Keep Calm...

My brother, two of my cousins, and one cousin’s baby daughter invited themselves over for lunch today. That sounds worse than it was – my brother called and said, “We thought we might stop by next weekend,” and I said, “Lunch or dinner?”

Then, worrying that I’d been too abrupt on the phone, and they might not think we were delighted for them to come (which we were) I sent invitations, asking them to a Whitley-style Sunday Lunch.

My maternal grandparents, Olwyn and Elfed Whitley, had their four children, their husbands and wives, and the eight grandchildren round for a Sunday lunch at HQ every week throughout my childhood. When they started to get older, it became every other week, or we’d have big celebrations at my mother or aunt’s house instead.

Even now they’ve passed on, the family still makes sure it gets together for big events, usually at Sunday lunchtime, and now featuring grandchildren’s spouses, partners and children. We’re really quite numerous at this point, and many of us live far away from Wales (we're almost four hours drive, as are my cousins in London) but we all make the effort to be together for the big occasions.

Anyway, so when I was trying to decide what to feed my guests, since we were right at the end of our food budget for the month, I thought, “How on earth did Grandma do it? How do Mum and Dad do it now?”

And then I realised. They cook our favourite, traditional, heritage dishes – sometimes more, sometimes less. So I started making a list.

Today’s Menu:


Starters

Tuna pate on toast

(This was the start of every Sunday at HQ, because people never arrived at the same time, and it was something easy for everyone to nibble on. An appropriately aged grandchild – usually me or my brother - was nominated pate monitor on arrival, and had to make it and hand it round.)

Mains

Mum’s Devilled Chicken Drumsticks
Dad’s Rice Salad
Grandma’s Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Auntie Barbara’s Shallot Tart
Green salad
Bread
Crisps

(We will be eating leftovers for the next few days...)

Dessert

Brought by my guests!

Chocolate pudding and cream
Emma’s fairy cakes

(I also bought after dinner chocolates to pass round, like we always did at HQ, but I’ve just realised I forgot them and they’re still in the cupboard. Bother.)


I made the potatoes on Wednesday, because they freeze really well, and reheat in 40 minutes. The chicken I marinated last night, so it just needed roasting today. The tart was new for me, but turned out well. And everything else was very straightforward, and was prepared before people arrived. I love having family round, and realise now why my family have always catered in this way. And after so many years of helping Mum and Dad, or Grandma and Granddad, prepare, I found I knew exactly what needed to be done.

And now I’m having a cup of peppermint tea and a rest.