jwaneeta

Happy birthday, sadbhyl! All the best to you in the coming year, and much success!

Whee, I threw a successful party! At last! People actually came to it, and ate lots of food, and mingled happily. Some were new neighbors, and some were older friends, and there was laughing and lively conversation, and they liked my house. I'm so happy.

There was, uh, a traumatic party a couple of years ago -- I ran out of some key food, I forget what, and one guest was overcome by allergies and had to leave, and a chair broke under another. I shiver at the bare memory.

But! In the intervening period, I've read magazines. I've watched my poised party-throwing friends operate. I've sought out gurus. And I took a blood oath never, ever, to run out of food.

In this case, Indian food. Hills of it. Hills of Indian food was the theme of the party, really.

Kofta (cilantro laden beef kebabs)
Curried cauliflower
Spicy cabbage
Lentils seasoned with fried spices
Saffron rice
Spiced yogurt
Tomato lime salad
Raita
Mango chutney

Raita is a delicately sweetened yogurt with grapes and pecans, and unnh. I rec it heartily. I wanted an alternative for people who, like me, can't eat much from the standard holiday dessert table. I made that, too, though -- glazed cranberry and bannana breads, a bowl of chocolates, etc.

And it was eaten! I beam. And there were leftovers, which means I didn't screw up! I beam foolishly.

(My friend D came over the night before, saint that she is, and helped me chop and prepare what could be chopped and prepared early. *sniff* That's a buddy, I tell ya. That's a pal.)

Oddly, hardly anyone drank wine. The Sam Adams Holiday Sampler case was a smash, but opening four bottles of wine for starters was way optimistic. Sent one home and the others are wearing stoppers. And their sisters are sitting on my enclosed but unheated porch, which serves very nicely as a second refridgerator.

Interesting: D (party guru) advised me prior that she'd noticed a downward trend in wine drinking at parties. I wonder why? In future: Sam Adams and Mr. Guiness, in whatever foofy variations the market offers.

Anyway: happy. Bless you, India!

Binky, that-not-really-mine cat, astonished the neighbors in attendance by allowing the child guests to lug him around/install him in a cat fort erected in the kid's party room. I gather Binky made a local rep as no one to mess with, the big faker.

I spent yesterday cooking, so todays's all about the job catchup. And tomorrow, and tomorrow. Hope everyone's hectic schedule is fruitful, merry and bright.