We had a lovely birthday party here at Dove Canyon Cottage this past Sunday to celebrate (a little after the fact) our July birthdays - both mine and my dad's. As usual, I got carried away a bit with the details and woking hard to make everything just so. I am a fussy entertainer, but I really love doing it. Nothing is better than bringing the people you love into your home and showing them a good time.
Here is my appetizer spread
I paired some fun flavors together on this tray - lovely crackers, creamy gouda cheese (oh so good), a nice thick fresh marmelade, Rainier cherries, and the most decadent dark chocolate squares. I love pairing sweet jams with cheese and crackers. My very favorite is fig jam - it is hard to find sometimes, but well worth the hunt. We do carry it at Williams-Sonoma, but it is a fast seller! This marmelade did work nicely though - and I just love the little jar.
I had to share the beautiful red wine sangria. This is really a crowd pleaser - I have shared the recipe before and truly recommend it. I think you will become a fan. Isn't it just gorgeous?
Freshly cut lemons make such a pretty splash of color in your ice water, don't they? Tossing in a few basil sprigs is also a fun way to dress up your water for guests.
We also made homemade pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, and coleslaw from scratch. We tried a new recipe and it turned out awesome! I think everyone really liked it. 
Speaking of babies, here is our baby Nick - romping and enjoying the summer sun in the back yard. I think this was right before he stripped down to a swim diaper and played in the water with Uncle Tim.
All in all, we had a lovely day.
I paired some fun flavors together on this tray - lovely crackers, creamy gouda cheese (oh so good), a nice thick fresh marmelade, Rainier cherries, and the most decadent dark chocolate squares. I love pairing sweet jams with cheese and crackers. My very favorite is fig jam - it is hard to find sometimes, but well worth the hunt. We do carry it at Williams-Sonoma, but it is a fast seller! This marmelade did work nicely though - and I just love the little jar.
I had to share the beautiful red wine sangria. This is really a crowd pleaser - I have shared the recipe before and truly recommend it. I think you will become a fan. Isn't it just gorgeous?
Freshly cut lemons make such a pretty splash of color in your ice water, don't they? Tossing in a few basil sprigs is also a fun way to dress up your water for guests.
We also made homemade pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, and coleslaw from scratch. We tried a new recipe and it turned out awesome! I think everyone really liked it.For dessert, my mom brought over this beautiful (and amazingly delicious) lemon marscapone cake. I don't think anyone shared a piece because it was so good you just had to have your own. The cake is from Olive Garden (shocking, huh) but honestly, I would recommend it for large gatherings or if you need a quick birthday cake and don't just want the usual buttercream frosting deal. It serves 12.
Also, I had to share the adorable candles my mom brought over. It just goes to show you no matter how old I get, I am still my mom's baby. It made me feel so spoiled.
Speaking of babies, here is our baby Nick - romping and enjoying the summer sun in the back yard. I think this was right before he stripped down to a swim diaper and played in the water with Uncle Tim.
All in all, we had a lovely day.Happy Wednesday to all of my dear friends.
3 comments:
Looked like a wonderful party!!
That cheesecake looks heavenly!
Happy Birthday to the July people!!
Rosemary
It was so lovely. You are an amazing hostess. I learn something new from you every time we come over! Oh and I found fig jam ... am waiting to try it with gouda and crackers.
I am currently obsessed with marmalade! What a gorgeous party! Everything you do is amazing. Happy birthday!
Post a Comment