The (Nearly) Perfect Hostess

Ok, so I wouldn't have done well on any of those housewife reality shows, afterall, what kind of hostess collapses onto the couch while her guests are still enjoying their wine at the dining room table? (I have Lukas to thank for that... 6 AM is just too early for me to be getting out of bed!)

But aside from that, it was perfect. I found a recipe that I liked from "Australian Gourmet Traveller" (albeit from May 2005), had a French theme going on, and had everything prepared by the time everyone arrived ("everyone" being Tobi's parents, our friend Connie, and Tobi, who was just arriving from The Netherlands). For dinner we had "Soup aux pais chiche et á l'agneau" (aka Lamb, Tomato, and Chickpea Soup), preceded by a "rocket" (or arugula) salad and Camembert wrapped in a flaky pastry-like crust.

I know, you're probably thinking, "Why lamb?", but honestly, I have serious issues with the way we handle beef, chicken, and various other meat products, and although I'd like to start buying "bio" meat, the selection is always so limited! Best of all, lamb can be so tasty when it's prepared properly (i.e. the lamb in South Africa's "Klein Karoo". YUM!).

The soup was delicious, as were the other dishes, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. But the craziest part is, I really enjoyed the cooking-part. Despite having spent nearly three hours in the kitchen, I had my South African apron, a glass of wine, and Tuscan music playing in the background (not to mention the fact that Tobi's parents had Lukas for the afternoon), it was divine! If only every meal ordeal was that enjoyable...