Good friends, good food, good wine = good times.

Several of our friends have this year taken trips overseas, mainly France and Italy so we decided to organize a night where we could share our experiences.

Two of the couples, Dags and Denise, Bet and Nico went to Italy for the Giro (Tour of Italy) with a group of twelve, while Jenny who works for Loreal and her husband, Bob the Brickie have been to France. All have had time in Paris.
Initially we thought Bastille Day would be a good choice but trying to get four busy couples together is never an easy task.
We all discovered this Sunday night was free so off to the market on Saturday morning.
Now when Sue organizes a casual get together, it becomes a major production and an all out dinner party becomes, well let’s not go there (having said that, it’s worth being there).
I never mean it to be a production – I always start small and it grows, seemingly by itself.
I’ll let Sue explain the menu.
I decided that instead of a sit down formal type dinner, we would all just sit around the fire (But I have to light the fire and then clean up afterwards) and have nibbly finger food all night – with a Frenchish theme. Some people have indicated they are bringing a plate of nibbles and I am preparing –
Sweet corn and red capsicum soup shots
Little tarts of blue cheese and roasted cherry tomato
Smoked salmon crepes with crème fraiche and salmon roe
Roasted duck breast slices with a plum sauce in lettuce cups with
Pear, caramelized walnut and parmesan salad in lettuce cups
Prawns with aioli
Caramelized onion and brie tart
Seared scallops with honey and lime dressing served in Chinese spoons
Chocolate and raspberry cake with cream
Tomorrow I might decide to do spiced, baked chicken spare ribs as well – just in case there’s not enough food……oh be quiet Leon, you know you’ll eat them! Yum, yum........

The food, the company and the wine was superb. We finished off with a viewing of the different couple’s photos from various trips and although its only been a few short months since our return, we are already enthusiastic to plan our next adventure.
Where to next time – France of course, although Sue mentioned New York.......