Garden Party Potluck

Sunday 11 August

When we built our garage about eight years ago, we asked our friend the architect Kevin Spector to design it so we could have parties in and around it.  So he very cleverly gave it a covered side patio, accessible by French doors, looking out over the garden, and put fans in the ceiling of both porch and garage, so we could have breeze in both and space inside for laying out a buffet. 

After that, though, we had our Canadian interval, so we haven't had a chance to use our party garage fully until now.  We invited about 50 people and about 30 came, which is pretty good in August. 

It was a potluck, so we did the protein, kale chips, a salad, provided beer, wine, lemonade, and our own multifarous pickles, and let everyone else bring what they liked and come when they wanted. 

Holt made an excellent roast pork tonnato the night before, the pork slow-roasted at 450º for 10 minutes and then 250º for around 40 minutes, and removed when it reached 130º, when it rested and went into the downstairs fridge. 

He also cut open a watermelon decoratively, and filled it with its own innards, feta, mint, and black olives, copying Dave's delicious salad.

As guests arrived and departed, we got lots of chips and salsas, and healthy crudités with tasty dill dip; various delicious tomato, watermelon, green bean, and cucumber salads; moscato and prosecco; and coffee cake, chocolate pecan patties, strawberries and cream, peanut butter chocolate squares, and peach cobbler.  

Ed our neighbor picked a giant basketful of assorted peppers from his garden, which were distributed among the celebrants, and our own garden kale went out to various joyous tables. 

We started around noon, ended around nine, and had a frabjous time.