We have a tradition with friends that, once or sometimes twice a year, we stay with them at their beach house, and indulge in a seven-course tasting menu, or degustation menu. My friend does three courses, I do three courses, and we share the cheese course. The guys provide the entertainment.
It was a warm, very humid day and evening. As night fell, the heady scent of the jasmine just outside their door wafted in. Our host had a great playlist set up for us to enjoy. Tui flitted in and around their garden, and pukeko stalked up from the stream too. The baby thrushes in the nest in the wisteria chirped for food. Eventually, so did we all. We had agreed on a Summer Elegance theme, celebrated the New Year with some good bubbles, and ended some hours later with some limoncello and a crazily indulgent Special Occasion Chocolate Mousse Cake. We laughed a lot. It was all delightful.
Mali's Daily Delights 