Collaboration

Ever since I joined their family 17 years ago, My Beloved's daughters have collaborated on presents for me. They are often very creative gifts, ones that no one else would think of. Like my birthday picnic basket delivered by Katie halfway through a busy (for her) day. Inside was a whole birthday dinner, complete with hors d'oeuvres of olives and cheeses; makings for a butter lettuce salad with burrata; main course of bavette steak and asparagus; and dessert of a dark chocolate bar with crisped rice inside. (There were also two lovely sausages included, which we froze for later). And a bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne, my all-time favorite.

I'm not sure which one of them dreamed up the idea, but this year they included My Beloved in the fun - he cooked and served the whole dinner, a challenge on our little two-burner countertop stove. 

I got to open the champagne - our tradition with champagne openings is to go out on the deck and shoot the cork out as far as it will go down the hill. I love the idea that the next owner will find champagne corks all over the bottom garden. This bottle holds the house record - a personal best - it reached clear to the street and rebounded off the pavement!

We sat down to candlelight and champagne in the beautiful flutes he gave me several years ago and savored a wonderful dinner collaboration.