Ladies Lunch at My House
Last week I hosted a lunch in my home for two friends- who are also entrepreneurs, content creators, and lovers of all things “business” and beautiful.
There is something about a meal that has been cooked by someone else- especially for you.
Getting together for lunch at someone’s home has become a lost event. I think we should bring this back, don’t you?
I love to entertain. And even though I love to cook, it isn’t about the food. The gathering is the real reason to do it.
I have often said, to buy prepared foods, put them on a platter, and gather them. And gather as often as you can. The gathering is a life force.
Why I Hosted a Ladies Lunch
There are many reasons why I hosted:
- Foster friendships that are meaningful to me
- Share a meal together
- I love beautiful things
- To talk business and learn what others are doing and why
- And I love to cook and eat
- To use my china – tea accouterments, flowers, etc.
I will be the first to tell you, entertaining is a lot of work and it starts ahead of the event. The past few weeks have been very busy for me with business etiquette training ( I am a keynote speaker and corporate trainer). I have been to New Jersey, Florida, Arizona, and Kansas City. I landed late Wednesday (actually 2 am on Thursday morning due to a delayed flight) and woke up early to get the best selection of flowers and produce.
My menu had been planned for weeks. I posted about my love of the book An American in Provence and decided to prepare one of her recipes.
What I Served for Lunch
I love to create menu cards. This adds a detail that feels and looks extra special.
I chose to lean into a French theme. My china is from Gien as well as the vases, and the Rosé served are from France. My linens and Ginori1735 tea cups are from Italy. Let’s settle for a lunch that was French-Italian inspired.
The Lunch Menu
- Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms
- Roasted Rainbow Carrots
- Simple Greens
- Pear, Date, and Coconut Cake with Whipped Cream
- Mariage Freres Tea, Bolero Blend
It was delicious. I highly recommend a meal that is balanced. The chicken dish was more complex and rich with creamy mushrooms. The carrots and salad were simple. The carrots were fresh and organic and I only added salt, pepper, and good olive oil. I then roasted them at 425. The colors were vibrant and added to my “French” spring is here theme.
Additionally, I added orange tulips. My table had lots of colors, this was intentional so I kept the flowers simple and only used orange.
During Lunch, We Talked About
We talked about business as well as our family and travels.
Social media was a big part of our conversation- how we are using it and the changes we are noticing.
Our focus continues to be on providing content for our followers.
We also planned our future gathers. We are going to see each other again at an event to celebrate the new book from the founder of Vietri.
Stay tuned as I am sure I will have a great deal to share about her.
The Tea We All Loved
The star of the meal was the tea! Mariage Freres has long been my favorite tea.
I have visited their store in Paris many times. I have also had afternoon tea at the St. Germain location.
The Bolero blend is my favorite. It is a black tea with a fruity blend.
And here is a tip and something that is very different- I serve it with exceptionally good dark maple syrup! I love my tea this way- I don’t get a rush from the sugar.
You can add milk if you like and of course, this goes in last.
I do hope you are inspired to invite friends over for lunch. To me, it is one of the great pleasures of life.
We all can have more beauty in life.
Lunch Etiquette….because I know you are going to ask…
I sent out a text a few days before to let my two friends know I was excited to have them over for lunch. I confirmed the time and address. This is an informal touch but it serves the purpose. We are busy content creators and this works for us. It is efficient.
I chose to set an elegant table. My intention was for it to be fun and colorful. I did set a dessert fork at the top of the plate. The platters of food were passed to each guest. Since the salad was served on the lunch plate, I only used one fork on the left side. Since the food was passed, this leaned into a bit more of a casual affair. I would say it was a blend of formal and casual.
Tea was served with dessert. I used my Ginori1735 cups because I love the lid on top. The style of the entire set (cup, lid, and dessert plate) is eclectic and adds a bit of flair to any setting. So far, I have purchased the cups in an array of colors. I use a mix of colors on my table and I achieve this with my linens and china patterns.
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