Mrs Fiddlesticks
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Roving Supper PartyOur village does this event annually. Went to a very succesful one last night.
If you've not been to one, or think it is something that would work in your community would you be interested in some hints and tips for making it work?
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Andrea
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It sounds like a lovely idea. I very much doubt I'd ever get one organised, but I'd love to hear more about it.
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Pilsbury
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so how does it work then? never heard of it but with the distinct lack of community sprit in my neighbour hood it might be an idea
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alison
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We used to do one at my old church, with different housegroups, moving round to other groups houses, and other groups.
It is an excellent way of getting to know people you are on "hello" terms with.
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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A roving supper party is where you have a different course at a different house.
We have an educational trust charity in the village so funds went to that so it makes a good fundraising event but you could organise it with a group of friends.
We paid £12.50 each for a ticket and there were 30 of us (but there has been up to 45) Two women co-ordinate it and seek hosts for the courses; checking how many you can sit and what you can offer ( starter, mains or puds)
We started at a central point in the village which is the manor with drinks and nibbles. At this you're given a sheet with your name on it telling you where you're going for each course - up until this point you've no idea. Ditto if hosting other than numbers you've no idea who's coming.
Partners are split up at this point and unless hosting a course won't see each other until coffee.
No woman wanders the village between courses on her own, so we are all accompanied by one person from the previous course which may be male or female and this is clearly detailed on the sheet so everyone knows. There are some cars about for the less mobile.
Timings are not strict more of a guideline but they work pretty well
7.30pm meet for drinks at the manor and get sheet
8.00 - 8.45pm starter
8.45pm - 9.45pm mains
9.45pm -10.30pm pud
10.30pm all end up at another central house for coffee and liquers
No culinary showing off is necessary, casserole and baked spuds for main are fine as is cooking it in front of guests when they get there as was done last night since an hour is a long time to eat a main course in.
In two cases last night a house was used twice for courses but hosted by different people. So a mains was served and hosted by the owner followed by a dessert course in the same house hosted by someone else entirely ( the owners weren't even in that particular course) it worked partly because there was a teenage daughter on hand to re- lay tables in between.
Its run annually but at various times of year to take advantage of different seasonal cooking and to vary whether you're wandering around the lanes in the dark or dusk.
Great fun and as Alison says a great way to meet people and share a meal with them.
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Andrea
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That sounds superb, but astonishingly complex to organise.
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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| Andrea wrote: | | That sounds superb, but astonishingly complex to organise. |
the ladies have been doing it for 6-7 years and they sort it out by allocating coloured dots to each guest and then plot where everyone needs to be -starting with the hosts since the spouses need to be in the same place for a course.
It takes an evening and a bottle of wine but it does work out. Obviously I can't reproduce the sheet on here as it has names and addresses.
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