"Surprise" Dinner Party

So last Friday was my one year anniversary back here in Banchory. Not that I've spent a full year in Scotland -- adjust for days spent out of the country, and day # 365 will be on 17 November ...

It was a momentous day, marked by a proper dinner party -- though not for me -- for friend Peter (on the far right...) as a send-off for his time in Florence. Craig and Paula planned the event --

my task was to blow the surprise (which by all rights I should have succeeded in doing. Default question from here on out with every invitation: "Is this a surprise?"). I found out Thurs. night just after saying to Pete "see you tomorrow at Paula's".

Second surprise was sprung on Friday morning -- discovered that I was in charge of appetizers! Which leads to the really momentous part of the day. For the first time since I moved here a year ago (figuratively speaking), everything that I made turned out as planned -- better even. Thanks to buttermilk. (Only time I've ever found buttermilk at Tesco!) The key ingredient to a perfectly magenta Borscht for the 3rd course! Also introduced wasabi to friends here -- most notably James, who decided he'd try eating all of his at once! Few things make me feel more at home than helping to pull off a fancy dinner party.

And please don't anyone tell Mr. Oliver that I STILL can't remember all 5 of the Great Lakes. Missed it in 6th grade geography AND Nicola's fabulous quiz. Only this time is was Erie I forgot -- not Huron.