Special meal with special friends

If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with him... the people who give you their food give you their heart.

Cesar Chavez

I have two of the most special friends in the world.  Well, to be honest I have lots of special friends, but these two are extra special.  You know the friends that you can speak to every day and not get bored, or not see in forever and it is exactly like you saw each other yesterday?  I have these friends.  We have known each other since we were little girls and grown up together, prancing around the living room or hanging out at the dance studio, sharing car journeys, gossiping about boys...


I always love seeing them and last weekend, as I was going home for the weekend, it meant that I got to see them.  We arranged a catch up on the Saturday night and so for an early birthday treat they said they would cook for me.  I didn't know the menu and wasn't allowed to bring anything, just myself, in casual attire, at 8.00pm sharp.  (I say 'sharp' if you know my friends and I, we tend to steer away from 'sharp' and more towards late.... 'fashionably late' we like to call it, others not so much!)

I arrived (just after) 8.00pm, was greeted with kisses all round and a glass of prosecco, topped with a dash of elderflower.  The perfect greeting!  After a clink of glasses we made our way into the dining room.

The room was awash with twinkling light!  The girls had covered the entire dining room in beautiful candles and laid the most delicious spread of food on the table - these girls know me too well!

We gossiped and caught up whilst gorging on a feast of favourites!  

Starter was a magnum of prosecco   (yes I didn't even know then existed either, apparently Sainsburys is the place to go for one!) 

...accompanied with plates of cured hams, olives, foccacia, humous, falafel and a very naughty, yet delicious, triple layer port pate served with caramelised onion chutney.

Main was again one of my favourites, Chicken Caesar salad, done just the way I like it - chicken, pancetta, caramalised onion, romaine lettuce, parmesan and lots of dressing!  All accompanied with a delightful bottle of red (Malbec of course!). 

Dessert consisted of the most indulgent (wheat free) chocolate cake that the girls had researched and spent the day baking.  It was incredible!  Served up with strawberries it was the perfect cake - rich, moist and GF! Nigella's couldn't beat it!

It was the most indulgent, thoughtful and fun night that I could have asked for!  I do love a night out, but sometimes all you really need is a girls night in and home comforts...