November 08 – A Feast for all

Now here we are at November Ladies Day and I do have to say, one of my favourites. We were only a small bunch but we sure packed a wallop. Ladies Day was at Awesome Anita's and we each had to bring a signature dish. This was to provide us with dinner and dessert plus a secret vote of the best dish was to reveal who was deserving of the Ladies Day LEGEND Trophy. To begin with, the weather was perfect out on Anita's deck, just cool enough that you needed long sleeves, candles were lit and the powers that be deemed us fit enough to bestow upon, a sunset and cloud backdrop that cannot begin to be captured by mere words. Everyone arrived and by sheer chance an order` came out of the dishes that people had unknowingly chosen. We started with a gorgeous cheese platter made by Lady Zoe, a first time adventurer and hopefully life long Lady as well. " Cheese Platter" hardly does justice to the masterpiece she created, the care and time she spent hand picking an assorted 7 cheeses, with no less than 3 homemade dips (2 using soft cheese as a base, so that's really 9!) and handmade crostini's and pastry twists seasoned with sea salt and pink peppercorns - a triumph! (oh, and your cheque cleared fine love...)

Next we had a divine soup by Lady Catherine, Chicken and Sweet corn. The humble name does not do it justice, it was absolutely delicious. Upon inquiring as to how to make the soup she seemed a little distracted though and I did find it odd that she brought it to Anita's house in individual plastic containers in a plastic bag - what is this "Wong's"? And why was there a menu of it in the bottom of the bag? Lady Catherine said it was to clean up spills, as she snatched it out of my hands, but it didn't look very absorbent to me....

Awesome Anita then put out her Pesto Macaroni Cheese - Cajun Style and I put out my Easy Sausage Pie - cold due to the hot weather and Lady Michayla presented her dish, which she had just finished cooking, with much fanfare - an Amazing creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta. As Lady Michayla excused herself to go and finish her dish, I noticed that she also chose to prepack her dish in plastic containers, though she hurried to tuck them back into her non- see through green shopping bag - I'm sure she's just tidy. She put the sauce in the pan for a good 45 sec before calling out that her dish was ready, when I asked from behind her if she needed a drink she seemed very surprised to see me there and squeaked as she kicked her green bag further behind the kitchen bench - chef's can be funny can't they? I Unlike Lady Catherine though, she happily revealed what was in her dish, and always the same way, "warm tender chicken in a lightly spiced cream sauce with just hints of..." - funny how some people remember things, I have to read menus to get words to describe my meal like that.

And to finish, the ONLY Lady to bring dessert! Lady Narelle saved us from despair by making homemade Matches - Jam and cream concoctions with beautiful pastry cases - and more importantly, she made enough that we could all go to town and eat as many as we wanted ( which was still surprisingly a lot considering the 5 course dinner that preceded it!) and have some to spare. If you are any bit a Lady, I don't think I have to tell you that there was no vote, as the ONLY Lady to bring dessert and save the night from ruin was awarded on the spot, the Ladies Day LEGEND Trophy - well done Lady Narelle! Our LEGEND for the month of November! Our wonderful Lady Catherine took home the main raffle prize of a super - duper pedicure pack with 2 hot shades of pink nail polish to get those feet looking gorgeous for summer and Awesome Anita took home the minor raffle prize of a pack of vanilla toffee Tim-Tams-Yum! All in all, the night was wonderful and I even got escorted home at 2.30am by a kangaroo that hopped next to my car on Main Street, McLaren Vale for a few bounds! I can't wait for next month.