Guests for Dinner

We love having guests for dinner.

And last year we were lax at having people over.

Often, we just met friends at a restaurant . . .

But it's not nearly as much fun

as having people over!

Two of my favorite parts of dinner parties are:

The dinner table after every one has gone and before we've

hauled the dishes to the kitchen.

And

The table in all it's finery

just before

the guests arrive.

Everything is perfect

The house smells of cooking food

We've showered, cleaned up and dressed in company togs.

And we've got the anticipation of the party yet to come.

A dinner party we had a couple of weeks ago.

For two other couples

For me, the perfect number of guests.

All can contribute to the conversation

(which with a table of eight, you often have two fours)

And not so many dishes 

(and glasses)

that the host and hostess

(mainly the hostess)

have to deal with.

And I've learned, to have a simpler meal

Appetizers in the parlor with a cocktail or wine,

A first course

(often a salad)

A main course

Rigatoni with Gino Stipo's bolognese sauce

(the best bolognese sauce I've ever made)

And coffee served with dessert

A lemon yogurt cake

With wee glasses of a liqueur to finish up the meal.

Good company, good food, a good evening.

It's Thursday and I'm joining Susan at Between Naps On the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.