As I write this post, I realize just how hungry I am. The fact that someone in my neighborhood is barbequing right now (and the aroma is making my stomach growl) isnt helping any. And with such an appropriate opening, it is only fitting that I begin this post.
barbecue
(Merriam-Webster OnLine Dictionary)
Variant(s): also bar·be·que
Function: noun
Etymology: American Spanish barbacoa framework for supporting meat over a fire, probably from Taino
1 : a large animal (as a steer) roasted whole or split over an open fire or a fire in a pit; also : smaller pieces of barbecued meat
2 : a social gathering especially in the open air at which barbecued food is eaten
3 : an often portable fireplace over which meat and fish are roasted
The second definition is my personal favorite:
"a social gathering especially in the open air at which barbecued food is eaten." Ms. Merriam Webster sure was one smart cookie when she added that definition to her dictionary. And I was one smart cookie when I decided to use her definition as the framework for my dinner party.
"A social gathering especially in the open air at which barbecued food is eaten." I really liked that one.
Lets take a look at some photographs that the Disney photographer took at the dinner party to see if any match Ms. Websters definition. I think this one might do:
click here. That is definitely a
social gathering especially in the open air, dont you agree? And what about the second part of Merriams definition:
at which barbecued food is eaten? Will this one do:
click here? Yes, I think that one will do quite nicely [typed as Janets stomach continues to growl with hunger].
Lets get off the subject of food for a moment (before I have to crash my neighbors barbeque) and check back in with my Banquet and Events Order (BEO) to see how closely reality had been mimicking theory at the Summerhouse dinner party.
Page 2 had listed the following schedule:
- - - - - - - - - -
Event Agenda:
6:30 PM 9:30 PM SUMMERHOUSE BBQ
4:30 PM Power Drop & Set Up
6:00 PM 6:30 PM Arrival time of Guests
6:15 PM 6:20 PM Character arrives at Marina for Float Boat
6:30 PM Event starts
6:35 PM Character arrives via Float Boat at Summerhouse
6:35 PM 7:05 PM Traditional Mickey Appearance
7:05 PM Character departs via Trolley
7:05 PM 8:20 PM Dinnertime
8:30 PM 8:45 PM Depart for Marina West
8:30 PM Bartender Departs for Next Set
8:45 PM 9:30 PM Desserts at Marina West
- - - - - - - - - -
Theory vs. Reality, Part 2
The schedule had Mickey Mouse visiting the Summerhouse from approximately 6:35 PM to 7:05 PM. Since that was exactly what he did, reality had once again matched theory. I think by now it should be pretty obvious that my Grand Floridian Convention Services Cast Member and his wonderful team certainly knew their stuff when it came to planning a private function. Their timing was right on the mark.
I should take a moment to note that there was no dire need to match the BEO schedule
exactly. When I had first set foot on the patio of the Summerhouse, my Convention Services Cast Member had approached me. He knew that Floridafams husband had participated in the Florida Half-Ironman Triathlon earlier that day and was going to be attending an afternoon triathlon ceremony with his family. Because of that simple fact, there was a real possibility that his family wouldnt be able to make it to the dinner party by the official starting time of 6:30 PM. Since my Cast Member knew how important it was that
all of my guests were present for Mickey Mouses arrival, he told me that he could hold off on Mickey until after the family had arrived. I cant tell you folks how relieved I was to hear that. It would have broken my heart if Floridafams son and daughter had missed Mickey Mouse. And wouldnt you know it, as soon as the pressure had been taken off regarding Mickeys arrival, Floridafams family had arrived at the Summerhouse. And
early to boot. The partys schedule was able to move forward as planned.
Once Mickey Mouse had departed the Summerhouse for the Magic Kingdom, it was time for everyone to get down to the important business at hand
dinner (click here). According to the BEO, dinner was scheduled from approximately 7:05 PM to 8:20 PM. An hour and fifteen minutes may sound like a lot of time for eating but this was a summer barbeque and there were
plenty of vittles to chow down on. Plus, our vittles were being prepared specially
to order and that added a little overhead to the chow time. The one thing my party had in its favor was that my dinner guests were
hungry (click here). (You can almost hear their stomachs growling in that photo.) And knowing that they were hungry gave me the assurance that I needed an hour and fifteen minutes was going to be sufficient time to completely fill their bellies full of food.
The patio area was soon filled with the delicious aromas of freshly grilling meats and vegetables:
click here. With smells like that leading the way, it didnt take long for everyone to find their way to the dinner table. And even though our waiter was more than willing to serve us, everyone grabbed their own plate because that is how its supposed to be at a barbeque
help yourself.
Some folks began filling their plates at the salad table:
click here. While other folks went straight for the gusto and began at the grill:
click here. You couldnt go wrong no matter where you started the food was delectable.
Speaking of the food stations, I thought Id describe how they were decorated. The salad table was topped with a wooden barrel, an animal skull, a bale of hay, and a milk can:
click here. The grilling station was decorated with a wooden barrel, an animal skull, and various plants:
click here. Both food stations were awash in color with their checkered linens:
click here. Those red and white linens looked striking against the green landscaping and the blue lagoon. My Convention Services Cast Member and his staff had outdone themselves. I was definitely tickled pink with how beautifully suitable everything looked. If I had decorated the patio area myself, I could not have done a better job. Again, when the details are left in the hands of the professionals, wondrous things will happen.
Its time for another
theory versus reality check. I assure you, I had fun with this one.
Theory vs. Reality, Part 3
Page 2 of the BEO stated the following information:
- - - - - - - - - -
Catering Food & Beverage
6:30pm 9:30pm: SUMMERHOUSE BBQ
Mixed Garden Greens with Assorted Dressing & Toppings
Grilled Spicy Shrimp (Prepared on Stage)
Vegetable Kabobs
Blackened Chicken Salad with Cavatappi Pasta
Traditional Southern Cole Slaw
T-Bone Steaks (Prepared on Stage and to guest orders)
Roasted Chicken
Smoked BBQ Ribs
Baked Potatoes with all the Fixins
Three Bean Salad
Roasted Corn on the Cob (Pulled Husk still attached Prepared on Stage)
Corn Bread
Baked Beans with Cured Bacon
Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, Assortment of Hot Teas, Iced Tea
*Please note several items prepared on stage
- - - - - - - - - -
I was itching to find out how closely reality would match theory in the food department. And believe me, folks, I was only doing this for you. If it werent for you folks, I probably wouldnt have eaten a thing that night (and if you believe that, I have some swampland to sell you in Florida).
Ive already mentioned that there was a chef stationed at our dinner party. What I havent told you was what a wonderful cook he was:
click here. He prepared everyones T-bone steaks to order:
click here. If you looked at that last photo, you might have noticed that the T-bones were large. And talk about that old oxymoron
jumbo shrimp. There was nothing puny about those shrimps. They were huge. But Texas-sized steaks and shrimp werent the only choices for the main entrée. Also on the menu were vegetable kabobs, baked potatoes, roasted corn, smoked chicken, and barbequed ribs:
click here. Like Ive stated before, we
easily had enough food to feed an entire nation of Its A Small World dolls. As our chef prepared all that food, he made sure that everything was perfection:
click here. He was a wonderful cook and very easy to talk to my guests loved interacting with him:
click here.
Besides the main entrees, there were all the fixins appropriate for your average Summerhouse barbeque: mixed garden greens with assorted dressings & toppings, blackened chicken salad with cavatappi pasta, traditional southern coleslaw, three bean salad, corn bread, and baked beans with cured bacon:
click here. Believe me, with all that food, my Convention Services Cast Member had assured that no one walked away from the barbeque hungry.
Once everyones plates were full, they sat down to eat. The dinner conversation that ensued was relaxed and laid-back, exactly what you would expect at an outdoor party. I think it was at that point in time that I realized my goal for the evening had been achieved
a relaxing evening spent with friends. All was right with the world.
The barbeque food was so good that I think everyone went back for seconds of one sort or another. Our poor waiter didnt get much of a chance to wait on any of us. We were having too much fun going back to the salad table and the grill in order to discover what other goodies were yet to be tasted. There honestly was so much food that I had a hard time deciding what to try next. But as hungry as I was, I found that I only had enough room to sample the steak, baked potato, vegetable kabob, baked beans, and barbequed ribs:
click here. I think between all of us, though, every food item was sampled at least once or twice (or three times
or four times
). Besides the T-bone steaks, the spicy grilled shrimps were a big hit with everyone (except for me Im allergic to seafood/shellfish but I wished I werent that night as I listened to my guests rave about them).
So lets get back to the
Theory vs. Reality, Part 3 bit. How did the actual barbeque food stack up against what I had envisioned it would be? I can honestly tell you that it was beyond your typical American barbeque fare. Yes, I am stating for the record that it was better than
baseball,
hot dogs,
apple pie, and
Chevrolet. But I must admit that I wasnt at my usual barbeque location (the patio of my townhouse), either. I was at Walt Disney Worlds flagship resort, the
Grand Floridian Resort. And nothing less than completely exceeding my expectations would do for my Convention Services Cast Member and his team. With the Summerhouse barbeque dinner that they had prepared for me, they had ruined me for life. I was never going to touch another one of my husbands charbroiled (as in
burnt) hot dogs again. No, sir-ee. Only the finest steaks, chicken, and ribs would do for me from here on out. How could I possibly ever settle for less? (Now, if only I could talk my husband into hiring a personal chef for our next home cookout.)
Once dinner had been completed, the children decided it was time to burn off some energy by playing games on the beach. My daughter rolled up her pants and hit the sand with Floridafams son and daughter. With their shoes off, the children got to feel the sand between their toes:
click here. And feel the sand they did as they raced each other along the beach:
click here. They stopped just long enough to pose for a photograph on the Grand Floridians catamaran:
click here. Then it was back into the sand for some more beach fun:
click here. Floridafams daughter obviously felt the same way about the beach as my daughter felt I love this photo of the two of them sitting in the sand doing things that only kids can do:
click here. And there was truly no finer place to do those kid things at than the Grand Floridian Resort.
As the sun continued to set, our photographer asked us to pose for one last group photograph at the Summerhouse:
click here. Wed all had a relaxing evening and I think the photograph captured that.
With our dinner finished, our evening had drawn to a close. Or had it? Stay tuned.
