I love to entertain. It’s in my blood. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of hearing laughter in the living room combined with the smells and aroma in the kitchen.

 

I remember my parents inviting total strangers into our home. At first, when people would come through the door it was a little awkward. But handing them a homemade meal on a real plate with real silverware opened up the opportunity for a meaningful conversation and stories that could make you friends for a lifetime. To this very day, people will tell me that my parents invited them over for a meal, and they never forgot it. 

 

As a child, to me this was a true act of love. We learned it in church. Philia love. An affectionate bond in friendships, characterized by mutual respect, trust and a deep emotional connection. We called it "fellowship."

 

We need more of this today.

 

We never had a big budget. It was simple and we didn’t overthink the menu. We’d roast a few chickens and cut them up and put them on a platter, making you feel like you were at a five-star San Francisco restaurant (although I’d never been to one). We’d shuck corn in the garage, bring it in and cut it off the cob and sauté it in butter, then decorate the huge pile of golden kernels with fresh herbs. My aunt would pick huge, ripe red tomatoes from her garden and with a simple toss of salt and pepper, they were the most beautiful and colorful side dish on the plate. And while we were cooking, the men would sit and laugh at the kitchen table (I’d eavesdrop) and crack walnuts so we’d have a big pile in a bowl to share.

 

My brother would make a cake. And my mom would pull out the punch bowl.

 

We were ready for a party.

 

Fresh, real and clean food. Delicious.

 

So, when the Wayzata Garden Club asked Tim and me to host the main event this year (dinner and a tour of our gardens), after many requests I took a breath and said “yes.” I committed to feeding 130 guests. And show our gardens to passionate gardeners. Was I nuts? I’d have a few months to think about how I'd do it.

 

As many of you know, Tim and I do all the gardening. And that's when I decided to do all of the cooking.

 

Of course the club offered to have it catered. It’s always catered. And I really do think they were nervous that I was going to attempt to make all the food. If I got too nervous, a catering company would be my fall-back, but I hoped I could do it myself. So I asked for the budget. Here we go.

 

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t lose sleep over this. I did. The most I’ve ever cooked for (at one time) is 50 people, and I know what it entails. So, I started visualizing everything . . . from the moment the guests would arrive, to the moment they would walk back down the street to their car at the end of the evening. 

 

I made lists, and lists, and lists. I had to decide what to serve, how much to purchase, when to make it, and how to move 130 people efficiently through a line. Not to mention . . . how to create a party atmosphere and HAVE FUN.

 

 

Speaking of which . . . I decided to have a theme for my party. Kentucky Derby. Wear hats! There is just something about theme parties that unites people, makes people laugh, and ignites a good conversation. People that never speak to each other find something to talk about when there is a theme. "I like your hat!"

 

A month before the party, I put the menu in a gold frame and looked at it every day in my office.

 

 

My goal was to serve pretty food at room temperature. Something light, but plentiful. So I decided on a decadent Romaine wedge salad with Balsamic roasted filet (or chicken), accompanied by tossed cherry tomatoes with basil from my garden and Maldon salt, corn-off-the-cob, fresh figs with Minnesota honey . . . and pistachios, dates, dried apricots and blue cheese to top it off. And, of course, a big bowl of walnuts.

 

 

I made place cards for all the platters and visualized how it would look on my table. For three weeks I thought about how I would physically make all the food, what day, and quantities. I made two trips to my all-time favorite place, Costco. . . once for the non-perishable items, and then two days before the party I picked up all the fresh items. 

 

I bought an entire wheel of delicious Iowa Maytag blue cheese from our local grocery store and solicited Tim to help in the kitchen. The "star of the show" would be the buttermilk Maytag dressing, adapted from Kincaid's Restaurant (which I have worked on and edited for over 20 years). We took my typical recipe for 50 people and tripled it, which meant ten quart jars of dressing. (In the end, I had three jars leftover, which made beautiful gifts for my helpers.)

 

 

 

The night before the party my committee members delivered all the tables, glasses, and plates. Real plates. Real silverware (except dessert). They set up a cute mint julep stand to compliment my derby theme. 

 

 

That day I cut corn off the cob . . . all day . . . 130 ears of corn (one for each person), and sauteed it in butter with a few sweet peppers.

 

Just like old times.

 

 

The day of the party, I roasted 10 filet tenderloins and de-boned six chickens. I picked up three sheet cakes frosted with orange, purple and pink beautiful flowers (the same colors in my gardens). And prepared a huge pot of decaf coffee to brew at the end of the evening.

 

 

My dear friends Jeanie Hrbek Burns and Dave Hermann, and my sister-in-law Kim Line showed up right on time at 3:00 PM to beautifully platter everything for the table. To top it off, my favorite musicians (Carolyn Boulay and Merilee Klemp) hit the downbeat of orchestral music for the evening.

 

Champagne was iced.

 

We were ready for a party. 

 

 

Tim met all the guests on the street and helped park cars. I greeted and welcomed everyone in the driveway. Before I knew it, all the guests were going through my buffet line commenting on and complimenting the food, and most importantly, having fun.

 

That night, as people exited the party, they were able to take home a wonderful newly released coffee table book on the largest and most exquisite private gardens in the country, from my dear friend Wally Marx (who was a surprise honorary guest that evening). It was a bonus and everyone stood in line to get his autograph. 

 

 

The food was a hit, the hats were a hit. Our gardens were best ever. 

 

It was quite the party. 

 

Fellowship.

 

New friends . . .  and new memories . . .  for a lifetime.

 

The hostess with the mostest. 

 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phillippians 4:13)

 

Photo of Lorie above was taken by Tim as he was running out to help park the guests.

Lorie's hat was made by London designer Peter Bettley and she purchased it 30 years ago at SAKS Fifth Avenue in San Francisco. It was this trip where she first learned about five-star restaurants.

The party came in $1000 below budget (the caterer was very affordable!).

Thanks to Anne Johnson and Kelly Harrington for working with me (my WGC committee members).

Party photos were taken by Jeanie Hrbek Burns.

 

 

The Dessert Room (which is actually Tim's office during the day). Chocolate or white cake frosted with flowers to match the gardens.

 

 

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Dear Fans,

Complimentary to my latest THE QUEENS album, this project celebrates legendary men in music over the years and features 14 songs on a CD and in a Music Book. OVER 100 PAGES AND ONE HOUR OF MUSIC!

CD $15 MUSIC BOOK $35

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Dear Fans,

Each month we offer our Lorie Line Linebackers a FREE MUSIC DOWNLOAD. 

DOWN IN THE RIVER TO PRAY  (from Heritage III)

AUGUST'S FREE SHEET MUSIC OF THE MONTH! 

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