Gathering Guides

Raclette Breakfast an Epic Way to Start the Day

October 4, 2021 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

A raclette breakfast is a fun way to start the morning. It’s perfect for holidays, special occasions, and brunch parties. Get ready to dig in!

Before breakfast raclette came into my life, eggs benedict was the ultimate special occasion breakfast. Dutch baby breakfasts and homemade Belgian waffles were close runner-ups. And it’s always a special morning when crepes are on the menu.

But raclette for breakfast…it’s a game-changer.

Whether you want to host a small party for brunch or create a new holiday tradition with your family, a raclette breakfast will not disappoint. I promise!

RELATED: Classic French Crepe Recipe

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Hosting a Soup Swap Party for Winter Warmth

February 4, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

On a chilly day, a soup swap party is a wonderful place to be. When the days are short and it feels like winter will never end, organizing a soup swap party is just the thing to invite warmth and cheer into your home.

getting jars ready for a soup swap party

GATHERING OVER SOUP

If you’ve never been to a soup swap party before, don’t worry; it’s exactly what it sounds like.

It’s a unique opportunity to gather your fellow soup fan friends and neighbours, uniting everyone over a shared love of soup.

Since soup isn’t generally served at this kind of party, even non-soup fans can be included in the festivities as long as they adhere to the number one rule…

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Raclette Dinner Party Ideas (and how to make sure it’s successful)

December 17, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

Need raclette party ideas? A raclette dinner is a wonderful way to gather around your favourite people for a fun and delicious communal meal. Learn how to throw one of your own for an evening to remember!

WHAT IS A RACLETTE DINNER PARTY?

What does it mean to host or be invited to a raclette dinner party?

It means you can expect to be seated around a table with other friendly faces, much like you would with fondue.

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to purchase something after clicking on one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Instead of a burner and a pot, there’s a raclette grill and everyone has a little tray that they fill with the available fixings.

Underneath the raclette machine’s griddle, there’s a broiler that everyone fits their trays under for the cheese to melt.

Yes. There’s cheese.

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How to Make a Cheese Board for Your Next Wine & Cheese

December 3, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 5 Comments

Cheese plates are a classic element at any French dinner table. Traditionally served after the meal, they’re the perfect way to wind down. Learn how to build a simple cheese board that will have your guests diving in with gusto.

LIFE IS BETTER WITH CHEESE

I didn’t grow up with cheese boards.

I was a small town girl, so there was nary a cheese shop in sight. All we had was what we got from the grocery store. The standard was processed cheese slices, havarti, and the occasional brick of Black Diamond.

The fanciest it got was a wheel of camembert and limburger cheese.

It’s not that we weren’t cheese people, we loved cheese, but we just didn’t know anything about it. That changed when I met my husband’s family.

Out of respect for their privacy, I won’t say much about my in-laws, but when it comes to food and wine, they have exquisite taste.

The first real cheese board I encountered was at their table, which comes out every time I’m there for an evening meal.

Usually, a cheese plate counts as the dessert course, but having a terrible sweet tooth, if I was given the option between cheese and cake, I’d be reaching for the cake fork!

I’m so thankful that they don’t make me choose between the two, because we have both… And so can you!

A VIDEO ABOUT MAKING A CHEESE PLATTER

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Easy Cheese Fondue: Everything You Need to Know

November 15, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 3 Comments

Cheese fondue parties are as hygge as it gets. Master this delicious communal meal with these simple tips and tricks to throw a stellar fondue party and to make a store bought bag of fondue taste incredible.

WHAT’S CHEESE FONDUE?

Cheese fondue is up there on my list of things I love.

Fondue is a French word that translates to “melted”, so a cheese fondue is a cheese that’s melted.

A pot of it.

It’s the perfect meal to gather your favourite people around the table to dip various food items into the melty, cheesy goodness.

Like raclette and hot pot, it’s an intimate communal meal that’s special and unique. Knowing that, is it any surprise that fondue parties were all the rage in the ’60s and ’70s?

By the way, cheese fondue is just one type of fondue. There’s also meat fondue and chocolate fondue, but we’ll talk about those another day.

Also, this post may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to purchase something after clicking on one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

If you need more hygge in your life, you’ll want to host a fondue party! And in case you missed the hygge train, it’s a Danish mindset about creating cozy comfort. If you want to learn more about it, Meik Wiking wrote a book about hygge in 2017.

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Oyster Parties: Everything You Need to Know

October 8, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 8 Comments

Throw the ultimate oyster party! Here are a few ideas on what to serve, what to drink, and how to shuck. It’s guaranteed to be a terrific time!

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO AN OYSTER PARTY?

Oyster parties were off my radar up until I started going steady with my husband.

His parents have impeccable taste in food and love gathering and reuniting the family together over good food and wine.

Every year they drive over to New Brunswick and come back with more oysters than I care to count, and then, if all works out, there’s an evening of all-you-can-eat oysters.

They have mastered the art of oyster parties, and it’s become my favourite kind of party because, well, oysters are delicious.

If you don’t like oysters, this might not be the party for you, and if you don’t know whether or not you like oysters, then it’s high time you find out!

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