Disclaimer, I didn’t party all night.  It just sounded cooler to say that.  On Saturday I held my second big summer dinner party.  A day of cooking, stressing, more cooking, boardgames and lots and lots of eating.  On Sunday it was my friend’s daughter’s 4th birthday party.  Lots of fun blowing up balloons and eating cake.  A fantastic weekend partying indeed. 

Saturday starts nice and early.  By early, I of course mean 10am.  I dashed to the supermarket, because I had forgotten to buy a key ingredient for my main dish.  The full menu is as follows:

Starter – Tuna Ceviche with home made guacamole

Second Course – Quail scotch eggs and devilled quail eggs

Main Course – Lamb rack with a mustard and pistachio crust

Desert – Croquembouche with spun sugar

Just a peek at some of things I'm doing today 🙂 pic.twitter.com/vw5UjfjYwu — Harriet Sugarcookie (@HSugarCookie) September 3, 2016

Here is a picture of my lamb racks, all cut up and ready to be eaten. 

The lamb was very, very popular!!  pic.twitter.com/4AXAxiwt8l — Harriet Sugarcookie (@HSugarCookie) September 3, 2016

I was very ambitious to try and make a croquembouche for dessert.  The idea is to have a stunning centre piece that looks visually delightful.  The croquembouche is certainly beautiful, but a lot more challenging than I had given it credit for.  The choux pastry part was fine, I’ve made choux pastry before.  The spun sugar on the other hand makes a complete mess of the kitchen, my dress and pretty much everything it touches.  The final product was worth it all though.  I use macroons and sugar stars to decorate, but you can use anything. 

The chef at work ?  pic.twitter.com/pr9qNr0twM — Harriet Sugarcookie (@HSugarCookie) September 3, 2016

I wanted to keep you updated but things got crazy busy in the kitchen.  Here is the centre piece of the party though!  pic.twitter.com/kpQX5WaWRI — Harriet Sugarcookie (@HSugarCookie) September 3, 2016

Of course I also have boardgames to play.  My friends and I are wild like that.  We had a very exciting round of Articulate, a game I’ve played on cam a few times.  My team won, because I’m good with my mouth.  We then finished the evening up with some Cards Against Humans, which always makes me feel better because I realise I’m not the most dirty minded in the group. 

Sunday morning I managed to get a lie in.  After spending almost 5 hours straight cooking the day before, I was pretty knackered.  There’s no rest for the wicked though.  My friend’s daughter was having her 4th birthday party, which of course means mini sausages and dinosaur cut ham sandwiches. 

Today I have been busy making a party for a 4 year old…!  Very busy weekend pic.twitter.com/UR0vaAPV1P — Harriet Sugarcookie (@HSugarCookie) September 4, 2016

The party was a fantastic success, although I spent more time building dens with the children than drinking prosecco with the adults.  The party games include “pin the cape on the superhero” and for the cake, something special for the budding geek.  Serve it with rainbow jelly for extra magical properties.  Oh and I was dressed as a bat.  Literal bat girl. 

Can you ask for a better weekend?  Seeing close friends, playing dress up, eating cake.  Can life get any better?  There are changes I will make for next time, for instance, make scotch eggs the night before.  Maybe I will try and make a pinata for next time as well.  I’m looking forward to next year now, and I’m already planning the dishes I will make!