Category: Entertaining

Entertaining

Lover’s Holiday

Sarah James-Wallace

495A8F81-F561-4F33-B4FB-EF75280A3E92I received a Valentine’s Day card in the post at boarding school when I was sixteen. I still remember the thrill of seeing the envelope waiting for me on the letter stand as I walked back across the road to the boarding house to collect my lunch and check for mail (both things keenly anticipated). I didn’t know who it was from and I still don’t – I love the mystery in that! I wonder if I’ll ever find out who was my very secret admirer?

Although some may be cynical about a day that’s set aside to celebrate love, I enjoy the whole concept and relish the celebrations.  For a bit of fun and to include the kids in the celebrations (my husband and I usually go out to dinner), I’ve started an annual tradition of a Valentine’s Day breakfast for all of us. (Last year’s event is here). It’s usually a brief affair before we dash off to school and work. The menu is the same each year – croissants and jam and juice – all special treats! I pull out my special glasses, china and some pretty napkins, pick some flowers from the garden, light some candles and throw on a pretty tablecloth (in this case a length of Monet inspired fabric from Spotlight).

B4FD1140-4330-49E3-9BB6-BFD0B9FAB54ETo make it even more special I like to include a small treat   at each child’s place setting. There are lots of American websites with some amazing printables for Valentine’s Day. The one I used above is from The House That Lars Built.   An otherwise ordinary day made special! What about you – do you like to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

 

 

Entertaining

Five ways to make an everyday meal special

Sarah James-Wallace

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Yesterday  was that special day that many of us love to hate, although I suspect deep down there lingers in most of us at least a little appreciation for it, as who could not like a day that celebrates LOVE! I do like to celebrate Valentine’s Day (and am glad that my husband does too) and I usually include my kids in the celebration in some kind of low key way.

Here are five tips for making an everyday meal special (such as breakfast on Valentine’s Day – pictured above) :

  • Find a tablecloth, or a length of fabric, a sheet or a sari, anything really will do to dress your table (the lace tablecloth above was handed down from my grandmother and always reminds me of all the wonderful meals she cooked). Also use some table napkins. I usually keep a few packets in my cupboard for special occasions , although you can also use vintage handkerchiefs or cloth ones. They always look very festive fanned out in glasses on the table;
  • Light a candle – this really adds to the atmosphere and kids especially get a kick out of dining by candlelight. Put on some music. It’s easy to find themed music or a playlist to set the scene for your meal.
  • Find some props to put on the table. Flowers or arrangements of foliage from your garden are always lovely, but you could also add shells, driftwood, ornaments or a tiny present at each place setting (like the tiny heart soaps and chocolates used here);
  • Use your special glasses, crockery and cutlery – don’t let them sit in the cupboard gathering dust.
  • Buy some treat food, that you don’t have every day. This breakfast was special (and easy) as we had croissants and juice.

Dawn love is silver, Wait for the west: Old love is gold love – Old love is best.

Katharine Lee Bates 1859-1929

 

 

Entertaining

Dîner en Blanc

Sarah James-Wallace

During the school holidays we were shopping in Pavement when some white dresses on the sale rack caught my husband, Murray’s eye. Harriet and Portia were excited to try them on and they looked stunning! Murray decided to buy them, but the next question was where to wear them? We didn’t have any special occasions coming up, so we decided to create one!

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The girls (with their cute cousin, Jude), wearing their new dresses which inspired the dinner

A few years ago I had been excited to read about the concept of Dîner en Blanc, which began in Paris in 1988. Francois Pasquier started the idea when he invited a group of friends to an outdoor dinner, asking them to all wear white, so they could easily recognise each other. The phenomenon has now spread to over seventy cities (including Perth) with more than 100,000 annual guests. The tradition involves guests dressing in head-to-toe white and bringing their own gourmet meals, tables, white chairs, table linen and tableware to a location kept secret until the last minute.

I would love to attend an official Dîner en Blanc one day, but logistics mean that this will most likely be sometime in the future. In the meantime we decided to put together our own version with a few more relaxed rules! We had the dinner in our outdoor lounge area complete with festoon lights bought especially for the occasion. The lights certainly added to the festive atmosphere and there may have been a few shenanigans at the table, such as phantom comic reading by the kids and tree house climbing in the boring bits!

The meal started with a prosciutto and papaya salad (papaya and prosciutto drizzled with olive oil, red wine vinegar, orange juice and topped with basil leaves) and then moved onto spring lamb with peas, feta and pine nuts, accompanied by haaselback roast potatoes. For dessert we had blackberry jelly with honey ice cream.  This was a huge hit!

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For drinks, I served a pomegranate grapefruit paloma from one of my favourite cooking sites, Smitten Kitchen. The kids had the same drink, except of course without the tequila!

This event was easy to plan and because I kept the menu simple, easy to prepare. Hopefully you feel inspired to plan your own Dîner en Blanc one day!

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Even the very naughty and cheeky puppy Popcorn got to attend the dinner briefly!