A Downer Dinner Party - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Fordim Hedgethistle · 12-22-2004, 05:04 PM

I love throwing dinner parties, so I was an avid player of that old literature graduate student game wherein people sit around planning whom we would invite to their imaginary dinner (Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, Professor Tolkien – of course – and Wilson Harris were always at the top of my list).

What I propose for this thread is that we do a Barrow Downs version of this game. To keep things interesting, and under control, however, there are a few rules:

1) Your dinner party must be between 6 to 10 people (yourself included).

2) You must have equal parts Barrow Downers and Characters from Middle-earth. (Please note that you are not going to be inviting your ‘favourite’ Downers, just those whom you think will best complement the table.)

3) You must provide a seating arrangement.

Other things that would be appreciated, but aren’t required, is that you have equal numbers of male and female at the table, and that they be seated in the classic “boy-girl” arrangement. Extra bonus points for anyone who provides a menu for the evening. To get things rolling, my guests would be, starting at the head of the table and going clockwise around the table:

1) Me: because, hey, it’s my party!

2) Galadriel: I would have to have the Golden Lady nearby so I could listen to her talk of the First Age and of Aman. I would try to get her to sing. I might not get much eating done for all the staring I’d be doing, but that’s a small price to pay.

3) SaucepanMan: I’ve always thought that he would be a lot of fun in person, and he strikes me as a bit of an extrovert, in the right conditions – he’d be very helpful in getting Galadriel to open up, and he’d be a bit of a barrier between me and the guest to his left who is…

4) Gandalf: Because I would want to have some fireworks after the party. He would also be a great match with the person at the foot of the table…

5) davem: We’d be facing one another; that way, I could easily speak with him if I wanted, or eavesdrop on his conversations with Gandalf and…

6) Frodo: How could I have a Middle-earth party and not invite Frodo?? Being as he’s so polite I’m sure he’d ask if he could bring anything, and I’d say that a bit of Old Toby wouldn’t be refused. At some point after dinner, in a quiet moment, I’d try to catch him alone so I could ask him about the Ring…

7) Bêthberry: Because she would be sitting right across from SaucepanMan and so I could count on all kinds of really good cross-table conversation to break up the monotony of side-by-by side chatting. She would also be able to break into what would undoubtedly become a very clubby group of Gandalf, davem and Frodo at the far end of the table. Plus, by putting Bb where I have, she would be between Frodo and…

8) Aragorn: This way, I would have Galadriel on my left hand, and Aragorn on my right. I would be the envy of everyone at the Barrow Downs, and while I rather fear that I would disgrace myself in some way, I wouldn’t care because, hey, it’s the Golden Lady of the Woods and Elessar Telcontar!

I do realise that I have not managed anything close to gender parity, but with two women like Bêthberry and Galadriel there, I rather suspect that the men would have a hard time dominating. I also, obviously, have left out a lot of Downers and figures from M-E whom I would like to invite, but what can I do? My table only seats eight comfortably…

As to the menu: I would start with sautéed sea scallops with toasted pancetta in a light butter and herb pan-sauce, served over fresh bitter greens (arugula, frisee and radicchio). This would be followed with a brandy-mushroom soup with garlic croutons. The entrée would be pumpkinseed encrusted monkfish drizzled with asparagus oil, and cold tureen of poached vegetables in balsamic reduction. The salad would be mesclun greens in apple caramel vinaigrette, served on potato crustini and topped with goat’s cheese and grilled portabello mushroom. Dessert would be champagne and berry sorbet, with – of course – coffee and liqueurs to follow. (I figure I will tell Frodo before hand that there’s a good solid loaf of bread with tasty cheese and meat pie out in the kitchen should he want that as well in between the other courses.)

At any event, is there anyone else who would like to indulge in throwing a fantasy dinner party? Or am I the only one?

12-22-2004, 05:04 PM	#1
Fordim Hedgethistle Gibbering Gibbet Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Beyond cloud nine Posts: 1,844	A Downer Dinner Party I love throwing dinner parties, so I was an avid player of that old literature graduate student game wherein people sit around planning whom we would invite to their imaginary dinner (Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, Professor Tolkien – of course – and Wilson Harris were always at the top of my list). What I propose for this thread is that we do a Barrow Downs version of this game. To keep things interesting, and under control, however, there are a few rules: 1) Your dinner party must be between 6 to 10 people (yourself included). 2) You must have equal parts Barrow Downers and Characters from Middle-earth. (Please note that you are not going to be inviting your ‘favourite’ Downers, just those whom you think will best complement the table.) 3) You must provide a seating arrangement. Other things that would be appreciated, but aren’t required, is that you have equal numbers of male and female at the table, and that they be seated in the classic “boy-girl” arrangement. Extra bonus points for anyone who provides a menu for the evening. To get things rolling, my guests would be, starting at the head of the table and going clockwise around the table: 1) Me: because, hey, it’s my party! 2) Galadriel: I would have to have the Golden Lady nearby so I could listen to her talk of the First Age and of Aman. I would try to get her to sing. I might not get much eating done for all the staring I’d be doing, but that’s a small price to pay. 3) SaucepanMan: I’ve always thought that he would be a lot of fun in person, and he strikes me as a bit of an extrovert, in the right conditions – he’d be very helpful in getting Galadriel to open up, and he’d be a bit of a barrier between me and the guest to his left who is… 4) Gandalf: Because I would want to have some fireworks after the party. He would also be a great match with the person at the foot of the table… 5) davem: We’d be facing one another; that way, I could easily speak with him if I wanted, or eavesdrop on his conversations with Gandalf and… 6) Frodo: How could I have a Middle-earth party and not invite Frodo?? Being as he’s so polite I’m sure he’d ask if he could bring anything, and I’d say that a bit of Old Toby wouldn’t be refused. At some point after dinner, in a quiet moment, I’d try to catch him alone so I could ask him about the Ring… 7) Bêthberry: Because she would be sitting right across from SaucepanMan and so I could count on all kinds of really good cross-table conversation to break up the monotony of side-by-by side chatting. She would also be able to break into what would undoubtedly become a very clubby group of Gandalf, davem and Frodo at the far end of the table. Plus, by putting Bb where I have, she would be between Frodo and… 8) Aragorn: This way, I would have Galadriel on my left hand, and Aragorn on my right. I would be the envy of everyone at the Barrow Downs, and while I rather fear that I would disgrace myself in some way, I wouldn’t care because, hey, it’s the Golden Lady of the Woods and Elessar Telcontar! I do realise that I have not managed anything close to gender parity, but with two women like Bêthberry and Galadriel there, I rather suspect that the men would have a hard time dominating. I also, obviously, have left out a lot of Downers and figures from M-E whom I would like to invite, but what can I do? My table only seats eight comfortably… As to the menu: I would start with sautéed sea scallops with toasted pancetta in a light butter and herb pan-sauce, served over fresh bitter greens (arugula, frisee and radicchio). This would be followed with a brandy-mushroom soup with garlic croutons. The entrée would be pumpkinseed encrusted monkfish drizzled with asparagus oil, and cold tureen of poached vegetables in balsamic reduction. The salad would be mesclun greens in apple caramel vinaigrette, served on potato crustini and topped with goat’s cheese and grilled portabello mushroom. Dessert would be champagne and berry sorbet, with – of course – coffee and liqueurs to follow. (I figure I will tell Frodo before hand that there’s a good solid loaf of bread with tasty cheese and meat pie out in the kitchen should he want that as well in between the other courses.) At any event, is there anyone else who would like to indulge in throwing a fantasy dinner party? Or am I the only one? __________________ Scribbling scrabbling.