Leila's 'Table Nosh'
On Saturday night I went to the launch of a friends new venture "Table Nosh". You can read about what Leila is trying to do with 'Table Nosh' here. Saturday night's launch was a cocktail-style party for 22, at which we were served a stream of amazing food, while meeting new friends and catching up with old ones. It was an excellent time. (I told Leila I needed to write a list of some of the delicious morsels that came around so I didn't forget, but there were things with pear and goats cheese and proscuitto, and stuffed mushrooms and croquettes and little lime tarts and chocolate mousse ...) Leila's plan is to have smaller dinners twice a month, and larger parties occasionally, and anyone is welcome and welcome to bring a friend (watch her blog for more details). It's a great (and impressive) idea, especially to 'entertain strangers'!
Though it's also rather sad that having people around for a meal seems to have become quite a novelty. Leila is available to cater for other people's dinner parties as well, and there she might find a large market, because I do wonder if people hesitate in Sydney because they perceive the bar is too high - Sydney dwellers can be so particular about food, coffee, wine etc and you'd want to put on a good show. But if cooking isn't really your thing that is daunting. (It's my view that if you're going to someone's home for dinner it's not really about the food, but I don't know if that is how most people out there think of it.)
It's reminded and encouraged me to life up my own act too, which has fallen by the wayside a little this year as I've made some changes (is it nearly April already?!). We have the kitchen that would make Leila jealous, with a ridiculously large bench space given the size of the flat, and I do quite like having people over - though maybe not to those standards or proportions! :)