Grandiose Gourmet & Weekend Woods

It's the time to Partyyy!!
It's a weekend time! I have been working non stop and now I want to cool my heels and party hard. Time was less and I was in no mood to make elaborate arrangements of running behind caterers and decorators. Besides, I was tired partying at same old pubs and joints. We often gather at some friend/ relative's place or some local fancy diners. It is also a time to add twist to mundane and bring novelty.

Yes! I am going to host a party at woods this time like good old days of picnic but an evening picnic. Everybody is so busy with complexities of daily lives and urban living that we forget to enjoy, indulge and splurge in beauty of nature. Often a weekend gateway is time consuming and tedious especially when it comes to cook the food in the woods where half of your attention is on preparation and other arrangements than having actual fun. Let us glamorize the concept of picnic!

I shared the idea with my friend and partner in crime, my mother. She was bit stunned in the beginning. "Where would you do the party and how will you manage the food? It will be cumbersome" she said. I smiled and opened my kitchen cabinet full of my (a spinster's lifeline) ready to cook meals- Kitchens of India. "This will do wonders" I told her and started with my preparation.

Times have changed, so does our "kitchen". ITC Kitchen of India has liberated the way we used to cook our food with most interesting and awesome mix of ready to eat meals, and condiments. Time to further develop my plan with blueprints oops foodprints.

Ambiance: Entertainment: Location

I will have this party organized at a nice forest like setting which is not too far away from city and has lush green settings preferably a nearby forest resort or a dense farm house like the ones we have in Kapashera, Gurgaon.

Ambiance: I would use tones of green, brown and white. There would be a bonfire surrounded by neat looking wooden sitting platforms (at suitable distance from fire) in a square shape. The wooden platforms will be covered by fitting mattresses and round pillows leaving ample spaces at edge to keep the glasses.

A little away from the bonfire wood be my serving table that would stack some fine wines, beverages and an antipasti table. I will hang few paper light lamps on encompassing trees to steer away the dark and similar paper lanterns would be strategically placed at different spots of venue to act as path guiding light and object of decor.

For Entertainment, I will have a live ghazal (a form of singing) band on one side of the bonfire who would sing ghazals to enchant the guests across the era and also renditions on request. The melody of ghazal, the soothing dark yet lit ambiance, the comfortable sitting with bolsters, fine wine would kindle the appetite of my guests and they will enjoy their food even better. 

To make party even more lively, I would have a game of pass the parcels, where a small bolster pillow will go around on music and will make people do different fun activities when music stops like dance in Gangnum style, like Sunny Deol or sing from your nose etc.

Here's the invite that I designed and each dispatched with a colorful clay lantern to each-

Gourmet Products

The best part of any party is food. People may forget the ambiance, the music but they always remember the food. So I am not going to take any risk when it comes to serving the taste buds of my guest and would rely only on the best. I would partner with "Kitchens of India" to come up with my delicatessen delight.  

Drinks and starters would be served on arrival. Here's the menu I would handpick from http://shopping.kitchensofindia.com/.

Starters- Finger food
1.  Crispy Ravioli with Apple & Cinnamon conserve
2. Mini Grilled Sandwiches on Hot Mango Chutney

   


Main Course & Desserts
The Gourmet Products from Kitchen of India that suits my party best are-
1. Vegetable Biryani coked in Vegetable Biryani mix
2. Mirch ka Salan
3. Dal Bukhara
4. Murgh Methi
5. Hazoori Petha Halwa (goes perfectly well with "huzoor iss kadar bhi itra ke chaliye)

   

I can see happy faces and delight on people' face while/post the dining. My party seems to be a good success. Guess what I am going to gift them as return gift? Guess guess and click here- Gifting ideas!

So I am in process of sending you an invite you soon. Do come to my party!
RSVP
NumeroUnity & ITC Kitchens of India

This post is written for the campaign #MyGourmetParty by Kitchens of India in association with IndiBlogger.