Festive food with friends

One of the really lovely things about singledom is when you receive an impromptu invitation to share a meal with friends. You can pull your head out of the fridge or pantry and stop wondering "What will I eat tonight?". Last night was one such occasion when a dear friend took the opportunity to cook a recipe she'd been waiting to 'roadtest'.

The rain stopped for long enough to dash from car door to front door Inside, the Christmas music was playing, candles were burning and wine was chilling. Then, cous cous with delicious toasted pistachios, coriander and fresh baby beets with succulent Moroccan Chicken followed by Berry Brulee. SO delicious and it tasted even better because it was prepared by someone else!

Can't wait for more experiences like this when the 'Come meet and Eat with Me' experience gets underway!

Oh, stumbled across this blog from the author of Cooking for One. It's American but makes for lovely reading. There's even a titbit of 'insider info' for those of you who have seen the film, 'Julie Julia'. Take a look.  Cooking for One..and other tales.

Christmas eats & treats

November already and the Christmas goodies in the shops are already gathering dust they've been there so long. However, the mind does turn to festive foods and treats - those things we could cook and eat all year round but keep for Chrissy because it makes them special. Panforte is one of my favourites and making my own filling for mince pies; I can almost hear the sleigh bells ringing as I write!

So, plans are progressing to get 'Come Meet & Eat with Me' up and running and word should be out soon about how to sign up your 'expressions of interest'. Keep checking in here for the latest.

Welcome!

If you are here, then the chances are we have something in common - good food and good company. As an 'empty-nester' I really miss the opportunity to cook for an appreciative mouth (not that my children were that appreciative when they lived at home, but, still..!). I have a terrific group of friends and we often invite each other around for impromptu meals which taste that much better for being shared. But maybe it's time to branch out.

The idea for this experiment came to me on a recent overseas trip. After two weeks of wonderful food and terrific company, I returned home wondering why the experience had to end. Whilst in London, I also stumbled across a quirky food show called 'Come Dine with Me' (which I've since learned is on pay TV here). Five strangers cook a three course meal for each other to win 1000 pounds. The meals seem to range from gorgeous gourmet to practically throw-away but everyone appears to have a good time and leave with plenty to talk about.

Now, I'm not competitive, and my mother always taught me "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." So, working on that premise, I'm proposing a social experiment which relies on good taste, good manners and good times mixed with a modicum of skill in the kitchen. Aimed at singles in their 50s and 60s, all participants would meet for a social function to break the ice and get the basic ground rules of the experiment. Then each participant will cook for their group a three course meal. There will only be the satisfaction of cooking and the thanks you recieve from your dinner guests as a reward, but hopefully, friends will be made and the experience will be a talking point for some time to come. This blog can be the focus for photos taken on the evening and accolades given to the various hosts. In the interest of kindness, we'll leave any criticism for a less public forum - after all, we all make mistakes!

Looking forward to 'Meeting & Eating' with many of you soon.