I'm in over my head
Or how hosting a coursed dinner party based on T. Swift's albums may push me to the brink...
Do you ever have one of those ideas you talk about for weeks, maybe months? Then, your partner in crime talks about it and goes, “man wouldn’t that be fun?” Then, finally, one day, you put a stake in the sand, and the clock starts ticking, you have less time and budget to do it than you thought?
One could argue this is how most great endeavors start, and one wouldn’t be wrong, but this idea is WILD.
Welcome to en’TrAYS: a Fearless Dining Experience with Quite the Reputation.
en'TrAYS is a 9-course fine dining establishment serving a delightful 9-course meal with drink pairings based on Taylor Swift’s albums. A 10th course may be added once Midnight is released. We may even call it a ‘midnight snack.’
This fantastic dining experience will at in our 720-square-foot garden-level (*ahem* basement) apartment in Washington, DC, for my wife’s 28th birthday. All cooked by me! The dress code is simple: all attendees must dress as a version of Taylor Swift (men, women, and other).
RSVPs are rolling in, and we could have anywhere from 6 to 16 people. The fact that we only have 12 places settings and a 6-top are issues to be tackled in another post.
In the next 3 weeks, we will need to do the following:
Cook, plate, and taste all courses - Any that don't work must be replaced
plant easter eggs throughout the dining experience
drinks to be concocted and sampled
playlist to finalized
place setting
sources extra seats, tables, and dishware
decorations
It's a tall order. But I've never backed down from a challenge like this before.
I love a big challenge, and this is the most challenging cooking event I have ever taken on. Remind me later to tell you about the "American Breakfast" I hosted for 50+ International Students.
Make sure to subscribe to my email newsletter to get regular updates about this; I can promise they will be, at a minimum entertaining - because come to a disaster or wild success, this will be a story!