Party: /ˈpɑːti/ — n, pl -ties. 3. Fun Food

Okay, now for the really fun stuff.  Coming up with food ideas for parties has quickly taken it's place as a favourite activity.  So much room for creativity, even for non-foodies like myself.  Actually when I think about it, I find it immensely satisfying brainstorming party food ideas, but over half of the following dishes were made by someone other than myself...  Namely, Alice the cake making queen...

Generally I try and cover these following categories, but so long as the table is colourful and laden with goodies, the kiddos tend to be happy.  Yeah, this part is SO for me!

Themed Treats

Globe Pops (Travel Party), Pink Pikelets (Pink Flamingo Party), Peanut bucket (Circus Party), Fish & chips (Nautical Party), Grass Clippings (Lawn Mower Party), Garden cupcakes (Lawn Mower Party), Popcorn buckets (Circus Party), Ocean jellies (Nautical Party), pink food (Pink Flamingo Party), Ready Lawn (Lawn Mower Party), Hot Air Balloon cookies (Travel Party), Turf Trifles (Lawn Mower Party).

Sneaky Veges

Bugs on a Log (Lawn Mower Party), vege bowl (Milly Molly Mandy Party), mini veges (Little Ted Party), cucumber sandwiches (Milly Molly Mandy Party), Compost - vege sticks in hummus (Lawn Mower Party), mini veges + sandwiches (Little Ted Party).

Drinks

Milk (Milly Molly Mandy Party), Swell Soda (Travel Party), disco cups (Disco Party), rainbow straws (Drummer Boy Party), hand-stamped paper cups, lemonade (Circus Party), pink drinks (Pink Flamingo Party).

Fun Displays

Mini picnic basket as cake pop stand (Milly Molly Mandy Party), sweets in jars (Circus Party), driftwood cake pop stand (Nautical Party), candy apple twigs (Milly Molly Mandy Party).

Cakes

Lawnmower cake, blue ruffle cake, drummer boy cake, Posy Gets Cozy cake.

Christmas treats

Christmas puddings, chocolate wreaths, DIY ice-cream sundaes, snowmen two ways - rye bread + cream, pikelets + cream.

I haven't gone into any detail here, but if you would like to read more about these parties and the food created, just follow these links:

Nautical birthday party
Lawn Mower birthday party
Pink Flamingo birthday party
Little Ted's Adventure party
Travel birthday party
Little Drummer boy birthday party
Milly Molly Mandy birthday party
Christmas party & North Pole Breakfast

Previous party posts: Birthday Invites & Party Decorations.  

Country Life pt. 2

Eatings.  Before we moved away from the city, we set the lofty goal of trying to source as many local, organic foods as possible, once we hit the countryside*.  In two years, we are still far, far from meeting this goal, but we definitely take pleasure in eating local goods as often as we can.

Neither Zan nor I are particularly gourmet chefs, our fare is simple, and mainly vegetarian.  But it feels soooooo super good to see a plate filled with more local produce than store bought items, and our kids devour these country-style meals.  Some typical summer meals:

We are definitely finding that it is easiest to source vegetables, eggs, seafood and a few little extra treats like garlic and pine nuts (that's my homemade basil/rosemary pesto up there!).  Still on our list is local, free range meat, organic raw milk and cheese.  I hope to start buying locally pressed olive oil too.  Slowly, slowly.

And to balance out all of that greenery, much of this homemade bread.  Much.

And of course, plenty of sugary, processed food slips through.  We are far from sainthood around here.

*Not that living in the countryside really makes much difference, as it is just as easy to source locally grown food in the city.  But anyway...