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Show Thoughts From The Garden... by Tonya LeMone "All great change in America begins at the dinner table...." Dinner time in our home is a valued and memorable time, has been and probably always will be. I think it stems from the idea I had in my mind as a young girl that the All American Family was always pictured at the dinner table eating together and engaged in happy conversation. At our dinner table, when all the children were home, I would quietly look around the table and feel so deeply the joy of our family that it would nearly make my heart ache. I would also feel the emptiness when a member of the family was missing. It was at our dinner table where we made family announcements, whether good or not so good news. We had contests throwing a tinfoil ball in a cup to make a decision about whether or not to get a VCR. Changes in our family were also discussed at the dinner table and whether or not it affected the outcome of what happens in America. I do not know, but I do believe it shaped our lives individually which, I guess, ultimately could have made a change in America. Because of my feelings for the joy of the dinner meal, I was prompted to do a dinner party and invite complete strangers to our home to share good food and an evening of memory making in the garden. The first eight people who e-mailed me were to become my dinner quests in the garden with candles everywhere and the sunset would orchestrate, on queue, the forthcoming of the dessert. What a wonderful occasion that night was for me, which made me wonder why we don't do dinner party's more? Why do we not invite friends to gather and have an intimate meal and a great evening of discussion? Are we in too busy? Is it too time consuming? For me that evening was a journal worthy evening to be able to cook and break bread with new friends ' who happened to be my dinner guests for one evening. The preparations and planning took days, actually months because I tried numerous recipes and researched long hours to be certain to serve the right thing for my guests. The timing and presentation of the meal was the utmost of importance, maybe second. The food had to taste exceptional as well. After my planning and decision on a menu,, the evening arrived. What fun I had dressing the table making the flower arrangements and picking fresh from the garden the bounty's we are enjoying. The fresh tomato-tarragon soup, chicken parmesan on a bed of warm wilted spinach, and fresh angle hair pasta with a beurre-blanc beurre-blanc sauce and the accent of the caramelized carrots just makes my mouth water now as I am writing this. Then.... 1 the rains came just as we moved into the main course and if rain wasn't enough, a small tornadomicro burst joined us at a very inopportune time, and we had to run for safety between the thunder claps and lightening bolts which completely destroyed my idea of a candle lit evening in the garden as we ate our panna cotta and lemon souffle for dessert. Our dinner guests ranged in age from 30 something to 80 something. Among the guests was a belly dancer (which could have been the entertainment between courses, and the rain and lightening had I planned better), a world traveler yoga instructor, an editor of a very fine paper, a newly engaged couple, a retired couple who later told me this was her birthday dinner, and as my assistance a very competent, new mother. It has been said that the difference between a dinner and a dinner party is in the planning, how the invitation is extended, if the food is something not normally cooked or it takes ingredients not normally on hand. A dinner party likely includes close friends, and special attention to details and extra effort is put into setting the table. I have always been one to step outside the "box" especially when it comes to dinner and I am not sure my dinnerdinner party meets any criteria or that it could possibly change America, but it certainly changed my life to get to know eight new people and to hear of the joys and trials they all have gone through and how they have endured through it all and could share so willingly the fine details of their lives that evening in the garden. Thank you to my dinner party friends. That was a memorable evening for me and your sweet notes of thank you I will read and re-read then tuck them away for future generations to read, and maybe, if that future generation thinks something in this country of ours need to be changed, it will be a discussion at their dinner table. See you in the Garden |