The Horizontal Hostess

Dinner with the Girls... (and 6 children)

2009-02-15T13:20:00.014+10:00

Last night it was Valentine's Day. And I could have had a romantic dinner with candlelight, roses and sweet-nothings. But I would much rather share a Saturday night with my 2 gorgeous girl-friends and their various off-spring.

The fact that that there were no offers of romance is incidental. Even if there had been, I would still have chosen dinner with my fabulous friends and 6 children. No, really. I would.

I don't get to sit down with my girlfriends nearly enough, so it is vitally important that we have quality chat time.

No exaggeration! The importance of conversation (catch-up, information sharing, the revealing of secrets, general chit-chat and giving of advice) cannot be underestimated.

So, it is always my goal to get out of the kitchen when the crowd descends, and get myself thoroughly involved with what is being shared.

Determined to have that 'quality friend time' (ie. "quality time spent with friends", as well as "time spent with quality friends"). I put together a menu of old favourites - all made well in advance.

Lamb stew - prepped in the morning, and left simmering in the slow cooker for 6 hours. Have to love the slow cooker.

Roast vegetable and rocket salad - prepped in the morning, and tossed together with the dressing at the last minuteCriss-cross potatoes - a baked potato variation, that is prepped an hour or so before the guests arrive.

Home-made pizzas for the children - easy-peasy, made ahead, into the oven just before arrival time.

And home-made, smooth-as-velvet, totally-wicked, chocolate ice-cream. More about this tomorrow. (note to self: do NOT finish all the ice-cream, must leave some to photograph. Must leave in freezer. Do not be tempted!

To make it even easier for everyone (that is, easier for me), I set everything up as a buffet, and let the beasts loose.

The roast vege and rocket salad is always a hit. It has substance, tastes great, looks impressive, and is 99% made ahead.

300-350g peeled butternut pumpkin
300-350g peeled sweet potato
250g zucchini
2 red onions peeled and cut into wedges
1 Tbsp olive oil
Ground black pepper
Sea Salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
50g rocket leaves
1/3 cup balsamic dressing of some sort

Chop the pumpkin, potato, onion and zucchini into large bite size pieces. Too small, and they tend to burn.

Lay all the chunks in a baking tray. Smother with olive oil. Add a generous amount of black pepper and salt, and toss about with your hands, to ensure every piece is well coated.

Ooppps, forgot the zucchini. Let's try that again....

Right, that looks better.

Roast in a 180-200 degree oven for about 30-35 mins.

I know I sound a bit vague on this, but I've come to learn that every oven is different. Mine seems to be hot... if a recipe says 200 degrees, then I opt for 180. You know your oven, and what works best for you.

And if you aren't on intimate terms with your major kitchen appliances yet, then just keep an eye on the proceedings. Don't presume that the temperature and time in a recipe will be perfect for you. I've learnt this the hard way.

When you remove the veges from the oven, turn it off, and pop in the pine-nuts on a baking tray. The heat from the oven will toast them nicely. Do not forget they are there. Do not leave them for longer than about 3-4mins. I did. And I had to re-do the nuts.

In fact I had to replace the pine nuts with slivered almonds, because I mutilated the pine nuts, and I didn't have any more. The slivered almonds still went well with the salad... so it wasn't a major calamity. I mean I've had worse disasters in the kitchen. This was nothing!

Put aside the nuts. Put aside the veges in a large serving bowl. Leave them on the bench, or chill in the fridge.

A little bit before you are ready to serve, add the rocket leaves and nuts to the roast vegetables. Add the dressing. Toss about a little. Done.

This salad is best at room temperature, so you can leave covered on the bench until it's time to eat.

This salad is also good the next day. I love left-overs! The rocket will wilt a bit, but it still tastes pretty darn good.

The way to romance

2009-02-13T13:36:00.007+10:00

Tomorrow is Valentine's. And it's impossible to miss... even when it bears absolutely no relevance to me. No flowers for me this year, no surprise packages, and no romantic dinners. Instead I am hosting a small gathering - a completely un-romantic get-together of 3 women and 6 children!

Between my 2 dearest friends and myself we have one husband on contract in Iraq, one husband working in Hong Kong, and one no-longer-a-husband. And 6 children.

But if I was planning a romantic dinner then I would focus on the key elements:

ambience - soft light, candles and music
dressing up - you just feel more romantic when you get out of the daggy tracky pants
easy menu - so you stay at the table with your partner, and not sweating in the kitchen
bubbles - because... they're perfect

These images were part of a photo shoot I did last year. This is not me. But it is my dress. It doesn't look this good on me.

Oh my aching sweet tooth !

2009-02-10T10:13:00.007+10:00

I am on an eternal quest for the perfect Horizontal Hostess arrangement - that utopia of entertaining with: evocative ambiance; attractive, delicious, abundant food; conversation and laughs bubbling amongst fabulous people; and the hostess (me) in the midst of the proceedings with nothing more to do than pour the bubbles from time to time.

I have come to recognise that the buffet set-up is a very good option when trying to attain this ideal. And here is one gorgeous buffet (courtesy of Amy Atlas Events).

So, ok, this was put together for a kids party (can you just imagine the sugar rush), and doesn't cover many food groups. But it is just sooo enticing. And I don't even have a sweet tooth... give me salty chips, crunchy crackers, dips, pate and cheese any day. Still, there is something about this buffet that makes me feel like a kid again, and makes me want to dive in and grab a handful.

Goes to show that some flair in presentation goes a long way in creating interest, theme, and mood.

Here are some other divine dessert buffets from Amy Atlas... this time for grown-ups.

I adore this last one... it would be hard to feel 'piggy' when the goodies are presented so beautifully. Who knew cupcakes and chocolate could be so sophisticated.

I think I may have to plan a dessert buffet for one of my own gatherings.

A disaster that puts everything into perspective

2009-02-09T12:06:00.005+10:00

Stories are now being told of the utter horror that has unfolded in Victoria.

I hug my children tight, as I hear of mothers and fathers trying desperately - and hopelessly - to escape.

The loss of life, the loss of homes, and the helplessness of having everything you own destroyed. It gives me such clear perspective on the tiny little problems - hiccups really - that arise daily in our lives.

It's an addiction

2009-02-09T11:04:00.003+10:00

My name is Jo Dixon... and I am addicted to magazines.

Here is just some of my stash. (Please don't pay too much attention to the raw floorboards... a result of ripping up the carpet in a frenzy one morning, and not having decided what to replace it with).

I justify my habit.

Most of my monthly investments (please note: "investment" - not spending, splurging, or frivolous purchasing), are utterly necessary of course. Lifestyle, interiors, home, cooking... I need to be informed on all of this for my website.

Investing in local and international titles ensures that I have a broad base to draw inspiration from.

Of course, I do recognise that I have a little problem. I get excited with every new glossy cover. I know when most titles are due to hit the stand. And have been known to buy the same magazine twice... when I can't remember if I already have a title, usually because I haven't had time to read the original purchase.

But it could be worse. My addiction doesn't stop me from fitting into my favourite jeans, it doesn't kill my brain cells (I like to think I'm exercising the grey matter just a little), and what I read, and see, so often inspires me to do, and be, more.

So, I will not feel guilty.

But, I must decide how long to keep my back issues... I'm running out of space!!

This little guy will help hold back the onslaught of glossy pages.

After the Yolk

2009-02-05T13:45:00.008+10:00

Last year - way, way, back in January of 2008, I resolved not to make any resolutions (utter waste of time). Instead, I was to adopt a 'rule' for the year. A mantra, of sorts, that would shape new habits (thus making me a much better person!). I banned any grand statements that started with "I shalt...", and aimed for a subtle change that would be long-lasting (the irony of my mantra being a resolution by another name, was not lost on me!).

So, scrawled on the kitchen blackboard - prominently displayed for me to see every day - were the words:

Spend less

Waste less

Do more

My blackboard scrawl is in-decipherable to most, but I knew what was there.

And it worked.

I saw those words everyday, and over time it became it did become a habit to check prices, question the necessity of more 'things', think before ditching stuff, and get off my butt.

Of course, the encouragement to "spend less" came from tallying up the credit cards ("how much ?????.... how did that happen???!!!!"). But the "waste less" felt pretty damn good, and "do more" made me feel virtuous.

Now, to get to the point... after spending the last few days making ice cream and other yolk-requiring desserts, I had a fridge full of egg-whites. What's a girl to do? "Waste less" remember, so it was off to make a 'pav' of course.

(I considered trying my hand at Angel cake, but the recipe called for 20 whites... 20! Sheesh!).

I've never succeeded at pavlovas. Or meringues. And my first attempt today was hideous. Brown instead of white, all crunch no marshmallow, and sort of dissolved into a sticky mess in the mouth. (No, I'm not going to show a picture, it's just too embarrassing).

Right. Obviously the oven was way, way to hot.

So, I found another recipe. This time for mini pavlovas, cooked in small springform tins, and tried again.

Mini springform tins are fabulous for creating small desserts. There is something impressive about serving up individual cheesecake or pavlova, dressed to kill with fruit, cream or such-like. It looks like you have gone to so much effort, and yet it requires no more of you, than a single large one.

For this recipe you will need 6 of them, lined on the bottom with circles of baking paper.

For these pavlovas I did use the mixer. Lovely, luscious, thick, satiny beaten egg-whites. The only way you will get me to eat raw egg whites!!

This is 6 egg-whites, beaten until the 'stiff peak' stage, then 1 1/4 cup of caster sugar, 1 tbsp cornflour, and 1 tbsp white vinegar, gradually added. Beat until the sugar is dissolved, then stop.

The mixture is spooned into the tins, leaving a little space at the top.

The recipe required the pavs to go into a 200 degree oven for 5 minutes, then reducing the temp. to 100 degrees, and baking for another 45 minutes.

As you can see my tops went a bit brown doing this (and I only had the oven at 180). Then I had to open the door of the oven to help it cool down quickly.

It seems to me the trickiest part with cooking pavlovas and meringues, is figuring out - by trial and error unfortunately - the best cooking conditions for your oven.

Next time I will set the oven at 120 degrees and cook at that temp for about 45mins.

On a positive note... my little pavlovas did have good squishy marshmallow, and topped with whipped cream, fresh blueberries and passionfruit, they were very yum. Not too big - as you can see they were only about 3cm high - and that delicious contrast of crunchy top and marshmallow body.

I will cook these again... and even feel confident to add them to a dinner party menu. They are definitely HH, since they can be made a day ahead and kept in an air-tight container... without the cream, obviously.

2009-02-04T11:50:00.003+10:00

Our love affair with ice-cream starts young ! My nephew demonstrating the appropriate method for enjoying a cone.

These teeny-tiny cones are so cute... perfect for little fingers, and for big people who are determined to show restraint.

Frozen Foray #2... Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

2009-02-03T13:56:00.009+10:00

Ice Cream.

Cream. Milk. Egg yolks. Sugar. Flavour. So simple.

So simple... especially if you have an ice cream maker. Because, ice cream needs to be churned. It must be moved about during the freezing process to prevent ice crystals forming. Ice crystals maketh the ice cream crunchy - which is not ideal.

Ice cream should be smooth, creamy and not too hard. (It should also be spoon fed to me by a divine male, while I recline, resplendent on a chaise before a perfect sunset, while the waves whisper on the edge of my tropical island.... ).

Commercial ice cream has extra stuff added to keep everything soft and smooth. Stuff that we don't have access to... so churn we must. And then we need to eat our ice cream immediately or move it from freezer to fridge about 30-40 mins before serving to allow it to soften up.

Home-made ice cream straight from the freezer is rock hard. Which can be a good thing. Especially if you are tempted to dive into the freezer, spoon in hand, for a quick nibble on a hot afternoon. Be warned, your grazing will be thwarted, and frustration may ensue.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, then you will need to give the ice cream a quick beating as it starts to freeze, then toss it back into the freezer. Ideally you will have the patience to do this 2 or 3 times. Which means that one should not whip up a batch of ice cream last thing at night - I will get out of bed in the middle of the night for crying children, whimpering dogs, smoke alarms, and burglars. But I will not get up just to beat the ice cream.

Having said all that, home-made ice cream is soooo worthwhile. Try this vanilla bean version - it makes ordinary ol' store-bought-vanilla seem boring. Impress your dinner guests with a simple, yet sophisticated dessert. Serve with fresh summer fruits, a berry coulis, or a decadent chocolate sauce.

1 vanilla bean

1 cup milk

300ml thickened cream

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup caster sugar

Making ice cream this way is a bit like making a custard from scratch. And it's not nearly as tricky as it might seem.

The steps are:

1. make the custard (quick and easy, takes only about 10 mins)
2. chill
3. freeze
4. beat the half-frozen ice cream, and re-freeze
5. repeat step 4

So to begin... cut open the vanilla bean lenthways, scrape out the seeds, and toss the pod and seeds into a saucepan with the milk and cream.

Bring to the boil... this won't take long, so keep and eye on it. Turn the heat down low.

While waiting for the milk, beat (or whisk if you feel like giving your arms a work-out) the yolks and sugar until creamy.

After the milk has boiled slowly pour the egg mixture into the saucepan while giving it all a good whisk.

Stir over a low heat. The mixture will thicken slightly.

Remove the pods - or even better strain through a sieve - as you pour into a bowl. Cover the surface with cling wrap (which prevents a skin forming on the surface), an chill in the fridge for about an hour or so.

At this point, those with a passion for small appliances can pour the custard-like mix into the bowl of the ice-cream maker, and set to churn as per the instructions and recommendations. (You do still have the instruction book, right?!). The aim is to churn the mixure, while it freezes, and when it is about the consistency of soft-serve ice cream, transfer to a container and pop it into the freezer.

For those who like to do things the old-fashioned way, pour the chilled custard mix into a shallow metal container (think loaf tin or similar) and leave in the freezer until it is getting hard around the edges (about 1 -2 hours). Then transfer from the tin into a mixing bowl, give the ice cream a bit of a beating with a hand-held beater, transfer back into the tin, smooth down, replace foil, and return to freezer.

And you will repeat this step 2 or 3 more times.

The biggest problem with this process? The quantity of ice cream seems to shrink with every beating. Hmmm... perhaps it has something to do with my need to taste as I create. And lick the beaters. Have another taste just to make sure all is going well. Then return to freezer.

Not Up to Scratch

2009-02-02T12:38:00.004+10:00

Over the last few days I have put to the test a - rather scrummy sounding - banana and custard ice-cream.

Banana. Custard (from a carton). Whipped Cream. Lime juice. Great combination.

On paper.

Yes, it was easy to make... throw it all together and freeze, and don't worry about churning. But, sad to say, the end result was something that tasted like.... well, like, mouthfuls of frozen whipped cream, with a hint of custard and banana. And it was icey - rather than creamy and smooth.

Under my powers as ultimate arbitrator of all recipes contained here-in, I have deemed the recipe not worth passing on.

On well, win some, loose some. And in my pursuit of the perfect recipes for Horizontal Hostess entertaining, I will put the apron back on, and return myself to the kitchen.

On to the next test...

And, as to the question that lingers - no, I didn't eat it. The offending frozen article is still taking up space in the freezer. I hate to waste food, and can't bring myself to throw it out. In fact, the reason I chose this particular recipe was to use up some ripe bananas that my little darlings had turned their nose up at (I can't eat a brown banana, mummy, it has to be yellow!). I should have made banana cake instead.

Ok. Maybe the bananas were a little too brown.

Frozen Foray #1... Semifreddo

2009-01-29T12:08:00.020+10:00

Yippee for summer... the days are hot, the nights are warm, and dessert should come straight from the freezer.

If it's just me, on my lonesome, needing a sweet fix after dinner, then a mini Magnum will do the trick. Or not.

Ok, sometimes one little chocolate-covered-ice-cream-on-a-stick, is NOT enough... and I might splurge on two (but they're only mini size, right, so it's not really bad. Well, not really, really bad.)

Anyway, sometimes when there is grown-up company sharing the table - and it's not just me sprawled in front of the TV - I want the same impact (cold, sweet, gooey) with a little more style.

Semifreddo. Gelato. Ice Cream. Granita. Sorbet. Take your pick!

And the best thing - besides the satisfaction of mouthfuls of creamy sweetness - is that desserts like these are soooo ideal for an Horizontal Hostess.

1. Make a day or more ahead.

2. Remove from freezer.

3. Serve.

4. Maybe dress up a little with a sauce or fruit or some-such.... which can also be made well ahead.

So, over the next week, I am trialling, testing, and tasting. Bringing you the full round-up of all things frozen. (Poor me)

Up first.... Nougat Semifreddo. Smooth, rich, sweet, and full of crunchy-chewy pieces of nougat (yes, it is possible to be crunchy and chewy). Serve with a raspberry coulis or some other berry add-on... the slight tartness of the berries ease the semifreddo away from being overly rich. In this recipe the semifreddo is set in a tin, cut into pieces and served on a plate. It's not really going to work in a cone.

And the first question of the day: What is a Semifreddo? And is that Fred-o, as in Freddo Frog? And why not just call it ice-cream?!

Semifreddo is Italian for half-frozen. It's said Semi-Fre-Dough (not a Fred-O anywhere).

And it's not called ice-ceam, because... well, because, it's not an ice-cream. Not really. Not if you are being technical about these things. It does have a lot in common with ice-cream (cream, egg yolks, sugar, freezer), but it's not churned in the way that ice-cream ought to be. And it typically has something "airy" included - think whipped cream or beaten egg whites. The incorporated air is meant to make it easy to scoop/eat when it's frozen.

This week's first Semifreddo... a nougat variety (recipe found in Delicious magazine)

Start with this huge assortment of ingredients:

3 eggs, seperated

3 tbsp honey

300g mascarpone

120g nougat

Chop up the nougat into small chunky pieces.... smaller than these pieces. Smaller than a mouthful.

I just wanted to show you the gorgeous chewy bits in this nougat.

I'm not really a big fan of nougat - in fact I'd never buy it. It took me ages to find it in the supermarket - but this just looked so good!

Then you are going to beat the eggs and honey together until pale.

The recipe said to use an electric mixer. I have a lovely mixer. A glorious Kenwood. Brand new (well, 40th birthday present... and that wasn't so long ago. Really!).

I also have "Tiffany". My trusty little hand-held beater. Picked up in a supermarket about, ummmm, 5 years ago, when I was waddling through my first pregnancy, the nesting instinct was taking over, and I had decided to start baking.

For some reason I still use little ol' Tiff. I blame it on my dislike of hand washing big things. It doesn't make sense really, since I still have to use a bowl when I use the hand-held (obviously). And when you use a mixer you can walk away and do other things... instead of being glued there, holding the damn thing. But logic plays no part in this.

Anyway, your choice... I wielded my hand-held.

Once honey and yolks are pale (really pale, but don't expect white), add the mascarpone and beat some more. Fold in the nougat.

In another bowl beat the egg whites until stiff.

Now, see, if you were using the mixer, you would have to remove the yolk/honey mixture to another bowl. Wash the mixer bowl, and then beat the whites. Or, you would have to get out the hand-held beater as well as the mixer to do the whites. Hmmm... of course you could be beating the egg whites with your hand-held while the mixer is working on the yolks and honey. But, hell, that would be noisy !!!

Whichever way you go, you will now fold the egg whites into the yolk/honey/mascarpone/nougat mixture.

Line a smallish tin with plastic wrap, and pour in the goo.

Freeze. Until firm.

In a truly scientific fashion, I tested the semifreddo at various time points... and after about 3 hours it was perfect. Frozen, but still scoop-able.

Then I restrained myself, and left it there overnight. Just to see if it's still good if you make it miles and miles ahead of serving.

The good news... get organised and make this dessert days ahead of guests arriving!

However... tis a good idea to move from freezer to fridge at least 30 minutes (I left it in the fridge for a good hour) before serving or it will be way too hard. After a spell in the fridge, it will return to being smooth and soft-ish - and the nougat won't break your teeth.

Get the Girls together...

2008-02-07T14:45:00.000+10:00

It's been a little while between posts... I have been tied up with getting the website to a fully functioning position. There's still a bit of fine-tuning to do, but it is starting to take shape!

In the meantime, everywhere I look, we are being inundated with prompts for Valentine's Day. Even if you are a bit cynical about the commercialisation of this event, it is hard not to get caught up in the moment. But, if you don't have a special someone (and I don't!!!) who you want to impress, or who is going to indulge you, then it might be worth organising a little something just for yourself.

A like the idea of doing a Girls Night In, just for the single ladies... no sitting around wallowing in sad singledom, but celebraing independence instead.

One of my favourite things to do with a bunch of old friends, is for everyone to contribute a few written 'questions', and to draw these out during the night. Prompts such as, "What was the worst outfit you have every worn", "Who was the first boy you ever kissed", "What is your greatest regret in life", will bring on some illuminating and funny conversations.

If you are going to have a Girls Night, take some inspiration from this image from Social Couture, it's so frou-frou and over the top, no-one could be serious or wallow in an environment like this!

A Romantic Garden Setting... Perfect for Valentine's Day

2008-01-25T14:55:00.000+10:00

I found these beautiful roses at my local fruit and vege market today. They are not only a gorgeous colour, and resplendent in full bloom... but they actually smell like roses!!

Feeling particuarly inspired, Debbie (my business partner)and I threw together a table setting in the shade of the tree in my front garden.

If someone created this scene for me, I think I would be rather impressed. Wouldn't it be nice to come home to this on Valentine's day ?!

As you can see all members of the team were helping... this is Morris, adding his touch to the table.

In Honour of Australia Day... Damper

2008-01-24T10:25:00.000+10:00

Damper is one of those iconic Australian items, a part of our heritage from the days of the swagmen... a culinary tradition, which most of us may have eaten only once or twice. Let's face it - a plain, heavy bread baked in the ashes of a campfire is not something we whip up on a regular basis.

I found this recipe on Wikipedia... doesn't sound particuarly appealing!

Ingredients
1 large cup self-raising flour
generous pinch of salt
1/4 cup water

Procedure
Add salt to flour.
Add scant 1/4 cup water (more and it will be as tough as an old boot).
Mix and form into a round loaf.
Dig a foot-deep hole near a fire and add 2 shovelsful of hot coals and ash.
Add damper mixture to a greased camp oven (traditonal cast iron round pot with lid).
Cook for maximum of 40 minutes. If undercooked it will be flat and rubbery.
Your first try may be inedible. Keep trying, you'll soon be an expert.

On the other hand, with Australia Day on the 26th January, I am tempted to try my hand at making a damper... however, I think I will be skipping the camp-fire, coals and ashes, and opting for the convenience of the oven. I will also be adding a bit more flavour to this traditional bread. Something like this Cheese and Herb damper from over at Taste.com.au.

Now this looks pretty good!

Keeping Sticky Fingers Clean

2008-01-21T11:01:00.000+10:00

Many years ago (pre-mummy days), I had a few occasions flying in the pointy end of the plane. One of the benefits that came with all that extra attention, were the cool, lightly scented, wet hand towels that were distributed before take-off, after meals, and before landing. Such a small thing... a quick, easy way to clean and freshen up.

Liking the small touches of luxury, I could see no reason to replicate that little indulgence... even on a picnic!

My mother just rolled her eyes - thinking I was being so over the top - when I turned up on our recent party picnic with these, but she was the first to admit that after lunch on a hot, sticky day, a cool, damp, cotton washer was total bliss!

This is so very easy to do, and takes only minutes to prepare....

I found a stack of 12 cotton wash cloths at Abode for $12.00.

Wet them in all thoroughly in a sink of cold water. I added some lemon juice for a nice citrus scent... or you could try a few drops of essential oil.

Squeeze most of the water out... then roll each cloth up.

Lay them in a flat plastic container, and tuck into the bottom of the esky, or chill in the fridge.

Voila... present these to everyone after picnic finger food, or just to cool down.

They also come in very useful at kid's parties... in which case you might like to use colouful cloths rather than white.

Have a stack on hand if you are having a bbq, or serving the sort of seafood that requires the hands-on approach.

Working Hard for the Kids...

2008-01-20T14:33:00.000+10:00

Let me start by saying... children's parties require just as much work as a get-together for grown-ups! But they are alot of fun.

This weekend my big guy turned 4 - and we threw our first kid's party. That's 15 children and 15 adults!

My best recommendations...

An afternoon event. We held the party from 2-5pm, which alleviated the need to provide lunch, but allowed scope for yummy afternoon tea and other goodies. Mums and Dads could also enjoy a glass of wine or beer... which helped make it a social occasion for the grown-ups who were mostly all new to each other. AND you get the whole morning to get the house ready.

Reptiles and furry creatures! I didn't want to succumb to throwing an enormous extravagance for this party, but I did enlist the help of some wildlife to provide a little entertainment. For 45 minutes the children and the parents were enthralled with a hands-on experience with large lizards, snakes, turtles, frogs and possums. Well worth it!

Fruit on a Stick. This was an absolute hit... melon balls, grapes and pineapple chunks on bamboo skewers. The kids devoured them... a nice healthy treat before the sugar rush that came later.

The Pig's Trough. You may have seen my previous post on this fabulous set-up. This time it was my turn to throw together the mother of all ice-cream sundaes. Served up in a length of foil-lined guttering (yes, that's roof guttering... clean and new, and lined with aluminium foil) were two big tubs of neopolitan ice-cream, marshmallows, smarties, snakes, chocolate and strawberry toppings. The children were handed a spoon and gathered around two saw-horses... when we emerged with this 3 metre dessert, I couldn't tell whether the whoops of delight were louder from the grown-ups or the kids!! (Handy hint... a prepared stack of wet face-washers was very, very useful).

Lessons from my first Kid's Party...

Don't turn your back on your child and a pile of presents. Your sweet, polite darling is likely to succumb to a paper-ripping frenzy, encouraged on all sides by little friends proffering both their gifts and their assistance.

Don't bother going to too much trouble with food for the grown-ups, plates of cheese, olives and dips largely go to waste. Have good food for the kids, that the parent's can also enjoy.

Invitations worth sending...

2008-01-17T11:41:00.000+10:00

I came across these totally gorgeous invitations recently - I loved them so much, I'm thinking of putting together a party... just so I have an excuse to use them!

They are designed by Sarah LeClere, and each one is reproduced from a hand painted original. The die-cut image has a white card attached with ribbon, which you could have beautifully written by a professional - or do it yourself.

To view the entire range visit the lovely ladies at Enchanted Envelope... but be warned their extensive collection of gorgeous invitations will have you planning parties indefinitely!

An Almost Perfect Picnic Party

2008-01-14T12:57:00.001+10:00

Hooray! The rain stopped for a little while... not that I'm complaining about the rain. With Australia still in drought, and Brisbane with level 6 water restrictions (remember when we thought level 3 seemed significant), we can never complain about rain. But, it was lovely to get a break in our wet, tropical summer to head off to the mountains for a family picnic party.

The occasion was Debbie's (sister-in-law's) birthday, and we pulled together a fabulous party for her. A 'party palace' was erected at our picnic spot - complete with bunting and billowing sheer curtains. Colourful rugs covered the ground, cushions were scattered, and a clothed table raised our picnic sophistication level.

The provision of food and drink was shared around, with everyone bringing a part of the meal. A selection of cheeses, pate, dips and crackers to start. Then Roast Vegetable salad, Bacon and Egg pie, pastrami, salami and chicken cold cuts, and a fresh fruit platter.

Everything was very HH (Horizontal Hostess) - nothing to be done on arrival, other than lay out our banquet, pop a champagne cork (or two) and fill our plates.

Of course, nothing is ever perfect, and the crusty french bread was a no-show (sorry, my fault!), and a cheesecake didn't make the journey. But, never mind, a delicious, filling meal was had by all.

Picnic Lessons:

Everyone bring something... and co-ordinate the menu between you for better results
Don't fret if something is forgotten
Freeze water bottles the night before, and use to chill your esky... as they defrost they provide lovely chilled water
Ant bites really, really hurt... iced water helps soothe the pain!

Picnic Decorating

2008-01-10T13:30:00.000+10:00

I'm busy putting together articles, recipes and photos for an Australia Day picnic spread, and was thinking about the best way to dress up a picnic spot. Often when you head out to parks and picnic spots you will see balloons tied to shelters and trees, and these always look pretty and festive. Unfortunately, bits of burst latex balloon and their trailing ribbons are something of an environmental hazard. Noboby means for our furry, feathered or down-right ugly, wildlife to ingest, or get tangled, in a balloon - but sometimes our party decorations manage to break free and make off into the wild, where they do just that.

A fabulous, old-fashioned, option is to use fabric bunting.

Bunting is a length of small flags, or pendants, that can be strung on just about anything. They look terrific and dress up any location. It can also be used over and over, making it economical in the long-term.

Wally the wombat might just appreciate it, as well.

A Little Tea Party

2008-01-04T11:39:00.000+10:00

Last year (that sounds so long ago), we did several photo shoots for the web-site. One of my favourite set-ups was for a Tea Party.

Several years ago I had a high tea at the Sheraton on the Park in Sydney. The food they served was utterly delicious - the right combination of little sweet things, and savoury morsels. I had a decadent, dark, rich hot chocolate that came in a special cup with a spout (the point being, I believe, that we ladies could purse our lips and not end up with a chocolate moustache), and champagne, of course.

After spending several hours ensconced in comfy armchairs, and indulging in tiers of food, there was absolutely no room for dinner. It was a perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Throwing an afternoon soiree is an ideal way to entertain - especially when you don't want a big party, you want to celebrate something personal (such as a birthday, bridal or baby shower) and would like the chance to talk with your guests.

Set the scene around a low table, if you can, and dress it up with tablecloth, napkins and flowers.

Pile up tiers of small cakes, tartlets, eclairs and fresh scones, and include savoury options such as ribbon sandwiches, mini quiche, or small pastry items. Have a pot of tea brewing, and open a bottle or two of champagne (a pink or blush variety goes well with the sweet cakes).

There is no need to run around, just join your friends and put your feet up for a few hours.

Lessons from New Year's Eve

2008-01-02T10:27:00.000+10:00

1. Organise your party music before the party starts, even for a casual party... or your guests may start rumaging through your CD piles themselves - and then start telling you how bad your music collection is. (Ok, ok, Britney Spears was a very weak moment, many, many years ago!)

2. If the weather is terrible, and you are planning on sitting on the back deck, then organise some weather-proofing before the party starts... or gallant party-goers will decide that they can rig up a tarp after a few drinks, and will balance themselves on the wet banister, dangling from the gutter with one hand and a hammer in the other. (Luckily tragedy was averted, and the tarp did keep the wind and rain out)

3. Get out of the kitchen, stop cleaning up, sit down and join in!! Or before you know it, midnight has come and gone, your guests are heading home... and you forgot to enjoy the party!

A funny thing happened at the table...

2007-12-30T19:48:00.000+10:00

Living in Brisbane, Christmas is - more often than not - hot and humid. This year it was not. Oh, the bliss of having Christmas dinner without a fine sheen of perspiration over everyone.

As always, for our family, Christmas dinner was on the enormous back verandah of my parent's home. In fact this is where most gatherings are held... in all weather. This year the breeze was cooling, the sky overcast and the temperature was down below 27degrees. For once, the overhead fans lay dormant.

So, in a tremendous moment of ingenuity I strung baubles over the fan blades to make a wonderful suspended centrepiece. The table was themed in fresh white and blue, all very simple and elegant - and child friendly. Or so we thought.

My gorgeous 4yo son had his own 'light bulb' moment, and just wanted to see what would happen if he made the fan go. Well, the fan went, the baubles flew. Flew so well in fact, that it took us at least 20 minutes to find them all. Darling 4yo was absolutely mortified, and just stood there, eyes wide, saying to his grandmother "I'm really, really, really sorry, Grandma, I didn't know that would happen".

All was forgiven, nothing was broken, table was re-assembled, and a lovely Christmas was had by all.

Now on to New Year's eve... that's tomorrow isn't it??!!! Right... better get organised. 8 adults, 6 children... ok, pot luck dinner everyone!

Christmas Arch

2007-12-23T14:11:00.000+10:00

The original Horizontal Hostess (otherwise known as Dulcie, or My Mother) does some gorgeous Christmas decorating around her home - an original Queenslander wooden house in Brisbane. One of the arches is decorated with a green bough, and hung with chandelier pendants, the collectable Swarovski Christmas stars that come out each year, and some quirky little Christmas figurines. This year she strung some lights through, which beautifully brought the whole arrangement to life.

Now I'm off to bake individual pavlovas for our Christmas dinner tomorrow night.... and to wrap presents, and to assemble toy boxes for the boys (why, oh why, do I buy gifts that need to be put together AND then leave them to the last minute!!)

The Case of the Disappearing Website

2007-12-21T18:56:00.000+10:00

Now you see it... now you don't!

For some reason my gorgeous site has reverted back to one simple holding page, instead of the pages and pages of articles, stories, recipes and photos!

Hmmmm.... fingers crossed all will be fixed tomorrow.

Kickice Cocktails... have to try...

2007-12-21T11:30:00.000+10:00

This sounds too easy.... add warm water, add alcohol, seal bag, shove in freezer, wait a few hours... and, voila, frozen cocktail ready to serve 10! I think the clever Australian minds behind this product are onto something (it's amazing what a few friends can come up with while reminiscing over past party successes)

Of course, the tricky part is remembering to get it into the freezer well in advance of guests arriving. But, as planning is an essential part of being Horizontal Hostess, I think I can manage that.

I had seen this product mentioned in a couple of magazines, and felt motivated enough to order one of each flavour this morning: Strawberry Daiquiri, Lime Margarita and Pina Colada. I will give the drinks a good test run, and let you know all about them. In the meantime have a look at Kickice Cocktails .

Christmas Table

2007-12-20T13:05:00.000+10:00

Some people get inspired to entertain by recipes, and pictures of food, that have you salivating just from imagining the flavours. They want to treat their guests to divine dishes that will satisfy and delight.

For others, inspiration comes from the opportunity to be a social goddess -photos of gorgeous dresses, luscious cocktails, long glasses of bubbles and the sweet noise of laughter, mingled conversations and music - make them want to throw open the doors right now and make it happen in their home.

Or, some people are inspired by images of fabulously decorated rooms and tables... by party scenes that have been created with thought, imagination and flair. They want to have their guests feel the mood from the moment they walk in the door, and to be wow-ed by the ambience of a beautifully put-together venue.

Of couse, there are plenty of us, who feel the motivation to entertain at home when any of these elements are laid before us. Visual stimulation can sure get the creative juices running!

Here are some really gorgeous Christmas table themes from the very talented Hostess with the Mostess , it is refreshing to see colours other than red and green. Here, in Australia, those colours can be too heavy... with our wam (hot!) summer days of Christmas, our homes are so much better suited to light and bright colours.

Online at last !

2007-12-17T13:59:00.000+10:00

The Horizontal Hostess website has finally gone live... well, half of it at least. The grand opening of the shop has been delayed until January, but in the meantime the magazine component of the site is open to all.

There is still oodles of content to be added... so, provided I don't get too distracted, there should be something new every day. Of course, I am getting distracted - writing about entertining just inspires me to plan my own parties!

I've been writing about invitations (and thinking about invitations for my next party) and came across these at Martha Stewart . I think these are just so fun... and so perfect for Horizontal Hostess!

Birthday Breakfast

2007-12-10T12:18:00.000+10:00

With the tribe of little people quickly growing in our family, the morning gathering is fast becoming a favourite. This time the occasion was Grandma's birthday, and Grandma being the orignal Horizontal Hostess we made certain that - despite the fact that we all descended on her home - she would be feet up and not fussing in the kitchen.

Dishes were delegated - the hot breakfast bbq to Pop, fruit to Adam and Debbie, yoghurt from Helen, and fresh baked items fell to me. (Note to self: do not offer to get up early and whip up muffins if there are plans for cocktails with a girlfriend the night before!).

It was a very successful birthday celebration, and since the Queensland heat has finally arrived in true form, everyone ended up in the pool after a lengthy breakfast.

I strongly recommend breakfast or brunch to anyone planning a gathering that includes young children. They (and therefore you) are up early anyway, so get together, eat, drink (champagne goes very well with breakfast) and play. After a few hours you can wrap it up and still have the rest of the day free... perfect if you are longing for a kindy nap.

This picture is from one of the photo shoots we did for the website... lovely setting at Sunshine Beach, good friends, good food. Brunch is beautiful!

Delays, Dramas... and Christmas Planning

2007-12-07T11:30:00.000+10:00

Doom and despair... we should have had the website up and running by now, but there has been a little hiccup. We are waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for the bank to come through with our merchant facilities, that is, to set us up so we can accept credit cards. But after having me jump through a few extra hoops, proceedings seem to have slowed down. So, the bad news is our shop won't be online until January. The good news, is that we are going to go ahead and launch the 'magazine' side of the site next week... all the articles, tips, a few recipes, and stories will be available. And, of course, everyone finally gets to see what we have been putting together.

Looking on the positive side - I can now focus on Christmas. We have two family events to organise.

Firstly Christmas Eve dinner, which became our traditional family gathering years ago (my mother in hope and anticipation of all her children settling down, decided that by having our Christmas meal on the eve of Christmas, it would leave us free to visit the 'other family' on Christmas day... smart woman, my mother). Always held at my parent's house, we share out the 'courses' - this year I'm on dessert, I'm still thinking about what to serve...

Secondly we come back together on Christmas morning for a sumptuous breakfast and the opening of the presents. We take turns hosting breakfast, and this year it's with me. Not much planning required for this one, since we love traditions in our family, and we have a special once-a-year breakfast: Ham and cheese croissants, fresh strawberries or fruit combo, and our much-loved breakfast topping cream (you'll find the recipe on the HH website).

Now I'm just busy planning table settings... I have a creative urge this year, so I'm looking for inspiration!

I did find these lovely Christmas trees over at Martha Stewart . They are filled with lollies, but can also hang on the tree. Nice alternative to the cracker... just without the bang!

Pigs Trough

2007-11-19T13:47:00.000+10:00

This is the most brilliant idea for a kid's party... because anyone with children knows that the time, effort and stress that goes into entertaining little people, is equal (probably greater) than throwing together a 'do' for grown-ups.

My fabulous off-sider, Debbie, also happens to be married to my brother, and it was the 5th birthday of their eldest daughter. With twenty children attending, this Pig's Trough was the ideal dessert, and a fun way to keep them occupied for fifteen minutes.

Take one length of guttering (clean and unused is better), line it with aluminimum foil, and fill with ice-cream, jelly, marshmallows and anything else that takes your sweet tooth fancy. Place between two saw-horses, and there you have one mighty impressive ice-cream sundae.

Line the children up on each side, hand out spoons... and enjoy the sudden peace and quiet!

The Christmas Conundrum

2007-11-15T09:55:00.000+10:00

It happens every year... one moment Christmas is a distant thought, and the next thing we are into the pre-Christmas busy season. The diary is filling fast, and yet I have a mad urge to have a dinner party, a cocktail party, a bbq, a brunch, or even just a few drinks with friends. Of course, by the time I start planning a pre-Christmas soiree I can't find a space in the diary that works for me AND the expected guests.

Of course planning beyond Christmas is just impossible. Our holiday season sits like a brick wall at the end of the year, and we can't see over it. I should plan a date for January, but somehow the idea of putting thought and energy into something other than pre-Christmas, Christmas and New Year is beyond me.

I will do something in the new year... I just won't think about it yet!

While thinking about summer parties, here is a little inspiration...

Mojito.... it just sounds like summer !

Long, cool, tangy and refreshing.

This link will give you a recipe for a jug of Mojito, fabulous to serve your guests on arrival

2007-11-14T12:19:00.000+10:00

After a journey of several months, we are getting very close to launching the Horizontal Hostess website. Fingers crossed we should be up and running by the end of November.

In the meantime here is a sneak peek at some of goodies that we will have in our shop.

Summer Days

This is a light, bright collection - perfect for picnics, bbqs or any outdoor setting

A Touch of Glamour

A range of polished aluminium, stainless steel and glass... pefect for cocktail parties

A French Affair

Inspired by the French, this collection has stylish pewter accessories and gorgeous fluted, cream plateware. A little sophisticated this is ideal for the elegant table.

By the Sea

A collection of glass serving bowls and dishes, plus a range of glassware rimmed with colour.