…a Rotating Dinner Party….
Sharing a meal with family and friends is one of my favourite things to do! My husband and I are part of a group of five couples who have been friends since university days (and a few of them are friends from high school). Through all the changes life brings, the core of this group has remained friends for over 40 years. Many years ago, this group set up regular dinner parties every few months where one couple hosts, and the others bring contributions to the dinner. The hosting couple provides the main meal and the other couples bring either, appetizers, salad, soup or dessert. Since everyone is focusing only on one dish, each course is usually a gastronomic event, and there is always tons of food…and, of course, laughter.
At the last dinner party, my husband and I signed up to bring salad. One of my favourite salads to make is Caesar salad with dressing made from scratch. The recipe I use is one that I received from one of my aunts many, many years ago. It is yummy and always gets tons of compliments from everyone. And, unlike my two previous posts, this is a time for bacon! I can eat tons of this salad at one sitting! What I love about it is the freshness of the ingredients and how they combine together. It is simple to make because there is not a lot of chopping and you can make the dressing the day before, or the morning before you need it. Romaine lettuce, cooked bacon, croutons and dressing are all you need. Sometimes I make my own bread croutons and I love when I have time to do that! If not, I purchase a good quality crouton with no additives and simple ingredients. I don’t flavour the croutons very much because the Caesar dressing has all the flavour you need. 
Another option for croutons is to make chickpea croutons. This is a great substitution if you have diners that need a gluten-free option. I first tasted chickpea croutons a few years ago in a Caesar salad at a local restaurant and was surprised at how they crumbled just like a bread crouton.
I’ve made a few attempts to make my own and they are getting better, but I still need to experiment and refine the recipe. My niece, A, who I’ve written about on this blog, sent me a few ideas to try, so you may see this recipe posted in a future entry once it’s perfected!
Try out this delicious Caesar recipe, you won’t be disappointed! Everyone at our dinner party enjoyed it very much. As I mentioned, these dinner parties are full of great food and because the dates are set once a year a few months apart, they are a great way to ensure that the group gets connected regularly. Everyone enjoys the parties very much. Although hosting a dinner party for 10 might seem onerous, this one is definitely manageable because the hosts only need to focus on the main dish, and all the other courses are provided by the other couples.
It’s always fun to see what people make and the food is always delicious. Our hosts for this dinner were C and G. They are wonderful hosts and enjoy cooking and eating very much. If you’ve read some of my previous posts, you’ll know that I’ve asked some of my friends and family to let me know if they have a favourite cookbook and why they like it. Our host, G, provided this information about his favourite cookbook, Just Add Shoyu – A Culinary Journey of Japanese Canadian Cooking: “This hardcover cookbook takes me home to cooking my mother and grandmother made. Food for the eyes, our body and soul. The true umami taste of food is in every recipe. There are beautiful colour photos on every recipe. This book was written by members of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre”.
Please feel free to leave a reply to share your ideas on stress free group get togethers or your favourite cookbook. Try out the Caesar recipe! Happy cooking and be well!
Every Day Home Gourmet 