DH, the party animal.............choices

My husband loves nothing more than a party...especially the sit-down "etched crystal, sterling and fine china" kind of party. He's always eager to do all the clean up as everything has to be hand washed and the windows will get  washed and lots of prep work as well... I do fewer and fewer of these as even with his help they are lots of work... and tomorrow is the big day...

This time it's not fine china though...  I've decided to use my Vernon Rose pottery which I have collected a piece at a time for years.  It was only produced from 1965 to 1979. The soup will be in  cut-glass bowls and the salad on a pink swirl glass plates which match  the water goblets.... I bought these plates at a flea market in Paris. There are no roses blooming yet.  In fact there very little pink blooming but I just wanted to use these dishes as I know no one will love them as I do when I'm gone.

This tablecloth is HUGE and the last time I used it someone spilled red wine on it and it was a job to hand launder and iron...  This time it is definitely a white wine dinner...

Menu

Italian Antipasto  (made by my gnocchi expert)

Marinated Manchego cheese

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Brussel Sprouts Salad (my favorite Jose Andres recipe)

Creamy Shrimp and Scallop Risotto

Roasted Yams and Carmelized Onions

Pineapple spears

Rolls

Rhubarb Charlotte with Brandy Custard Sauce