Food + Friends = Feast

It's been a while since the last time I invited some ancient friends, some recent friends, and some whom I didn't know, for a get-together. I don't remember exactly when that was, but I do remember it was very hot. So this time I wanted to have it in May. It's a good month in many ways. First, the winter weather should have been gone. Second, the heat wave shouldn't have arrived. And third, the yard should be in the state of the best looking - dead leaves cleaned up, new crop of flowers, herbs & tomatoes planted, and thank goodness the weeds are not quite yet taking over - oh how I wished each year I could keep this up for the rest of summer!

The month of May is a tricky one though, because there are not many weekends without plans or obligations. The 2nd weekend is reserved for the Mother's Day. The 4th weekend is already the Memorial Day Weekend; the first official summer getaway! So I announced well in advance that people should pencil in the 3rd Saturday for this party. The total of 27 people came between 6pm and 11pm.

The miracle of miracles; rain held up. From the morning it was foggy & cloudy, with chance of thunder shower all afternoon & evening. So I was begging 'someone upstairs', please no rain between 5 and 12. I even made some Teru-Teru-Bozu, the little paper doll you make when you want to fend off the rainy weather. And it worked! Literally ten minutes after the last guest left, I heard the rain coming down. Amazing.

The menu:
Meatball Sliders (2 of my friends who don't eat meat, ate them. I take that as the highest form of compliments)
Shrimp Cocktail [cocktail sauce, lemon wedges]
Falafel [tahini sauce]
Sauteed Spinach & Ramps
Bell Peppers in Balsamic Vinegar
Asaparagus, Baby Carrots, Broccoli [garlicky cheese dip, roasted pepper dip]
Black-eyed Peas in Basil Vinaigrette
Pasta with Roasted Asparagus & Mushrooms
Olives, Pickled Ramps
Rainbow Fruit Salad
Apple-Cranberry Cake
Brownies
Grapes, Mini Clementines

Maybe I want to make this an annual event...? It was so great to see everyone at once! And I didn't have to travel 'home': I guess that's the best part of throwing a party at home...

Ku Cake