When we can finally entertain again....

[Seatallan Profile]

I have an overwhelming urge to make a proper fish pie. One of those meals you really need company for. It's just not the same somehow, making one for the two of us. If the day ever dawns when we can invite friends around for dinner, I think it's a definite for the menu. Probably followed by lemon meringue pie.

Anyone else dreaming of the first post-Covid dinner party/BBQ/similar?

[smitch Profile]

I’d really like to have my in-laws round for a meal and drinks. My fil is a beer lover too and we’ve got a few special bottles we want to share with him.

Food wise, I’ll probably make a nice lasagne or baked pasta dish that is too big just us.

[Gruney2 Profile]

There is only two of us - I live alone, and so does my daughter. I've got all sorts of menus in my mind, from an all afternoon and early evening tapas type affair, to a posh fish affair - I've mentioned before, she's a fish, but not meat eater. A de luxe fish pie would be spot on. And, wahey! - lemon meringue pie - but only the one Hickey gave us the recipe for, all those years ago. See how life comes back to haunt you? Hopefully it won't be much longer now.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Guessing it won't be yet with those substantial kitchen-warming choices on this hot day!

It's likely to be my family when I entertain again. Presuming it's before Christmas we usually end up with a good beef casserole and jacket potatoes in winter or quiche, salad and picky bits in summer. It's become a bit of a joke really but they like it.
DS doesn't like puddings and everyone else likes things like trifle so that's easy. (Actually, I find these days that if you go slightly retro like that that people love it and have several helpings).

Last time I made a really super-duper fish pie was for friend in USA who had never heard of it. I think it was the best I've ever made and was a real labour of love.

[WWordsworth Profile]

As BoJo has given permission, and our garden is slightly larger than our pals' we are hosting a socially distant early doors one day next week.
One chap is a bit fussy so I'm thinking
Good sausages
Buttered new potatoes
Coleslaw

Really looking forward to it.

[Amyw Profile]

Guessing it won't be yet with those substantial kitchen-warming choices on this hot day!

It's likely to be my family when I entertain again. Presuming it's before Christmas we usually end up with a good beef casserole and jacket potatoes in winter or quiche, salad and picky bits in summer. It's become a bit of a joke really but they like it.
DS doesn't like puddings and everyone else likes things like trifle so that's easy. (Actually, I find these days that if you go slightly retro like that that people love it and have several helpings).

Last time I made a really super-duper fish pie was for friend in USA who had never heard of it. I think it was the best I've ever made and was a real labour of love.

You can’t beat a trifle Earthmaiden . One of my favourite desserts and so many different ways you can go with it . My favourite one I’ve made is an apricot and amaretto one which was lush

[OneMoreCheekyOne Profile]

Absolutely!! We’ve already invited grandparents round for garden tea and cake on various days next week.

As with lots of families we can’t wait to all get together for a party to celebrate the birthdays and occasions which have been missed over the lockdown. I think I’ll order some platters of shellfish from the fishmongers, bbq some lovely steaks and put out a load of good bread, salads etc.

[slimpersoninside Profile]

One question springs to mind here, how will you get to grips with guests needing to use the facilities? Members of a different household are not allowed inside the house.

[WWordsworth Profile]

Compost heap

[Stokey Sue Profile]

That was also one of my first thoughts slimpersoninside

I think I’ll stick to meeting people out in parks and cafe gardens when they open for a while, not least because everyone I know round here, with or without garden, lives in a terraced house or flat and front gardens don’t really exist

I don’t know what I’ll cook when I next have a friend or friends round, as always it will depend on the weather and what I feel like

[halfateabag Profile]

A couple who came round for a social last week, he used our loo, I never gave it a thought..... Although we do have a thick avenue of leyllandi which has beed 'used' in the past by outside workers, it apparently, keeps the foxes away.

We ate, sarnies, veg batons, and some quiche, tato wedges, chx. drummers and onion bahijs They all had copious quantities of imbibing liquor.... Oh, and a rhubarb frangipani and a caribbean bread pudding. We grazed all afternoon, very relaxed and lovely to see fiends again !

Pray tell, how is Hicky's lemming meringue different from the norm Gruney?

[Pampy Profile]

I heard a cabinet member (can't remember who) say this evening that people would be allowed inside houses to use the facilities as long as they still observed the distancing guidelines. Although that could just have been his own interpretation of the rules, rather than a statement of fact. Or it could be just for the elites of government!

[Suelle Profile Website]

I heard a cabinet member (can't remember who) say this evening that people would be allowed inside houses to use the facilities as long as they still observed the distancing guidelines. Although that could just have been his own interpretation of the rules, rather than a statement of fact. Or it could be just for the elites of government!

But Nicola Sturgeon said that although you can travel as far as you like (in Scotland, obviously) for permitted meetings, if the time factor meant you would need to use your host's loo, then perhaps you shouldn't go!

It's one thing that makes me think I won't be going shopping into our nearest big town, once the shops are open - I can't do all the travelling, traipse round the shops, and keep hydrated, without needing a loo at some point during the outing. And those facilities are expected to stay closed.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

The report in this morning's Guardian says, "The chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, confirmed at the briefing that it would be acceptable for them to go inside to use the toilet – as long as they washed their hands thoroughly and wiped down surfaces afterwards".

I suspect that a lot of people, although happy to greet guests in the garden, could be put off at the prospect of allowing them in the house. Perhaps we won't be having outdoor dinner parties yet!

[Suffs Profile]

Invitations should state BYOBucket.

And don’t forget we’ve been told that you should take your own crockery, cutlery and glassware to garden parties and BBQs ... so a bucket is only one more thing to take.

[Busybee Profile]

I watched the briefing last night, I thought that Chris Whitty was very clear about using the loo, and that wiping down is a bit of an understatement. Whilst I can’t recall his exact words I got the impression he was meaning a full clean and disinfectant between people from different households. He also advised to exercise caution around bbqs etc regarding the sharing of plates, serving utensils etc. Important to wash hands etc.

I got the impression that both scientists were concerned that the infection rate remains so high, the cynic me questions if this relaxing if the rules is to divert attention away from the DC affair and non appearance of the tracing app?

BB

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Suffs. I think last night's announcement was mostly to pacify grandparents and other people on their own whose protestations at not seeing family have been getting louder. Those people probably won't object to the loo being used even though it's an added risk. It is a huge factor as one starts to socialise though, whether in a private garden or a park.

Talking of drinks, I think that when we are able to socialise freely, rather than a dinner party I'd like to catch up on cocktails. I missed the cocktail thing of the past few years mostly due to age, circumstances (and the fact I baulk at the cost of them) but it sounds like a pleasant summer retirement pastime.

[Suffs Profile]

I think last nights announcement was intended as a distraction technique ...

Also to try to stop us remembering how strictly most of us have been sticking to the spirit of the regulations.

[scullion Profile]

I got the impression that both scientists were concerned that the infection rate remains so high, the cynic me questions if this relaxing if the rules is to divert attention away from the DC affair and non appearance of the tracing app?
BB

what? you're saying it's 'a good time to hide bad news'‽‽‽ how can you suggest that they'd do that‽
i do think that they've done themselves a huge disservice by not facing up to public opinion and dealing with dc 'properly'. bojo has shown how weak/unable to make decisions he is without help even from a creature, dismissive of the public's opinions, such as the one he's chosen.
the government hasn't shown itself in a good light all through the problem, patting itself on the back for doing stuff that it just hasn't.
'britain trump' was a prediction that seems to be coming to pass (phrases like we're getting 'a world beating' track and trace app come to mind) rather than the aspiration to be churchill.
i, too, think that the rate is still too high for relaxation. cornwall has had a nine day gap in deaths which was broken yesterday by another two - we will not cope well if/when there is another wave.

[Mrs Vee Profile Website]

We’re jumping the gun by 24 hours… how very daring! It’s my birthday on Sunday – we have DS, DIL and grandchildren coming round for afternoon tea and birthday cake in the garden. We haven’t seen them for nearly three months except through a laptop screen, so very excited!

If they need the loo, they can obviously use it. I’m not planning to get paranoid about everything – as long as we’re sensible it’ll be fine.