EATING DRINKING SHARING
Love is an activity. There’s magic in gathering people around a table, food becomes more than nourishment, it becomes the best of gifts.
I hosted a summer lunch for 13 women bringing them together to share our mutual love of good food in a beautiful space, my mums home.
In this post, I’ll share highlights from the lunch, what my guests thought, what made me nervous and the recipe for the Hummus. Plus a few thoughtful tips to make your guests happy.
But first, read this:
I’ve been thinking about an Instagram post by Brian Lee for Righteouseats
He posted highlights in his feed from “Food Tourism is Dead but Something More Interesting is Emerging,” and it perfectly captures how I’ve been feeling lately, wanting to experiment and craving the juxtaposition that sparks something entirely new, more so in fashion for me, than cooking (I’m a beginner I need to follow a recipe exactly) but I love that he’s able to articulate how I feel.
“The world’s next great cuisines isn’t hidden in some undiscovered corner of the globe. It’s being created right now, in the spaces where cultures, traditions, and technologies mingle. That’s where the real food adventure begins.”
I can feel this shift, too. When people come together and bring their own unique point of view and experiences, there’s a kind of magic in it. I can see it in action when James collaborates with other people that match his vibration and passion for food and hospo. There’s a spark, a buzz and that’s an exciting energy to witness and be a part of.
Speaking of collaboration & unexpected connections listen to this, I only heard it the first time this week, why am i so late to the party?
Thoughtful gestures for special guests
Last week's Summer Menu was all about my favourite flavours and the unique needs of my guests, like Felis, who told me afterward that she’ll never forget how generous it felt to have an entirely gluten-free meal that wasn’t made into a big deal. A reminder that sometimes it’s the quiet, thoughtful gestures that leave the deepest impact.
How to get over yourself - worrying no one will show up to your party
It’s so easy to worry that no one will turn up and you’ll be left sitting there alone. But here’s the thing, if someone invited me to a party, I’d be over the moon!
“cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all”
Piet Van Home
Marina likened the invitation to winning a golden ticket. She admitted she was a bit nervous about not knowing anyone but said: “At this point in my life, post-Covid and with young kids, getting out of the house for a meal with a group of women ticks all the happy boxes for me.”
We all feel a little nervous and that’s ok, just don’t let it get in your way.
Carla said so beautifully, “I too felt thrilled to be honoured and had so much fun 🤩 at both. My only regret being late. Have met some beautiful women and reacquainted myself with others whom I seem to have known in another lifetime! I loved the moat of rich tomato sauce that swaddled the capsicums. Marina and I were playing ‘guess the ingredients’ … so richly layered and deliciously complex”. This makes my heart sing.
And my ocean swimming friend Suzy believed my writing was worth paying for and kindly pledged a subscription. My heart is full. Thanks to these women who make me feel good and encourage me to keep going.
Simple ways to share love, warmth & create a sense of belonging:
Suggest a Carpool - If two guests live near each other, let them know - it’s a great way to share the ride and arrive together.
Greet your guests with a drink in hand, and when introducing them, include a little bio to spark conversation. Eg “This is Carla, a local foodie and journo who’s late today because she got the days mixed up!” (Yes, that actually happened.) So this leads me to the next tip….
Send a reminder a few days before is a good idea. Create a WhatsApp group & post a hand written menu, that will get everyone talking.
Tell your guests to ‘help themselves’ to any drinks in the fridge - have some interesting alcohol free drinks try Darke's Cider - we love their top selling Little Blue Apple Cider. My favourite go to is Capi Spicy Ginger Beer this has just the right amount of spice and punch of Ginger, both served in a glass over ice, sprig of mint & cheek of lime - delicious and refreshing.
Ask for help - pipe the cream on the dessert plates, grab a chair, open the bottle, pass a glass. People love getting involved and asking for help makes everyone feel included.
Serve Platters - Skip the single serves, food is meant for sharing and portion control should not exist. Generous & abundant, the more the merrier. Someone will always eat the leftovers.
Don’t stress about everything being perfect, keep it chill. Squeeze in extra stools around the table, throw some cushions on the verandah steps for people to sit on that’s ok too.
Play some beats, Leni was our DJ for the day, she changed up the tunes as we went along. Take your guests on a journey, throw in some bangers & shake it up. Here’s my Saturday Summer Lunch playlist, though we didn’t need it, but go on make your own.
So, if you’ve been thinking about hosting - just do it!
If the idea of a lunch feels a little overwhelming, what about……
Apertivo Hour anyone?
Drinks and nibblies are always a great idea. Would you like me to share an Aperitivo Hour Menu next week? Think simple & delicious bites and pre-batched cocktails, like a Coconut Margarita with a chilli & coconut salt rim - pre-made and ready to pour so your guests can stir themselves. (Sure, it’s not culinarily perfect (shaken, not stirred) but it still sounds pretty good to me.
But first the Hommus recipe
Original recipe by Karen Martini with some tweaks by James. I doubled the recipe, I wouldn’t recommend it, we were eating it all week.
Hummus with Spiced Chickpeas & Honeyed Yoghurt
Ingredients:
For the Hummus:
200 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
180 g tahini
2 garlic clove, crushed
100 ml cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
salt flakes
Ice-cold water, as needed (about 150 ml)
For the Spiced Chickpeas:
1 x 400 g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed thoroughly & drained again
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp all spice
sea salt & freshly ground pepper
For the Honeyed Yoghurt:
100g natural yoghurt
1 tbsp honey
1/2 lemon juice
Method:
Cook the Dried Chickpeas:
Rinse the dried chickpeas, place them in a large bowl, and cover with water. Add the bicarbonate of soda and let them soak overnight.
The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Cook them in a large pot of water for about 1–1.5 hours, until tender. Drain and let them cool. (we added to the water a bay leaf, half an onion, a carrot, some celery for flavour. Vegetables make a world of difference.
Make the Hummus:
Place the cooked chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and sea salt into a food processor. Blend until smooth.
With the processor running, gradually add ice-cold water until the hummus reaches your desired consistency. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Prepare the Spiced Chickpeas:
Add the drained canned chickpeas into a bowl and toss in olive oil, cook in the air fryer until they’re golden and crispy, about 10-15 minutes.
Sprinkle with cumin, allspice, sea salt & pepper and toss to coat. Set aside.
Make the Honeyed Yoghurt:
In a small bowl, whisk together the natural yoghurt, honey, and lemon juice until smooth.
Serve:
Spoon the hummus onto a platter. Top with the spiced chickpeas, drizzle with honeyed yoghurt, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Enjoy:
Serve with warm pita or crudités - carrot, celery, cucumber, beans (blanched in boiling water - I like them crunchy not soft) & red radish.
Make a quick Rosemary Salt for the pantry
Make Rosemary Salt. Just cut rosemary from a friends garden, strip to stems and add a whole bulb of garlic to the blender and blitx, followed by 15 minutes in a low pre-heated oven, turn the oven off and let it cool, blitz again and you have Rosemary Salt - excellent for hot chips, lamb……everything.
1 cup picked rosemary, 1 whole bulb garlic & 3 cups good salt - we recommend Maldon or Murray River Sea Salt. This makes enough for your house and a friend. Keep in the pantry.
It’s Apertivo Hour
Batching Coconut Margarita’s for our favourite neighbours and their friends for Christmas.
“It was so easy and much less intimidating than trying to make them myself on the spot from scratch. I made them for everyone. Having them pre-batched meant everyone had one in their hot little hand at the same time and quickly”. Lorna
