Pergola Party report...

Well, the week-end party to launch the pergola went really well - a great time was had by all! As a dry run for my sister's party in August it was mightily successful - even though it was anything but dry, as copious amounts of wine was consumed (nice Spanish Rueda (white) - Basa, and a Chilian Carmenere (red), along side some Macon Uzichy Chardonnay and some Chiant Classico). Things kicked off around 3pm, with most people getting here between then and 4.30. Last guests to leave the house toddled off around midnight - except for two who ended up spending the night with us and left around 5pm the next day!

On the food front, well - it was simple rather than complicated, with lots of antipasti and salads, roasted veg and tztaziki, with some great focaccia brought by my friend Dave and some lovely desserts brought by Mary and Reg - a magnificent meringue roulade and an equally lovely elderberry champagne fresh fruit jelly. My mother had also made some of her famous brown bread and she had brought flowers - as did a few others!

The impact of the pergola - or it really should be more accurately called a gazebo! - was all that it should have been. It added another dimension to the whole event, with it being used all evening until about 1pm, when we regrouped inside in the house. Tealights were lit around 9pm, and people sat outside telling stories and planning more evenings there - the next one, I was informed by one of my sisters and a really good friend of mine will be a musical evening - they are really into music with my friend having been part of a really good band at one stage called Tanglewood, and my sister taking part in various light opera and musicals in recent years...

As a rule of thumb, the one-bottle-of-wine per head worked well, and averaged out almost exactly right. I had lots of sparkling water, and also had some fresh fruit juices which when mixed with some sparkling water was a welcome option for people later on.