You get the general idea. Now back to the dinner guests.
Not everyone can sit around one table so we had one group around the dining table and then two more groups at two smaller tables in the Kitchen/Family Room.
And here is one large ham--Filipino style--that was served.
Quite apart from people and food, it is also interesting to see what goes into preparing for a dinner party. So, click on “Read more” below to see Regee’s dinner planning schedule--and then some more photos of people and food!
Regee is never content to have just a couple of dishes. She wants there to be lots of choices but that requires an enormous amount of planning, shopping, furniture moving and cooking that starts almost five days ahead of the dinner party.
Have a look at her plan of attack below. It runs backwards from the Saturday of the dinner party to the preceding Monday.
NOV. 14 BUFFET DINNER – TIMETABLE
Saturday, Nov. 14
Morning: Roast shrimp for appetizer; keep at room temp
Slice ham; refrigerate covered; place warm in warmer before service
Slice heirloom tomatoes, cover; wash basil leaves
Cover large baking sheet with foil, for salmon
Prep Brussels sprouts & refrigerate
Wash berries; refrigerate
Noon: Prep Hasselback Potatoes
Blanch & shock green beans
Cook mushroom base for green beans
Prep and bake Pumpkin Tart
Afternoon: Assemble shrimp/beet appetizer on spoons; cover till service on serving tray
Place extra coconut sauce in a small bowl/teaspoon; cover till service
Serving tray for peppers, olives & Marcona almonds
Cheese Board; crackers and grapes; cheese knives
Cook cream sauce for green beans; mix with green beans in baking dish
Early evening: Oven: 1st - Green Beans [15 minutes]
2nd - Potatoes [1 1/2 hours] – still to be decided if I’m making this
3rd - Salmon [10-15 minutes]
4th – Chocolate Souffle (15 minutes before service) [might not make this!]
Bake salmon 10 minutes before eating; make sure oven is pre-heated.
Friday, Nov. 13
Morning: Make Waldorf Chicken Salad; refrigerate in serving bowl, covered
Afternoon: Wash and cut lettuce for shrimp/beet appetizer; store
Peel and slice beets; refrigerate
Make Harvest Rice Stuffing; refrigerate
Bake Carrot Cupcakes; with frosting
Evening: Thaw Salmon & Shrimp (Slice salmon; peel shrimp)
Make coconut sauce for shrimp appetizer/refrigerate
Make Pumpkin Tart Shell/freeze
Thursday, Nov. 12
Morning: Bake beets, then refrigerate unopened
Make cranberry sauce; put out serving bowl and teaspoon & refrigerate
Afternoon: Set up the 3 dining tables & chairs [tablecloths; china; cutlery; napkins; flowers; S&P shakers]
Evening: Thaw pork sausage
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Cook another batch of Shanghai Braised Beef; refrigerate
Make Pork Belly Adobo
Boil Ham/refrigerate/glaze and bake on Saturday am
Tuesday, Nov. 10
Make Sans Rival/freeze
Make Coconut Leche Flan/refrigerate
Set up drinks table [need big tablecloth]; Set up small table for coffee/tea [sugar & creamer; teas]
Monday, Nov. 9
Napkins; tablecloths; candles; serving dishes & bowls & spoons for condiments; salt&pepper shakers
Food labels/Serving bowls/spoons for berries & ice cream
Initial grocery run – non-perishables
Here are a few photos of the prepping stage:
Prepping the salmon dish
Shelling and laying out the shrimp for cooking
Cutting beets for the Shrimp/Beet appetizer
Assembling the final product--only the coconut basil sauce
needs to be added when the guests arrive
Pork belly adobo going through the production line
OK. You get the general idea. Now back to the dinner guests.
Not everyone can sit around one table so we had one group around the dining table and then two more groups at two smaller tables in the Kitchen/Family Room.
L to R: Bob, Jamaliah, Andrea, Tatyana, Regee,
Nikolai, Jerry, Lyndsey and Anamaria
L to R: Regee, Luzma, Des, Jenaro and Nick
L to R: Matthew, Sarah, Herbert, Paul and Nico
Chef Regee, Andrea and Regee’s nephew, Nico
My good friend and fishing partner, Nikolai
And last but definitely least, is the Sous Chef, Furniture Mover, Last Minute Shopping Guy, Guest Greeter, Coat Closet Attendant (no tips, please), Barman, Barista and Washer-up-in-Chief.......
Both the photos of Nikolai and me were taken by Tatyana
Next up: THANKSGIVING!!
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