Blueback

This party was beautiful - and we were able to share it with grandparents, who arrived with table decor in their carry-ons!

Luckily, my kids like to collect sticks (if you know, you know) and we had several pieces of driftwood perched on top of the china cabinet that became the center of our ocean-themed tablescape.  A quick ask in my Buy Nothing group scored me three conch shells, and my dad gifted us his treasured dolphins and shark from his tropical scuba diving days.  Finally, I made mints shaped like shells for the dessert platter and feature a small blue porcelain fish.

Some of the menu came straight from the book:

Abel laid the kelp around the fig trees and the apricots.  There were orange and lemon trees in the orchard as well as olives and mulberries.  Every row of trees jangled with bells to keep away the birds.

That evening they had a feast on the cool verandah.  The table bristled with crayfish and abalone.  They ate squid and urchin eggs, apricots, grapes and melons.  Cold champagne frosted their glasses and sweated on the driftwood table.

Having absolutely no experience preparing abalone (remember, I come from Kansas after all) I reached out to a friend who studied in Australia for a year and married an Australian.  Per her advice, we prepared Aussie burgers, which feature a fried egg, pineapple rings, and sliced beets.  While not the most aesthetically pleasing presentation, they were absolutely delicious, and I highly recommend!  

I rounded out the menu with a trip to World Market where I picked up Australian soda and cookies.