Golden Years Dinner

it’s been a busy week.  Yesterday I did a casual nanny job where the little baby is breastfed and doesn’t take a bottle so I needed to stay within cooee of the mother who was attending a course and exam at a medical centre.  Such a cutie!  But a bit unsettled as I was unfamiliar and so was the environment, plus she was teething.  But all good, it all worked out and everyone was still happy at the end of the day.

Tonight I’m in charge of a desset bar with a hawaiian theme, for approx 20 people.  So not a huge quantity, just needing options. So I’ve made mango/pistachio friands, lemon curd cream cheese parfaits, individual key lime pies, bought mini meringue nests for cream & kiwi & pineapple and now I’m wondering if I should go out and get fresh melons & strawberries to make fruit kebabs- just for the colour on the table as well as a healthy option.  I’ve also got green frond leaves (fake, sorry), maybe my moth orchid (white) and 3 wooden tree slices to decorate with.  I’ve got 3 paper rounds of pineapple & frond pattern leaves and a small bag of large tissue confetti circles in the same pretty blue/green colour to go with the patterned papers.  Anyway I’ll try to remember to get a photo of the finished table before it gets devoured!

Unfortunately the mango I had wasn’t a lovely bright orange, but a pale yellow instead.  Never mind- I’ll dust them with icing sugar.  I liked the recipe which used ground pistachios instead of almond meal, something different, and a nice colour too.  I made them gluten free by substituting rice flour for the plain flour- I haven’t tasted one, but they look ok.  I buttered the tin very well, and I’m not sorry- they weren’t easy to get out even so.

I also made another one of the raspberry franjapani tarts- for ecclesial lunch tomorrow.

that will also look better once dusted with icing sugar!  Don’t you just love Saturdays!