Party Time - During

At exactly 12 o’clock someone rang the doorbell. Our first guests had arrived. They came bearing food: a large platter of Ken’s famous remoulade salad, nicely presented with slices of smoked salmon and olives, as well as a large cardboard box, containing a beautiful strawberry tart.

 

Aperitif time at the B-BBQ ... waiting for Jean and Nick to arrive ...
enjoying the Vouvray bubbles, donkey sausage and June sun.

We all moved to the terrace at the back of the house and J.L. started serving the Vouvray bubbles. I made several ‘aller-retours’ between the terrace and the front garden, to welcome our other guests as they arrived. By one o’clock our little blogger gathering was complete: Susan and Simon, who brought sun-dried tomatoes and a tantalizing dish of white asparagus in béchamel sauce. Gaynor and Tim, who were on their way back to the UK after spending a vacation in their holiday home in Southern Touraine. Gaynor had made a very yummy pudding (Sorry Gaynor, I can’t remember what it was called) and a mixed salad, of lettuce and multi-coloured cherry tomatoes and olives. And two extra bottles of bubbles. Antoinette and Niall arrived, carrying a large bowl containing a lovely spicey chicken salad. Jean and Nick brought two tasty cakes, which Jean had made herself and a large bowl of strawberries and cream.

Party in full swing. 

With the three BIB's (red, white and rosé)
safely tucked away in the shade.

It was great to see everybody again! During the aperitif Susan suggested to push the two separate tables together, to create one big one. While J.L. opened more bottles of Vouvray bubbles, we passed around the large platter with the bowls of crisps and sausage slices. The donkey sausage especially was much appreciated by all!

When J.L. lit the barbecue it was time to bring out the food: all the above mentioned savoury dishes, as well as the barbecue meat: chipolatas, merguez, rustic sausages and the ‘speck’, thickly sliced and marinated strips of bacon. B. and Susan retired to the kitchen to warm up the asparagus. Jean washed and cleaned the strawberries.

Time for some desert ... hard to decide what to chose!

Wine and conversation flowed easily, with guests helping themselves to the food and the BIB’s which we had lined up on a table underneath the outdoor staircase, well protected from the heat of the sun. Because, although the wind was still rather chilly, the sun was beating down on our white skins. The 2 p.m. clouds never showed up and by the end of the afternoon we all had bright red noses (not from the wine, mind you!) and reddish forearms.