Chef Jean-Daniel Bourgeacq arrives with his wood-fired grill to enchant us all with Paella in the Garden.
An enchanting afternoon of food and friendship in our delightful garden. Join us as we come together to celebrate the joy of community, where everyone contributes to creating a memorable experience. Immerse yourself in the beauty of nature, savor delicious dishes, and enjoy heartfelt conversations with friends old and new. Your presence will surely make this gathering even more special. {An excerpt from our Garden Party invite}
Every now and then, we experience moments that are magical in every way. I have realized that most often, these moments are born from something unexpected or out of a plan that turned out differently than I had envisioned. The magic exists in those serendipitous events that create a rhythm of fun and take us out of everyday and into a dreamy perspective. These moments are always much better and more enchanting than ever could have been imagined.
Staying connected with friends and family can be difficult when working in the food business. My thoughts and ideas always revolve around planning a get-together or a delicious meal, but often it’s for someone else. Many people enjoy my advice on meal planning, but it is vital to me that I maintain a connection with my own friends and family as well. These traditions and customs are patterns and practices that tend to slip away if we do not set the standards when our children are young and continue to maintain them along the way. Lifestyle and family bonds are influenced by our own childhood traditions. Generations form a bond by making it a priority to gather together, especially around a table. This is how love is shared. This is how the rituals and traditions of the past are built upon, remembered, and improved. Repeating the rhythms from our childhood and upholding the tradition of gathering together is sacred.
Planning for a special dinner party began in August when I contacted my friend Chef Jean-Daniel to help me cook dinner for eighteen guests. Jean-Daniel is a talented chef and the owner of Paella and Co. Jean has custom-built a wood-fired grill that accommodates a large paella pan, and it happens to be a magical experience. An interactive dinner party!
“We were together. I forget the rest.”
Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass. {The original version, Day by day and night by night we were together–all else has long been forgotten by me.}
This particular summer on Long Island had been spectacular; therefore, I couldn’t help but dream about a dinner party to celebrate in the garden with a few of our favorite people. I dreamed of a beautiful, sparkling Sunday afternoon with cocktails in the garden and a delicious paella that Chef Jean-Daniel would fire up on his large grill. We would serve it at a long table scattered with flowers and candles, set under the trees. I was feeling enchantment.
Thankfully, I had an “if then” plan because the day of our enchanted dinner party began with buckets of sparkling raindrops that continued for most of the day! Plans for how the setup would take place needed to be rearranged. A message needed to be sent to all of the guests to come prepared, wearing raincoats and wellies! The show must go on!
The most beautiful thing and the lesson learned from this uplifting day was that we must plan ahead, but always be ready to shift gears. We must be excited for the moments, make the effort to prepare and imagine, and then let the day unfold. Enjoy the unexpected, because I can attest to its beauty. Every one of our guests arrived in comfy clothing — rain boots, raincoats, sweaters, and umbrellas — ready to enjoy our afternoon together despite the rainy weather. It truly was a beautiful and profound afternoon for me. Anthony and I felt the love and affection from all of our friends and our boys that afternoon as we enjoyed the delicious paella and gathered around the enchanting table.
The key to a successful dinner party is having a knight in shining armor by your side…I am lucky to have Anthony, who never lets me down and is a spectacular co-host for party planning! Before the party, he hung extra twinkle lights and prepared an epic charcuterie board, while also helping me manage all the last-minute details.
You must also have an upbeat, exciting invitation. I designed this one using Canva and then added it to an online digital invite program. By doing this, everyone could see the guest list and have an idea of what the evening would include.
A fun menu allows guests to see what they will be indulging in. I asked each guest to bring or be responsible for a specific item. This was fun for all, and kept things simple for me!
Jean-Daniel was kind enough to share his paella recipes with all of us. There is a Ratatouille version, which is perfect if you are serving vegetarian guests. The Pork Shoulder Ratatouille is a delicious option for your meat eaters. The beauty is that with two separate pans, you can simmer both while making everyone on your guest list feel welcome!
I have included both recipes as a PDF at the link so you may all try them at home. If you don’t have a paella pan, you can make paella in a large, deep-sided sauté pan right on your stovetop!
Before the busy holiday season begins at our market, Anthony and I would like to thank all of you for your continued love and support of our small family business. Each year, we become more immersed in our community, and we hope to share and return the love you all bring to us! We are deeply grateful.
Chowfancy!
With Much love,
Anthony & Keri
#thebutcherslife
If you would like to contact Chef Jean-Daniel Bourgeacq, you can find his info here
Chowfancy 