Games Night # 1

It's been a while, I know. Is anyone still there? Hi.

Here's what's new in the world of Jass & Meen.

Our little jam company, Sticky Spoon, is growing and, though it is definitely a lot of hard work, it has been a blast. My days currently revolve around fruit ordering and processing, inventories, business plans and excel spreadsheets. My email account, which used to be mainly filled with news from friends and updates from my favourite stores and websites, is now dedicated to correspondence with graphic designers, printer companies, farmers, orders from retail stores and restaurants as well as requests for wedding favours. Can you believe how quickly life changes. Though we are still an extremely tiny business, orders are coming in and I am so grateful for every single one of them. Let's keep them coming.

In the past few months, when my head was spinning and when I needed to take a time out, I turned to Kinfolk magazine. I ordered the first two issues some time in the Fall and they came in the best packaging ever; brown paper package tied up with string, one that would make Maria von Trapp sing of her favourite things. It actually took me two days to bring myself to open it. I kept walking around with it, moving the package from one place to the next and just staring at it with satisfaction.

This January, during a short weekend getaway to Seattle, I sat down on the hotel bed in the middle of the afternoon, in between a leisurely lunch and happy hour, and I read both issues back to back. Friends, I can tell you that was the most relaxed I felt in months. Ok, so the glass of wine with lunch may have helped but, in my opinion, that is the way Kinfolk magazine was meant to be read, slowly and with attention given to every page.

I read about food, people who love to eat and cook for their loved ones, those who gather around a table and take the time to enjoy what is in front of them. I was envious of their amazing meals, fabulous friends and relaxing lifestyle until I realized that bringing friends to the dinner table and feeding them tasty meals and plenty to drink is something that I actually do fairly regularly. I too have fantastic friends who love to eat, drink and hang out.

We may not have weekly dinners but I do invite everyone over whenever I can and every time we see each other we hug, toast to good friends and we all say we should do this more often. Sometimes we spend a week preparing an elaborate four course meal for ten people and other nights, we adopt the Kinfolk attitude of simplicity, serve a few snacks and casually sit around the living room table to chat. Last month, on a particularly stormy Sunday night, we started our own tradition with our first Games Night.

There were oysters (shuck your own, not as fancy as it sounds), veggies and chips with caramelized onion dip (a must for any games night), dates stuffed with taleggio cheese and mini tarts filled with cheese and herbs and garnished with oven roasted tomatoes. We stuffed endive with blue cheese, apples, pecans, celery and even baked spicy chicken wings. None of these took very long to make and items were just sitting in the fridge, waiting to be heated up throughout the night whenever the table seemed a little low of goodies.

photo: A. Dean

photo: A. Dean

It's not a real Games Night without a big pitcher of boozy cocktail but, determined to keep things casual, I simply left it on the bar and let everyone pour as they see fit.

With the fire roaring, we sat around the table, ate and played games for hours. It is amazing how competitive people get, even those you would least expect. (I got so involved that I forgot to take photos of the food so thanks A. Dean for snapping away with your iPhone.)

Having a dinner party that isn't perfectly planned and decorated is certainly something that I need to work on. I could learn a thing or two from Kinfolk. If i could really, truly wrap my head around that concept, perhaps I would have friends over more regularly. Even though I aim for casual and unpretentious, I still get carried away with the desire to pull out my favourite linen and buy new serving platters. I need to forget the mini tarts and the stuffed dates, I'm sure my friends would be more than happy to come over and have tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Hum....not a bad idea. Anyone for a grilled cheese party? Why not...