As everyone is returning to work today after a long holiday weekend, I hope your Independence Day celebrations were memorable and fun!
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| Getting into the spirit of the holiday! |
Despite an extremely rainy day, there was not a dull moment to be found at our own family celebrations!
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| Pile on Party!! |
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Over the weekend, one of my girlfriends posed a question on Facebook about whether or not to carry a bottle of wine to a dinner they had been invited to, and it really got me thinking….
Is the hostess gift a thing of the past?
If you read any etiquette book, there is a section on when you are invited to someone’s home. These sections will tell you how to pitch in, how to behave, and to take your host or hostess a little gift. A bottle of wine or a lovely scented candle is the most common gift, but I decided for the two July 4th BBQ we were attending, to go a different route and I carried homemade BBQ sauce.
BBQ sauce just seemed fitting as it could be used immediately, but there is a lot of time left for grilling this summer, so it can be used later as well.
Have you given a gift to your host or hostess recently? How was it received?
And just so you are prepared for the next BBQ that you are invited to, here is my recipe for homemade sauce. I am not even sure where the original recipe came from, but it has been altered and used continuously in our home for nearly 16 years!
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
2 cups finely chopped Vidalia onion
1 head garlic, minced
3 cups catsup
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon (more if you like the heat) cayenne pepper
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, cooking gently until fragrant and the onion is transparent (abt. 5 mins). Add the remaining ingredients, mixing well (a flat whisk works great for this), reducing heat and simmering about fifteen minutes. Stir continuously while the sauce simmers to prevent sticking. The sauce should thicken a little.
Remove from heat, store in a canning jar & refrigerate. This makes about 3 pints.
To give as a gift, tie a bow on your jar and type up the recipe to share.
And if you are lucky, maybe your very own Grillmaster will use the remaining sauce for some babyback ribs!
Fiddle Dee Dee by Jennifer Jones 
It looks like a perfect time was had by all, dear Jennifer!
I cannot stress enough how important it is to bring a little something. Can I just add to not bring flowers? Especially ones that need a vase? Do you really want to stress out your hostess by giving her one more job to do? Your idea of bbq sauce is perfect. But never anything your hostess has to fiddle with. And with wine, please don't be upset if your hostess doesn't open it with dinner. She may have painstakingly paired each course with a specific wine.
Great post!
xoxox, Patti
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Very happy to see some etiquette. It seems it's a by-gone thing of the past.
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Those kiddos of yours know how to have fun no matter the weather. Yes, a hostess gift is a wonderful thing. Yes, I did take a hostess gift recently and just now have read the thank-you note. It was received well. I think a jar of homemade BBQ sauce is a terrifc hostess gift. I'd love it!
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I took a gift of some homegrown tomatoes since I have a ton and they don't grow any veg. Your jar of bbq sauce is presented so prettily!
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