‘Twas a dreary Sunday afternoon, when I got a call from the beautiful El who after the chitter chatter invited me (as she always so politely does) to her nephew’s 2nd birthday .

Let me preface this by saying – El invites me to everything and I more often than I should, accept. And why wouldn’t I?
1. El’s family are a sensational bunch of people and
2. Her family gatherings always involve some sort of deliciously exotic feast.

So, yes, with no shame I shimmied on along to a family-only 2 year old birthday party on a Sunday night. I rock up to Ms V’s (El’s sister-in law’s ) amazing house and find this chilled out mum with a two year old running around her ankles, calmly chopping coriander, steaming duck, rice and making silky wonton sauce, almost completely oblivious to the fact that 15 people are about to walk through her front door for dinner. – Wow, I want to grow up to be like that.

The feast of choice for the evening? Vietnamese-ish. Two gorgeous ducks have been steaming of and hour and a half in szechuan peppercorns and a boatload of other stuff.

Ms. V cutting up that crispy fried goodness!

Minutes before guests are due to arrive Ms V calmly bones and segments the ducks, flours and deep frys them.

Fragrant orange and anise sauce for the duck

I see a fragrant sauce brewing on the stove, balanced with sweet, sour and spice with oranges, star anise and cinnamon. Ooo this is going to be one helluva duck!

Ms V

V’s mum arrives with bagloads of homemade spring rolls, fresh, fragrant vietnamese herbs and all the trimmings. She makes her way to the stove, picks up the chopsticks and begins freshly frying a batch.
Before long, Mr Two begins to realise it’s his birthday and is beside himself with excitement, all his favourite people (+ some tall stranger) are in one room, YAY!! The simple joys.

Wonton goodness

El comes over and prys open my mouth with a pair of chopsticks, shoving in a sneaky slippery wonton. Gaaaaah! The most drop. dead. orgasmic wontons. That sauce! – ginger, salty, sweet, garlic, texture…yes I was a happy girl.

A

The table gets set and no, V and El did not make all that food, V’s mum brought back-up catering just incase…but no one is complaining, Lobster, Honey Prawns, Chinese Broccoli and Shitake Mushrooms, oh and that’s V’s Fish in Spicy Coconut Sauce in the back which was delicious!

V

Apart from the wontons, the highlight of the dinner for me was the succlent duck, all glossy and finished V was beaming with satisfaction. Lip smacking, crispy, deepfried goodness.

Mr two cutting his cake

When dinner is over, we clear up for the big “Happy Birthday” a chorus that happened 4 times (we said it was for Mr Two’s sake, but I think the adults found it highly entertaining and wanted 3 encores!)

What a great Sunday night. And bonus, I got a bag of homemade fresh spring rolls to take home! Ahh, life is good. Thanks to the White family for adopting me again, and to V, kitchen goddess and mummy-extraordinaire, for a great feast!