Today we share the menu, ideas, and table setting for a Nostalgic Dinner Party given by the Supper Club members. We previously covered Supper Club’s events where good friends meet for good times and shared delicious meals.
Tonight’s dinner theme is nostalgia—a longing for familiar food coupled with a modern twist.
Table Setting
The table tonight is draped in an off-white damask tablecloth and set with beautiful Lenon China.
With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, the centerpiece brimmed with the luck of the Irish and a green live shamrock plant. Small decorative wooden three leaf clovers are displayed at the base of the plant.
Wine glasses sat at each able setting for the Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon which was served with the meal.
This shamrock plant has tiny white flowers blooming throughout the pot.
Pre-Dinner Appetizers
The first appetizer consisted of chicken salad and cucumbers between slices of white brioche bread.
Mini chicken salad and cucumber sandwiches are served on a modern square dish. The bread’s crust was removed, and the sandwiches are garnished with fresh herbs.
The second appetizer is a brick of smoked cream cheese treated with a special rub and then smoked. It is cut into diamond shaped pieces and served with assorted crackers. This appetizer represents a modern take on a cheeseball.
Also, please note the vintage aluminum serving tray underneath the dish. Speaking of nostalgic kitchen items, aluminum serving trays were often given as wedding gifts during the 1950’s. You can still find vintage aluminum ware, like this one, at antique and resale shops.
Soup and Salad Courses
Then, the friends dined on a soup and a salad.
The tomato roasted soup is garnished with pine nuts, grated cheese and fresh basil. To lighten things up, Greek yogurt was used in the tomato soup base instead of heavy cream.
The lettuce wedge salad contains sliced cherry tomatoes and red onion slices.
However, the classic heavy blue cheese dressing was switched out. Instead, a fresh lemon and Parmesan cheese salad dressing is served over the salad.
Main Meal – Nostalgic Homemade Meat Loaf
Wow, do you remember mom’s meat loaf which she frequently served with mashed potatoes and green beans? What is more nostalgic than mom in her apron putting a meat loaf into the oven for dinner.
Also, those leftover meat loaf slices made yummy sandwiches served with hot brown gravy.
This meat loaf main dish is made with spices. A sauce of ketchup, vinegar and Dijon mustard is brushed over the top of the meat loaf before baking. Today’s modern twist is adding that bit of Dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard.
Macaroni and Three Cheeses Side Dish
Actually, this macaroni and cheese side dish contains three different types of cheeses. Sausage is also added for a modern take on a family favorite. In fact, this side dish is hearty enough to serve as a main dish.
The Three Cheese Macaroni with Sausage pieces baked with crispy cheesy edges.
Fruit Crush Beverage
According to my research, the modern Fruit Crush Beverage is made with fresh fruit, Sprite soda, and dry champagne.
Brief History of the Fruit Crush – The Fruit Crush Drink and its famous variation, the Orange Crush, originated in Ocean City, Maryland back in 1995. The nostalgic recipe from that time contained fresh squeezed orange juice, vodka, triple sec, and Sprite soda.
The updated version includes fresh fruit—oranges, grapefruit, lemon or mixed berries, dry champagne, and Sprite. Then, the drink is poured over crushed ice.
This Fruit Crush drink is served in a footed pressed glass beverage glass.
This tangy drink gets its name from the crushed fruit it contains.
What’s For Dessert at our Nostalgic Dinner? – Black Forest Cake!
Our Black Forest four-layer cake is brushed with a bourbon fresh cherry syrup. Then, instead of a plain whipped cream frosting, mascarpone cheese is whipped into the icing and spread over the cake. This top and sides are decorated with chocolate.
A Gift from the Hostess from the Nostalgic Dinner Meal
Most people bring gifts to the hostess; however, this group receives small gifts from the hostess. In keeping with the nostalgic theme of the party, a vintage looking kitchen magnet and tiny ice cube molds were given out.
The hostess actually made tiny water glass ice cubes with one of these molds. Remember the old days when you needed to fill up ice cube trays with water and then allowed it to freeze? Yes, I always spilled some water on the floor on the way to the freezer with those trays. Back then, there were no automatic ice makers to make ice cubes.
Ending Notes on the Nostalgic Dinner Party
I enjoyed blogging about the Supper Club’s meals. And who doesn’t love a stroll down memory lane and a longing for those great dishes we grew up with.
All in all, the word nostalgic recalls happy memories.
A Big Thank You to the Supper Club members for making a great meal and allowing me to “tag along”. Thanks for all the nice comments on your last get together!!
Also, a special thank you to C. for the outstanding photographs from the Nostalgic Dinner Party with a Modern Twist.
Happy Fine Dining!
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