Mike started off by saying “I want everyone at my 50th who will attend my funeral”….. then it swinged around to supper for 4 couples and it ended off with “Let’s cook for 50 for Mike’s 50th” in his backyard. From the start I knew that this would be one of those “lets go all out” planning and fun filled events, with me assisting my blog partner in cooking for her husbands 50th…..
The menu was decided upon by Shannon, the “file” was prepped by myself with moodboards, shopping lists, table plans ect….
We started cooking after work on Friday afternoon, the menu was planned around a semi-cold lunch… just so much easier if you can prepare everything in advance, especially if you cook for 50, at home…
Friday late afternoon, lets start cooking…
Shannon and Evelyn started cooking at 4 in the afternoon, I phoned and asked them to ask “the fairies” to please start chopping the red onions for me ….
I arrived at Shannon’s house with Evie “my fairy” busy with the first item on my “to do” list…
We opened a bottle of bubbles……
The Menu
Salmon mousse cups with cheese straws
Mediteranian skewers drizzled with a red wine vinegar reduction
Fillet with salsa verde
Coronation chicken salad
Roasted balsamic beetroot and red onions
Cakestands packed with beautiful caprese basil and pesto tomatoes
Green beans with rosa tomatoes
Luke warm baby potatoes with pesto and parmesan
Wooden dessert boards overflowing with chocolate brownies, strawberries, turkish delight, nougat and shotglasses with lemon mousse…
Wooden cheese boards filled with Brie, Gorgonzola and cheddar blocks, biscuits, grapes, firm ripe red figs and almonds…
AND a small coffee table with plunger coffee and “Ouma Babsie’s Caramel biscuits”…..
So, lets start cooking….
Stefan (4Every Event) and Shannon setting up the tent in front of the Garage….
4 Every Event, the ALL YOU NEED for any event company…. located in Grabouw…. and supplying all over the Western Cape, we are soooo lucky having Stefan and Nadia close to us, with their stores filled with anything from bedouin tents to cutlery and stunnnning decor items, and Nadia, always there to give you that very inspiring idea to make any party a big stylish success….
The tables specially designed by “the birthday boy” …
The seating plan was carefully planned by the birthday boy, with a little help by myself in the form of a table plan and names, there’s just no other way to do this and get a good “visual” of who needs to sit where, so VERY important for the flow of the day…
The Birthday Boy…. and the seating plan…
We’ve decided for a set the table without tablecloths, to use lovely paper placemats, potted succulents and white roses…. with some odds and ends from 4 Every Event and our kitchen cupboards….
Evelyn, busy with another “job for the fairies” I just don’t have the patience….tie knots for the boys and bows for the girls
The tables, seating 25 each….
After a very long Friday evening it was time to go home, an early start tomorrow morning, and I told Shannon that I’ve arranged the weather, little did I know that I will meet a REAL Meteorologist at the party, all the way from Denmark, (some of you might know that I am a bit of a WEATER person…) who could have given me an insiders report on THE VALLEY FARM’S weather ……
Hanlie Green 