After a long (and lazy) hiatus, the blog is back! Last night, cocktail night was such a success and an inspiration, it FINALLY fueled me to recommence the weekly blog.
Although the Amsterdam air is far from chill or crisp-- in fact it's downright balmy, even tropical -- it was not difficult to get into the mood of the season with all of the friends and help we had...
Alex and Judith had taken a festive walk and collected all sorts of nuts and greenery for the centerpiece.
Once composed, it was a masterpiece of Fall feeling!
The mushroom-spotted cupcakes Astrid made fit perfectly into the scene! And were delicious!
The first drink of the night was a non-alcoholic coffee drink called:
Honey Sweet Coffee
For each cup you need a warm cup of coffee
- dissolve one teaspoon of honey
- cool the coffee by leaving it for a while or refrigerating it
- add ice cubes to a shaker with 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- strain into a glass
- top with whipped cream
- grate nutmeg on top
Reinout surprised us with some chestnuts! After making a cross incision into each one, they were placed in the oven for a half hour (about 220 degrees celsius). They came out warm and fragrant with a soft, nutty flavor to them. Delicious!
The next drink of the evening was the:
Apple Brandy Martini
- 2 dashes of orange bitters
- half ounce of dry vermouth
- 1 1/2 ounce of Calvados
- shake and strain into a cocktail glass
- garnish with a slice of Granny Smith
Any so-called Autumn party would be incomplete without the challenging and often humiliating practice of bobbing for apples. This seemingly simple sport is far more difficult than it seems, often ending in failure, defeat, waterlogged sinuses, and running mascara.
Arjen was the first to attempt...
In record time he captured his apple (using the side of the pail for leverage). The discussion as to whether this technique equated to cheating was suppressed for reasons that follow.
Judith was the next to step up to the plate...
After consideration and calculation, she dove in a series of times, only to be foiled by the evasive apples! This painful defeat banished all thoughts that the capture was easy by using Arjen's technique.
What we needed was a new technique-- that wasn't a fluke and that actually worked. Muus' success was so sudden and unexpected that I barely had the time to document it. Using a most original vacuum technique, the apple was almost immediately ensnared and success guaranteed! A marvel!
Next, I faced the problem of whether to attempt Arjen's far-from-foolproof leverage technique or Muus' noisier slurping technique (which threatened to destroy my make-up and flood my sinuses).
In the end, I had bigger problems. Height and girth. Too short to get over the pail, and with a too-big belly to get NEAR the pail, I had to employ a chair. Although props are normally considered a cheat, there was nothing to be done about the physical logistics.
The task still proved nearly impossible!
The maddening rolling around of the apple forced me to question the sharpness of my canines (sharp, reliable canines have always been a great source of pride in my mind). In the end, I did it. In the process, face, hair, and boobs were soaked.
Anneloes was a great sport, and a taller sport.
Ignoring the threat of possible defeat, and certain wetness, she dove in time and time again...
In the end, she came up a winner!
After a string of successes, Astrid had a tough act to follow.
The extremely festive Fall outfit she was wearing should have been a lucky charm.
But after a mighty effort, the apples proved to be too evasive, and she won nothing but a face towel. 'A' for effort though!
Reinout appeared to consider carefully before immersing...
He closed in on the quarry several times, and was defeated several times.
In a most spectacular finale, he pulled the apple up out of the center of the pail, making us wonder whether perseverance was its own technique.
Soon, things began to dry off, and settle into a more civilized, seasonal mood. Lunchbox and Sandwich returned to the party as soon as splashing and raised voices died down.
In the end, the evening rounded into a series of nice, warming cocktails and conversation. Lunchy curled up around Teddy Bearskins on the coach and endured his kicks through my skirt-- reminding me, no doubt, that she is my first and always baby.
It was a GREAT night!!! We were so pleased to have such great friends to share it with. We, all of us, saw September out with a candlelit bang, nutty, appley cocktails, and a lot of great, festive food and company! A perfect Autumn evening!
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