This year we decided to do a Tolkien themed party. Celtic and Hobbits just seem to fit together nicely. To make a long story short, my plan was to host the party outside, but it all of a sudden turned VERY cold the weekend we were having the party. So we moved our pallet floor table we made inside to the living room.
We moved all of the furniture out of the living room and placed the table in the center of the floor on my wool rug. It worked out so well and no one froze. I used some tartan fabric scarves as runners down the center of the pallet table to add more texture and color to the table. I had also purchased several random candle sticks at various thrift and antique stores, gave them a coal of black chalk paint with a gray wash to add age and scattered them down the center of the table among the scarves and pallet boxes my husband made me that I keep for random things like this.
My mom helped me with food prep. She made the savory I made the sweet. I made my yummy and boozy Irish cupcakes which consist of a Guinness Stout chocolate cupcake, filled with a Jameson Irish Whisky custard filling, topped with a Baileys Irish Cream buttercream icing. Hobbit seed cakes, vegan Lembas bread, baked brie with apricot preserves, blackberry tarts, and mini berry cakes with whipped cream icing.
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| Fresh fruit and bread for the herbed butters and honey butters. |
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| The baked brie and the berry cakes. |
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| The extra seed cakes and berry cakes that wouldn't fit on the main table. |
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| Irish Cabbage Rolls my mom made. |
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| Fresh veggies and fruit, with several varieties of cheese. |
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| The berry cakes. |
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| Lembas bread |
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| Hobbit seed cakes. |
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| Irish cupcakes. |
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| Blackberry tarts. |
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| The making of the cupcakes. They are baked with beer and then brushed with it. |
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| The "family size" whiskey bottle. |
Every year we always do a party favor. And every year I outdo myself. This year was no different. I designed a logo based on the pub sign I made several years ago and had real, professional pint glasses made. Everyone was able to take one home to remember the evening.
Every year my husband brews a couple of different craft beers for everyone as well. I get to design the labels! I don't really like beer but I sure do like to make stuff. This year he did an American Brown Ale and a Cream Ale. They were all gone by the end of the night so I guess they were good.
All in all it was another successful St. Patrick's Day party at The Griffin House. Éirinn go Brách!
