Birthday Party
Making the empanadas, originally uploaded by blmurch.
Friday night I celebrated my 36th birthday with friends here in Buenos Aires. We had a party in San Telmo and lots of people came. I had done a lot of preparation on Thursday, but was a bit sick with a cold, so I didn't get everything completed as I'd hoped. Friday I was even sicker and slept most of the day finally doing the last of the prep in the evening before the party started at 10 pm. I had lots of help from my friends and some decongestants.
I used my empanada cooking skills I learned at Teresita's and made two fillings. I made humita and "carne", but instead of making carne (beef) empanadas, I cut up eggplants and used the same recipe with that one substitution as suggested by Teresita. Guests seemed to love it, which was awesome. There was a team of helpers who actually stuffed the empanadas and cooked them. I also had wonderful help from Frank who manned the parrilla and cooked the chorizo sausages and some beef. Earlier, I had sent Regina on a failed mission of buying grilling utensils. The store where she went was out. My friend Sarah came to the rescue with the perfect birthday gift of a beautiful parrilla set. It came in really handy and Frank did a great job! Lots of other people brought wonderful food and drinks and we enjoyed a great party until pretty late. The coup-de-grace was Emilia's cupcakes. I had asked her to make six dozen cupcakes for the party. I thought they would be ordinary cupcakes. Boy was I gladly mistaken - they were individual works of art! Sweet, delicious works of art. :D
All week long I'd been worrying about the weather and my cold which was progressing. The internet kept on changing its mind whether it was going to rain on Friday or not. Finally on Friday it was correct and the weather was a balmy 24 degrees C and there was not a drop of rain to be felt anywhere in San Telmo! The party was a smashing success, lots of people came, even though it was a holiday weekend and many people were out of town, and everyone said they had a good time.
I had a lot of help from my friends: Cate K, Amy, Alejandro, Regina, Kragen, Katie A (who came up for the weekend from Necochea), Kate S, Leandro and others helped set up and tear down the party. Another friend lent me tables so that I had something to put all the food and drinks on. I am truly blessed with wonderful friends - thank you!!