That’s the headline to the email that appeared in my inbox on Valentine’s Day.
Well – that got my attention! A contest involving a dinner party? Tell me more!
So I did click HERE. The prize is to be awarded to the host and seven of their chosen guests for the best dinner party given during the month of February 2018. Come and Dine is in aid of PBS, and is sponsored by Viking Cruises (who will provide the flights).
These are the terms by which the event will be judged:
“The competition entries will be judged by a panel of three judges based on the originality of their event concept, the level of skill and accomplishment in hospitality as judged by reference to the standard required for formal dinners at Highclere Castle and the level of enjoyment obvious from the participants of the event in the photographs and video clip submitted. The decision of the panel of judges (acting reasonably) will be final.”
All right, then. To your stations, everyone. We need to plan the event. A theme, the menu and the table setting seem to be the priorities.
I turned to “At Home at Highclere” for some ideas.
The book describes several house parties held at Highclere, including a weekend with Henry James (a somewhat reluctant guest, it seems, if one reads between the lines of the very diplomatic description of his tepid enthusiasm). I was never a big fan of Portrait of a Lady, so perhaps we’ll think of something else…
This one looks much more promising. A weekend with The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII). The hostess, Almina Herbert, wife of George Herbert the 5th Count of Carnarvon, was the illegitimate daughter of Alfred de Rothschild. Seems like there is quite a bit of scope here. The Rothschilds are a very interesting family. I’ve visited Waddesdon Manor, which was the home of Baron Ferdinand Rothschild, Albert’s brother, and it’s spectacular. He was an avid collector of porcelain, including some very rare Sèvres pieces. Hmmmm….
Using recipes from the book is also encouraged, and they do have some luscious looking dishes. I’ll spend some more time on that once I settle on the theme and the table setting.
On to the table setting. Please help me decide on which one to use! It needs to be formal, so “ballgown” quality.
The options are below, with hyperlinks to the blogs where they were featured.
Cobalt #1 (which also has some pink)
Cobalt #2 (includes the cobalt Venetian goblets)
Green (with hand-painted Moser glasses)
And Pink (with pink Moser & Venetian glass)
Please name your choice in the comments section. Won’t this be fun?
We don’t have a lot of time, my goodness! Submissions need to be in by February 28 at one minute to midnight. I’ll keep you posted on how the theme and menu are shaping up, and look forward to hearing your choices for table setting. Thanks for your help in advance, everyone.
Our friends, Kathi and Ron Garner, are coming in from Boston to help us celebrate, which is very much appreciated. They attended the Robert Burns dinner we held in the Cape in January, and are avid entertainers themselves. The Gartlands are in Hawaii (regrettably for us, not them), so will not be able to attend. We have several family and near-family members who are joining us and we are all looking forward to dinner next Saturday. It’s a bit of an imposition to ask people to hail to and show up in formal garb with a week’s notice, and we are deeply grateful for the assistance.
I’m sharing this post with Between Naps on the Porch.
Cobalt #2 gets my vote! And there are no bad choices…
Duly noted! Thanks 🙂
Hi Helen,
If anyone should win this contest it will be you. You are soooooo good at this. I pick the French Blue because it photographs with the best balance of light and dark. See which plates look the best with food on them because really you are setting a stage. And make sure your guest’s clothes do not clash with the dishes. Yo do a fabulous job with Entertablement, however, perhaps you should hire a photographer for the day to take staged pictures of the food and stay to shoot the festivities and then you can join your guests and enjoy the frivoloties. Should you add a Footman? Hummmmmmm?
Great minds think alike – I was wondering about the photography myself. It’s a bit of a challenge to get it right while serving dinner… I can shoot a lot of the food preparation ahead of time, and the table, but the actual event – hmmm. And where exactly does one find a footman these days? Hehe!!
Thanks for the vote on the French Blue. I do love that set, and haven’t used it much…
Helen,
For your footman…Just ask Tigger to find you a mouse and wave your magic wand !
Tigger would be most happy to oblige. I wonder if we might wait for you to wave the magic wand – it’s more in your line, Kathi! 🙂
You are such an expert, that it’s too hard to choose (I will leave the menu completely up to you). I purposely have not read previous comments, so here goes (from an admirer, not a specialist).
The white and gold is certainly classic and very regal, but probably not dramatic enough in a competition, especially with all your other choices at hand. I really like the Cobalt #1, but then I like fussiness – It might suggest the ancien regime, so maybe the Brits won’t like that these days. Would the French Blue be dramatic enough in a competition?
So, my selection would be Cobalt #2 – at least as you’ve shown the place setting, crystal etc. combos, it really is gorgeous (so are all of your selections). But, you know best, especially as the menu shapes up.
I expect to hear that you’ve won!!
Thanks Susan. I love that combination myself, especially the Venetian goblets. The dinner plates are actually useable, too, as the centre is plain white china. I’ll keep you posted! Thanks for joining in.
#2
Thanks!
My vote would be for the cobalt #2 – but would consider the white and gold depending on the theme you choose.
Whichever you choose have a great time planning and hosting and Good Luck with the competition!!
Thanks Dyanne. Cobalt #2 is certainly is the preference so far!
Has to be Cobalt 2. Striking and elegant. A sure winner! Cheers
Thanks Lynda. It’s the front runner, for sure.
The gold is stunning, but I am partial to Cobalt.
One can never have too much china, glass, or cabinets to store them.
Thanks so much!
Difficult decision indeed! Although I adore the cream soup bowl in “Gold & White”, and various elements on each grouping, my vote is for (drumroll, please!)…Cobalt #2. That really is a tough choice to make because they are all spectacular in their own right. Much like being asked to choose your favorite child! Best wishes as you go forward!
Hi Alycia,
You’ve got so much experience with this type of thing, your input is very much appreciated. I do have cobalt soup cups, but I may employ the one in “gold & white”. Happily everything mixes well… Thanks for weighing in!
Pink is my choice. The two handled soup bowls get me every time! Also spring is not too far away either. All of your choices are drool worthy.
I think soup cups are a highly under rated piece of tableware. They’re great not only for soup, but ice cream, yoghurt or mousse. Like you, Stella, I just adore the little handles. Thanks for voting!
Good luck Helen!
This will be so fun to follow as you pull together the details on short notice. All of the patterns are so formal and elegant. I think that the blue and gold combination on the cobalt #2 has the feel of an official or ‘state’ china and is a little less feminine. The pink flowers In Cobalt #1 adds a little more femininity and is also very regal. Either #1 or #2 would be an amazing table.
Hi Lorri,
I bought those bowls in Cobalt #1 at the same time as the pink Moser glasses. Cobalt was my first foray into “serious” china, I think for the reason you’ve noted – it’s “stately”. Thanks for the vote!
ps. I’ve pulled together the menu and ordered menu cards this morning, which (fingers crossed) should get here on time. I’m chivvying adult children about formal attire and pondering flower arrangements. It’s fun!
It seems I’m outnumbered, but I think the gold and white most closely resemble the dishes from the show. I also think food would photograph well on the plainer plate. Let the flowers and accessories provide the bling! Can I come to the party, so I can travel with you when you win?! Looking forward to seeing your blog post on the party. Good luck!
Thanks for weighing in, Cheryl, and for the good wishes. It’s a tough decision, and you are certainly correct about food appearing best on a light background. It’s why so many restaurants use plain white dishes. I will keep you posted on how it all comes together. Thanks again for participating.
Ms. Kain,
All the choices are lovely. What ever you choose will be a knock out! Try to get a picture of your lovely dogs, included somehow, in tribute to Isis the retriever of Downton Abbey looking forward to seeing this develop and hopefully to reading about how it was to dine a Highclere.
Thanks Elizabeth. That’s a great idea. Happily our guys are fairly senior, and tend to be somewhat well behaved! I got a good start on the table yesterday – the linens, cutlery, plates and glasses. I’m waiting for the menu cards and place cards to arrive today, and also have to track down some Colonial style candles. I don’t use them much any more and the ones I have are unattractive stubs..
Taper candles are getting harder and harder to locate, When I see them I usually buy them by the dozen at least, always white. Candlelight makes everything and everyone look so beautiful.
Creative Candles makes nice ones. https://www.creativecandles.com
And so does Colonial Candles https://colonialcandle.com/collections/tapers
Good luck with all your prep.
Elizabeth
Thank you for those links! I had ordered some from Amazon, but as we’re in Canada, “prime” does not always mean two days. They won’t arrive until Tuesday, much to my chagrin. I managed to find some today at Michael’s. They had to be trimmed to fit into the candlesticks, and I used a whole bunch of that tacky sticky wax on the bottoms to ensure they didn’t topple down and smash a goblet at an inopportune time!
I also wanted to mention that we finally got the second season of Victoria and I was extremely amused at the scene involving Cock a Leekie soup, exactly as you foretold. What an excellent series, is it not?
Thank you again for your interest and support, Elizabeth. I always look forward to chatting with you. 🙂
Kathi is my cousin. She recently told me about your blog. I enjoy reading about your dinner parties. Can’t wait for the next installment. Have fun tomorrow.
So pleased to “meet” you Deanna. Thanks so much for joining us. Kathi is here now, helping away 🙂
Waiting on the edge of my chair for the post-mortem – a HUGE success, for sure. Lots of photos, please. Susan (of the Wedgwood/Thomas Long china)