A "Tweener" Luncheon

I love the "Tween" time --

Between Christmas and New Year's

And it's the best time to have company for lunch.

And I often do!

Gone is the stress of pre-Christmas

Gone, too, are the more obligations than you have days

Cards are done, presents are both wrapped and opened

And every cookie or candy has been baked or made and often eaten!

Our tree is still up

Our greens are still on the mantle

The centerpiece is still greens and pomegranates

in a blue and white bowl

And the old brass candlesticks are still on the table

A centerpiece of greens gets a good bit of use around Christmas!

Lace tablecloth

And the blue and white transfer ware

(Alas, the Christmas china is washed and put away Christmas Day)

And five guests for I prefer a table of no more than six!

Old Damask napkins in silver rings

(I love it's softness)

A menu echoing the centerpiece greens

And a gift package of fudge for each guest

Made especially for this party!

And the luncheon?

A deconstructed Caesar Salad

I love this salad and have made it frequently.

It's a great presentation and the flavor is superb!

You might also call it a Caesar "Wedge"!

A creamy pasta dish with sausage and spinach and cheese and tomatoes

Served with a Parmesan roll

Dessert has to be Christmasy!

A chocolate fruit cake

"frosted" with ganache and garnished with maraschino ferries and orange leaves

Not a real fruit cake but a chocolate cake with fruit and nuts in it!

It's good and people who don't like fruitcake adore this cake!

This is always a favorite party of the year --

this last party of the year!

The dishes are washed and put away,

the napkins laundered and ironed

The greens are still in the blue bowl on the dining room table

And there they'll stay until we "undecorated" the house come Saturday!

It's Thursday and my first post of 2014 is about 2013!    I'm joining Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish and Susan at Between Naps On the Porch for Tablescape Thursday