My dear friends came to the blog party yesterday and it was great to see you. As ever, it turned out that there was a lot of food, but also that a remarkable amount was eaten. There’s a fair bit of ham left, but then it was a 17 lb (including bone) whole gammon, and I’ll finish the bit of salmon and eggs tonight.
The real hit of the day was Rose’s lovely bloke Lawrence and his coffee bar. It’s a splendid mobile one which he takes to all sorts of events – today, he’s in Norwich Cathedral Close for the Norwich 100 (mile) cycling race. I expect my son in law Phil has been one of his customers. He set it up in my porch (it’s actually a fairly sizeable room) and so was the first thing everyone saw when they arrived – I’d already had a major caffeine fix so moved on to wine, but I was the only one. Everyone else accepted coffee, a choice of teas or hot chocolate on arrival and he was kept busy, as was his glamorous assistant Rose, most of the day. It was immensely generous, hugely enjoyed and I can’t thank him enough.
The tortoises joined the party for a bit and two of the three proved incontinent as always, but fortunately my dress sponged clean…
Absent friends were talked about and missed, but next year was mentioned by several people, so let’s hope. I’m game if you are – assuming I haven’t sold up and moved by then, but I think that would be fairly remarkable. In any case, my next house, assuming I do leave here, has to be big enough for parties.
Darling Mig stayed overnight and did sterling work on Friday evening, Saturday morning and Sunday morning too, with the result that all preparations were done (the benefit of an entirely cold meal) by 12.15 and all the washing up has been done.
We were also so lucky with the weather – it rained on Friday and Sunday but was dry and mostly sunny on the day. Have to appreciate those weather pixies – mind you, I’ve lit the fire today. I don’t strictly need it, but I have spent a lot of the day relaxing and a log fire is so cheering. I’ve been reading, mostly, eating lemon syllabub and strawberries (well, I didn’t have either yesterday, nor any chocolate, so I’ve been making up for lost time there too).
Thanks for coming and being such fun.
I’m still on a caffeine high!
Lovely to see you and delighted you didn’t have to spend half the party in the kitchen – everything had just magically appeared and a delightful tasty spread it was too! Perhaps it was the weather pixies?
Thanks again – you are the hostess with the mostess!
I think I’m finally streamlining this -you may get the same menu forever! Although I think that I must make pie one year for Sir Bruin. My mother used to make the most fabulous pork and French raised pies, but it was so tricky that it was one of the few things I was never allowed to help with. Still, no reason why I shouldn’t practise on the family first.
Mmmmm….. Pie *drools*. Many thanks again for a great afternoon. it was great to see you (and everyone else) again.
The fifth annual blog party was the best one yet!
See y’all next year.
It was the 5th, wasn’t it?
Sounds as though you all had so much fun! Maybe next year DV.
Katie has a wonderful raised pie recipe which she adapted from one of Nigella’s, which contains many delicious things. It is not difficult, particularly for someone of your obvious culinary skills, and has been a success at a wide range of functions.
I have no doubt that she would be happy to share it with you.
My mother used a hot water pastry and had a special mould for the French raised pies – I’d love to replicate it and would be really pleased if Katie could help out. Haven’t managed a free day in London yet, I wIll look at what I have coming up and see if we can find a day.
Eventually I will make it to one of these!
I’d love it if you could, Alan – you are welcome to stay over, of course.
I think it was the fifth, Liz. I’m pretty sure, actually. I think it gets better every year – and it is lovely that you have made friends all round and see each other in the meantime (as do I, of course) as well as at the parties.
I am sure it was the fifth party , we worked out that we have been to three now and missed the first one and last year’s.
Many thanks for a great time, as usual didn’t have a chance to chat with everyone. The food was scrumptious, would it be unfair to mention the salmons, the eggs and the syllabub as extra special?
The iced coffee with vanilla was delicious, will be looking out for that again.
A big thank you to Zoe and everyone who helped her make this a very successful blog party.
It was such a lovely day! It seemed I never stopped talking, but still didn’t properly talk to anyone!
Love your blog parties so much!
What a lovely day y’all must have had! One year, I promise, we will show up with bottles of wine in hand! *cheers* xoxox
Yes, do come! Everyone would be so happy!
I love my blog parties too, you come with such a friendly spirit and it’s lovely. I appreciate you all very much.
I agree with Liz – it seems to get better each year, and it was pretty good to start with. (and we’ve been to all of them!!)
Thanks again Z, and so pleased that you’ve now got it down to such a fine art so that you are able to enjoy it too, rather than dash around.
I don’t think that anything will ever match the ‘entertainment’ at the blog party where Edweena first, well, erm, performed…
Although this year there was talk of Z’s prowess with a carving knife, as well as axes, guns, and near-decapitation.
Sorry if you were in the other room at the time 😉
Wonderful party as always darling Z. Thank you so much for conceiving of it in the first place, carrying it out and then continuing it and for putting up with me for extra nights. xxx