Garden Party 2012 Appetizers

 Appetizers were at our home this year.  We decided to celebrate our prolific fig tree.  I found a beautiful tablecloth featuring figs at Williams Sonoma in January, then I kept my eyes open for ideas and small touches for our table.  Small purple plates and chargers amped up dishes that I already owned.

Each year I  incorporate a cooking technique that I haven't tried before, this year I canned jam for favors.

The fig jam and peach jam sealed.  I added a piece of silver stamped with each guest's name for their place setting.

Dahlias, fresh figs, foxgloves and black berries were used on the table.   Since there was a grey band on the tablecloth I incorporated silver on the water and cocktail glasses and the jar lids and bands on the jam. 

 In June I planted the patio pots, keeping in mind Garden Dinner 2012, using fig and peach jam colored plants.

 Each year I like to get a picture of our guests, it's so fun to get the party started because the work is finished and all that is left is to enjoy!  We have so much fun preparing, planning, keeping secrets and then it's here and we get to share with our dear friends.

 The gourg`eres didn't photograph very well but they were pretty in real life.  A gourg`ere is a savory puff pastry.  We used mango chutney with ham and dried cherries and golden raisins in the filling.  The Asian meatballs were made with ground veal and pork sausage, with a hoisin and blackberry jam glaze.  The tartlets with puff pastry had Brie and fig jam.   I also made some using peach jam.  Later I'll post the recipe for Zwiebelkucken, it's a German onion cake recipe, I got this dish idea from our librarian, Chris.

 The quinoa salad was refreshing served with the sake chicken skewers.

 Our finish, the bramble berry jelly was made with black berry brandy and grape gelatin on the top, for the clear layer it was gelatin with gin that had been marinated with lemon juice and lemon hulls.

 Behind the scenes, we used flowers, mint and basil for garnish.  Hubby squeezed 32 fresh limes for the basil gimlets.  We shopped, gathered,  taste tested, sipped and critiqued, chopped, diced, squeezed, mixed, baked, boiled, baked and enjoyed every step.  I learned new techniques.  We worked frantically until the minute our guest arrived and then we relax and enjoy good food and good friends.

Main course at the farm coming up next.

Getting Around

 I have been on shuttles, buses, light rail and ships this week.  Oh, and in the car.  Now, home and gearing up for Garden Party 2012 on Saturday evening.  Go Tami!  I'll share more pictures later, now, I need to get cooking for Garden Party.

Preserving Peaches

On our way home from George, WA we stopped at the Thorpe fruit stand.  It's a regular stop for us.  It's produce, Washington state products and two floors of antiques.  We bought two large boxes of peaches.  I've been peeling, slicing and freezing on a cookie sheet ever since we got home.  I sprinkle a tiny bit of Fruit Fresh to prevent browning.  After they're frozen I break them up and put them in gallon size freezer bags.  I use them all winter for breakfast and for pies.  They taste fresh all winter and are such a treat.  I've also been working another project, it's top secret until next week.  Uncharted territory for me!

The Little House

 While we were in George, Washington for the family reunion we stayed at 78 in The Little House .  One part of the farm is on the other side of the highway and it is referred to as 78.  I didn't know why the family called it 78 and I assumed there were 78 acres.  Nope, it is because it is weir #78 in the block, part of the Columbia Basin Bureau of Reclamation Project.  The Little House  is on 78.

Hubby and I walked around the farm on the ditch bank in the mornings(trying to get a little exercise before another day with the ice cream machine) and he taught me a lot of things that I had no clue about.

I learned about ditch riders, ditch banks, weirs, circles, corners and coyote runs.

The farm behind The Little House  was planted with sunflowers.  I love how they all "look" to the sun.

 The grapes on the patio were not quite ripe, pretty small yet.

My father-in-law purchased The Little House  from someone in Soap Lake. It was built by the government for workers to live in while they were building the Grand Coulee Dam.  He moved it to George and the rest is history.  It is always referred to as The Little House , so I guess that it's name. 

The Little House  is little but it was just right for Hubby and I and Kassie.  I brought some camping chairs, a table, beds, linens, the keurig and a corkscrew.  Really, what else would we need?  The farm rents out The Little House  but it just happened to be between renters so we moved in for the weekend.  It is hard to believe that his folks lived there with four children!  They built a new house and moved to the home place when Hubby was three years old. 

Some of the aunts and cousins came over on Saturday for a home tour.  They all have good memories of when Grandpa and Grandma R. would come up from California and spend the summers in The Little House .  It was fun to hear the stories.  It's a little place with big history!

Reunion Almond Berry Dessert

Besides those super rich brownies, I made an almond creamy fruit dessert for the reunion.  I got the recipe from Karen.  It's been in our church newsletter as we have a family with four girls in our church that used this recipe instead of wedding cake at three of their four weddings.  They serve it on cake stands and put one on each table for self service.  It makes for a pretty centerpiece too.

I made this dessert because Hubby's family comes from Ripon, California, almond country.  They had an almond farm in the family at one time.  So, to honor the past I went for something almond.  I say "allmond", they say "aahhhmond", anyway you pronounce it, they ate it.

*I made 1 1/2 of the bar recipe for two 9 inch pans- perfect!

ALMOND BARS
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup melted marg.
4 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp almond extract
1 pinch of salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds (for bars only, please do not use for the wedding cakes)
Grease a 9x13 pan or a 9 inch round for the wedding or for a round pan.

Combine all ingredients except almonds.

Pour into pan.  Sprinkle with sugar and almonds for bars only.  Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes.  I had to bake mine much longer to get them done, Karen said that she did too.

*For wedding cakes use a 9 inch round cake pan.  Do not use dark cake pans.  They tend to bake the cake too dark and taste a bit dry.  Each recipe makes 4 cups of batter.  Use 3 cups of batter for 1- 9 inch round pan, so 1 1/2 the recipe for two cakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting/Filling
1-16 oz. package of cream cheese- I always use low fat.
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
(1 tsp. vanilla optional)
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and heavy cream on high for 1 to 2 min. until medium  soft peaks form.  Do not over beat.
*I made the filling at home and then put it in a ziploc bag in the cooler for the trip.  On Saturday I frosted the cakes with the cream filling.

I brought berries from Lynden, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.  I gently washed them and let them drain on paper towels.  Then arranged them on the cakes.  I love berry recipes.  Aahmond recipes too!

More Reunion Fun

On Saturday evening one of the reunion traditions is to have a pinata for the kids.  Shelby is one of the youngest and was checking it out before it got broken for the candy.  At this point I'm not sure she really understands what is going to happen.

After it was smashed open and the mad dash for candy was on, Shelby was underneath the rush raking it in. She used her arms instead of her hands and cleaned up.

Her mama didn't know if to be embarrassed or proud of her survival skills.  Shelby got a bag for her loot and wore it like a super hero cape.  Super hero, indeed!

Her sis, Schyler did well too.

On Saturday Eric put it together that I was Max's Mom.  This can be dicey for me as I never know if that is going to be a good thing.  It was good, apparently Eric loves Max.  Eric told me I looked nothing like Max and asked if I knew that Max may be on vacation on Sunday?  And did I know that if Max was on vacation that him and Eric were going to go swimming, to play foosball, jump in the bounce house and other stuff?  I told Eric that Max might want to spend a little time with his girlfriend, Kassie.  Eric said she could go with them too.

Uhmm buddy, I think you MAY get to go with Kassie and Max.  And yes, he went everywhere with them.

 One of the best things at the reunion is the soft ice cream machine.  One year Karen mentioned to her husband that it would be nice to have an ice cream machine at the reunion, the next day Mike found one in the classified ads for a super price, he bought it and the rest is history.

We transition from breakfast to ice cream, coffee time to ice cream, lunch to ice cream etc., for three days.

Max is enjoying a bowl of ice cream and you can still see the pancake griddles are still out from breakfast.

 Charlie is making a cone, but there are dishes, toppings for sundaes, root beer for floats, it's vanilla and sometimes chocolate.  It's crazy addicting!  Every family should have an ice cream machine.

There are so many great kids at the reunion.  I loved crafting with the girls, visiting with the boys, and just watching them have a good time.  Later I'll share another reunion recipe and more photos.