Can you wake up with a food hangover do you think? If you can over indulge to that point, well then I am the girl to do it. You see, being a piggy when it comes to eating means that I always eat more than I should, or need to, and I can at times find myself needing to put on a soft pant post dinner. What better place to partake in this favourite past time of mine than at a home cooked FEAST of traditional food cooked by someone who has been doing it their whole lives?
There have been a few times in my life where I have been lucky to get stuck into a such a feast – many years ago now we went to dinner at an Italian Mama’s house who worked in my Mum’s cafe. The food just kept on coming, and coming, and coming and when I thought we were done I realised that we hadn’t even started the main course! There was another Swedish dinner some years after that was filled with plates of fish and dill, potatoes and all kind of wonderful breads. These meals are so wonderful to sit at and enjoy. Trying new things and being fed with home cooked goodness just means love to me!
Last night we had such a feast at the very clever Year in My Garden‘s house. Jools is a wonderful gardener, photographer, friend and of course cook! We got to sample many a Greek delicacy from saganaki prawns, stuffed tomatoes with rice and lamb meat, roast potatoes, green beans and tomatoes, amazing shoulders of lamb that fell off the bone, fattoush salad (a little Lebanese deviation) and an amazing dessert of poached figs and some kind of nest like pastry. Needless to say my first plate was GROANING to the point where people commented on it, and the second (of COURSE there was a second) an outrageous display of a second dinner. You can bet that I helped clear the plates so I could sneak a few extra prawns out (no one needs left over seafood) and I waddled out of dinner into the cool autumn night a few kilos heavier.
What says kindness more than feeding people that you care for with home cooked goodness? Not much I don’t think.
Ever been to a traditional dinner where the food just keeps coming and coming?
What did you have?
That looks amazing – I’m suddenly hungry. I agree that food is a beautiful way to show care and kindness to others. You’re a lucky lady.
I sure am! Lucky I like to do it too…
I am sooooooo jealous. All my favorite foods. Reminds me of all those episodes of Anthony Bourdain (American travel chef on TV) where he goes to different countries and the locals cook for him.
I LOVE all those kinds of shows. Food Safari is my favourite for this very reason. Nothing better! Imagine if that was your job?!
My son and d-i-l have been in Australia for over five years (Townsville and now Darwin). They just got their permanent visas last year. Vanessa sent me a copy of food Safari cookbook for Christmas one year after the first time we visited. She made the best beef & noodle dish from that book, with a marinade/sauce from another part of the book.
I loved watching cooking shows with them while we were there.
Yummmmmmmmmmmmmm! You would have had to roll me out of that dinner!
I can’t remember the last time I was fed like that at someone’s house, but we did do a 7 course degustation at a fab restaurant for our 1st wedding anniversary (with matching wines of course). The courses were quite generous and by the time we got to the final dish (the 2nd dessert), I had to hand it over to the husband to finish it as I was beyond full.
7 courses!
It all looks so yummy…… I too would have had to roll out!!! My partners mum makes something very similar to the green beans with tomato, she sometimes makes it with meat which just falls off the bone and serves with rice…. I always seem to eat too much when I am at her place for dinner!!!
SO good.
Cracked up at the pooch salivating there! Food hangover, ohhhh definitely….like, all the bloody time.
Poppy the dog is so beautiful!
I’m half Italian, so the food NEVER stops coming at get-togethers 😉
Great photos, mmmm potatoes!
Ah yes..you know all about it!
DEAR LORD THAT LOOKS GOOD! And that is why I call you my labrador xx
I am very good at cleaning up other people’s plates. It’s a gift!
No never, but I am so hungry now after seeing those photos (and i just had a lunch of greek yoghurt and mango
That’s not going to cut it!
Its 5.20 pm and I am still washing up BTW! Ha Ha We had a great night Beth xxx
Oh no! Thanks so much for a special night x
No ! Never. Next life I am going to come back Italian or Greek or Indian.
It all looks so delicious.
I have some friends who are good cooks but there is always just enough food, none left over for seconds. And one friend makes amazing desserts but always serves Depression size proportions and then whisks it away before you can even think of seconds.
Soft panting after the meal. Thats very funny.
Oh yes…Indian! I have been to one of those feasts too – what an experience!
This looks gorgeous Beth. I love that pretty table and is there anything better than slow cooked lamb shoulder? What a lovely, talented friend!
We recently attended a traditional Italian dinner in a vineyard hosted by Slow Food Mildura. Yes, the food just kept coming..antipasti, rabbit ravioli, lamb, Murray Cod, Frangelico affogato. We were groaning too x
Yum…is there anything better? That sounds amazing…
A long time ago, in a whole other life, I was engaged to a Croatian boy. Oh my word, family lunches went for HOURS and were delicious. To his family food equalled love and I never went away feeling unloved lol.
Aha! My sister in law is Croatian and I LOVE one of their feasts. Can’t wait to be in Croatia in July for 2 weeks of it…bring it on!
I want to eat all of the things!
Italian families are my fav…bring it on! My grandfather was Italian and from the parmesan meatball soup to the cannoli, I would eat it all!
You have to take advantage of that food and that generosity when it is offered!
And after you can’t take another bite, help with the washing up!
Exactly…sounds beautiful Caitlin!
My husband is from Yerevan, Armenia and we are fortunate to live near enough to his family who know reside in Glendale CA (let’s just say LA) also called “Little Armenia”…so these folks know how to feast…never in my life have experienced food like their feast (similar to some seen in your beautiful photos) traditional Armenian foods mixed with Russian and Greek foods…and it does not stop. I learned the hard way to pace myself…it looks and sounds like a wonderful time! Happy St. Patrick’s Day xo
Sounds amazing!
That makes me want to have a dinner party. My nieces relatives are Armenian and it’s the same way at their house….tons of food at family gatherings. Only they plop it all all the table at once, which is little disconcerting 🙂 Usually there are three entrees, shish kebab, lule kebab, maybe a meatloaf type of dish and the the mezza…hummus, lebneh, fatoush salad, cheeses, olives, pita bread, picked vegetables, this yummy, stinky sliced meat (that you both have to eat or you’ll not be able to stand your partner for three days) rice pilaf or bulgur or both, stuffed grape leaves….and then the dessert “table” with at least 5 kinds of something and fruit. Crazy, but good.
YUM! I love the abundance of a table groaning with food – so much effort gone into makes you feel so special too.
Yum, looks amazing. Love a good food coma
They are good aren’t they…feels good to be alive!
oh so hungry right now! That looks amazing. Being Italian, this kind of meal was normal growing up. I was so confused when I went to school friends’ houses who just had a sandwich
Ha!
That looks like the BEST dinner I envy you your being able to eat a lot ,I’m not being unkind either. I am a small eater and cannot do that and often wish after I get home from an amazing meal that I could have eaten more or bought a doggy bag,I love a year in my gardens IG and FB posts xx
She is SUCH a lovely person too Lisa – lucky enough to call her a friend!