Welcome to my third entry for Project Food Blog on Foodbuzz.com. The challenge this round is “Luxury Dinner Party.” The prompt encouraged us to celebrate with a dinner party for friends and family (at least four guests), whether you’re an experienced host or a novice. Share your hosting secrets and create a luxurious experience. I ran into a small snag, but the show went on. How did I do? I’ll let you judge…
“…[Weed] out what you yourself like best to do, so that you can live most agreeably in a world full of an increasing number of disagreeable surprises.”
~MFK Fisher
While planning our elegant dinner, everyone came down with the flu.
There was no reason to let an unpleasant surprise like the flu prevent us from making the evening as pleasant as possible. Our original plans were altered, but the family agreed to continue when I promised not to include any photos of runny noses or watery eyes. Luxury is a state of mind, and we intended to keep it that way.
*Would you attend a dinner hosted by someone who looked and sounded as though you might find her lung in your soup? Exactly.
We honored the rules of the competition. Invitations were sent, and the children all R.S.V.P.’d.
We pulled on our softest pajama pants, adjusted our coziest socks, smoothed our hair, and generally made ourselves presentable so we could enjoy a Flu-Fighting Feast of the First Degree.
Our first course, of course, was soup. We enjoyed a velvety chicken soup with light-as-air dumplings made from my grandmother’s “Never-Fail Dumplings” recipe. There’s a comforting belief that homemade chicken soup and Grandma’s dumplings help you recover faster, and it certainly seemed like lungs were clearing as the evening progressed.
Next came our hot drinks course. We embraced the season with steaming apple cider sweetened with a spoonful of dulce de leche and topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream. The warmth soothed throats and eased chills. While whipped cream may not cure the flu, it certainly lifted spirits.
For tea lovers, we served spicy, hot chai lattes. Finished with a cap of frothed milk and a cinnamon stick, they quickly warmed both parents and children. That comforting cup felt like a luxury on its own.
We retired to the den for dessert: Vanilla Scottish Shortbread, enjoyed with lots of cuddles and a shared ibuprofen.
All told, a luxuriously good time was had by everyone.
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If you find yourself hosting a Flu-Fighting Feast, try these simple tips to make the evening cozy and special:
- Place cushy pillows on every seat for comfort.
- Drape a blanket over the back of each chair so guests can wrap up when the chills hit.
- Use place cards with names written clearly in case fever muddles memory.
- Above all, be willing to abandon the formal plan and cuddle on the couch with a movie if everyone needs to rest.
For a printer-friendly, photo-free version of these recipes, see the recipe source on my blog.
Chai Lattes
Recipe adapted from the Stash Tea Company
Ingredients:
- 10 standard chai teabags (I prefer Stash)
- 7 cups cool fresh water
- 1 cup whole milk, plus extra for frothing
- 1/4–1/2 cup sugar, to taste
- Optional: whole cinnamon sticks for garnish
Combine water, milk, and sugar in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Add the teabags and bring the mixture to a boil, partially covered. Remove the cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the teabags and pour the chai into a teapot or a jar for storage in the refrigerator.
To froth milk, use a handheld frother or blend at least 1/4 cup of milk until fluffy. Heat the frothed milk in a microwave-safe container, uncovered, for 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on your microwave; watch carefully to prevent boiling over.
To serve, fill a mug two-thirds full with hot chai and spoon the frothed milk over it until the mug is nearly full. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and use it to gently stir the drink.
Hot Caramel Apple Cider
Ingredients per serving:
- 6 ounces (3/4 cup) fresh apple cider
- 1 tablespoon dulce de leche or caramel sauce
- Heavy whipped cream, to taste
Warm the apple cider in a saucepan or microwave until steaming. Stir in a generous tablespoon of dulce de leche or caramel sauce until fully incorporated. Top with whipped cream just before serving for a rich, comforting drink.
Thank you for reading—this is my third entry in Project Food Blog at Foodbuzz.com. If you enjoyed the recipes and the story, I’d be grateful for your support when voting opens. I’ll post an update when voting begins. Thank you for helping me get this far and for your continued encouragement!
Pssst… If I advance to the next challenge, I’ll need to create a photo tutorial. Which would you prefer: Scottish Shortbread, homemade chicken soup and dumplings, or something else? I’d love your input.