TABLE TALK #71
Today, we’re talking about hosting. No doubt the very mention of the word has brought some of you out in cold sweats, whilst for others, it’s their natural habitat.
🍡 AMUSE-BOUCHES 🍡
Eat: A list of London’s best Sunday roasts we can finally get on board with.
Reflect: Keen to escape the rat race? Reflections on #VanLife here.
Drink: Carthusian monks are cutting back on their Chartreuse production.
🍝 MAIN COURSE 🍝
Historically, having people over for a meal was no small feat. 90s cookbooks are jammed full of overly complicated recipes that were designed to wow slightly sozzled onlookers, underscoring their host’s culinary credentials. To host friends was a feat of endurance, requiring days of preparation, a strict schedule and unending grace whilst presenting your guests with whatever you’d managed to burn or horribly over-season that evening.
History suggests that societies have a habit of swinging from one end of the spectrum to another, so a survey last year that suggested the phrase “dinner party” was passé and that hosting was out seemed sad, but unsurprising. In an era when it feels like most of us are operating at full capacity, the idea of slaving away in the kitchen to feed a few ungrateful friends feels like the least of our worries.
Not all dinner parties need to look like this
The thing is, having friends or family over for a meal need not be that hard or that expensive. The internet and our social media feeds are awash with cheap and easy meals that can be knocked up for a group, and you could even ask guests to bring a course or agree in advance that you’re going to get a takeaway and split the cost after.
The point is that hosting has only ever been partially about the food. Sure, it’s important, but far less so than making your guests feel welcome, catching up with friends and having the chance to enjoy the homes that such a vast proportion of our hard-earned cash goes into.
🍮 SWEET ENDINGS 🍮
Ever wondered where Wednesday's Domaine came from?
🍷 WHAT'S NEW
FROM
WEDNESDAY'S DOMAINE? 🍷
Ever wondered where the idea for Wednesday’s Domaine came from? Check out this short video and stay tuned for more of the same next Monday, when we’ll be covering the origins of our name.
See you next week,
The Wednesday’s Domaine Team x
