Each month, our neighborhood’s Gourmet Club meets to share a themed dinner. We nix the kids and enjoy an evening full of great food, drinks and socializing with close friends. There are eleven couples in our group, but not all of us can attend every month. There were 14 of us sharing in our latest dinner: A Cuban Dinner Party.
One person hosts, chooses the theme & menu, and then asks what each person would like to bring. It’s a nice reason to go shopping for new dishes and decor (to match your chosen theme!)
All recipes can be found by clicking on recipe titles:
Our full menu:
FEATURED BEVERAGE:
Mojitos
APPETIZERS:
Guava Paste & Queso Blanco on Crackers
Fried Calamari with Spicy Mayonnaise
Plantain-Wrapped Crab Cakes with Avocado Aioli
Yucca Fries with Cilantro Mayonnaise
MAIN COURSE:
Sangria-Roasted Pork
Vegetable Paella
Avocado & Onion Salad
DESSERT:
Tres Leches Cake
All was excellent!!!
Notes:
*Mojitos are a must- SO good.
*The guava paste/cheese combo is a classic cuban appetizer.
*I LOVED the yucca fries. It was my first time having had yucca, and everyone seemed to like these a lot.
*The crab cakes and calamari were also enjoyed.
*The Sangria pork was good- it surprisingly didn’t have a lot of flavor to it, but you could reduce the sauce and serve it alongside. It was very tender. The vegetable paella and avocado/onion salad were excellent served with the pork.
*We served slices of the very rich Tres Leches Cake for each couple to share (topped with whipped cream & star fruit and a scoop of vanilla ice cream). We picked up the star fruit at Specialty Produce. It was actually really delicious eaten in bites with the cake & cream. Everyone loved the cake!
It was a very successful dinner, and I’m adding it to my dinner party menus.
Would love to have dinner party like this. I grew up with yuca and plantain. Back in Indonesia, we had fried yuka for afternoon snack. Delicious! Love love love that plantain wrap crab cake. I really want to try to make it. Everything is so Yummy! Oh, of course I love Mojito!
OMG that looks great – I too am in a club called Gourmet Girls we meet every other month – We are meeting this Friday and the theme is BBQ. Will be fun!!
You’ve got some great recipes here! When we do this, I swear I rarely get good photos. Perhaps I can blame it on the wine — or my complete lack of patience! Nice job.
What a fun group — and the food looks FANTASTIC!!
Fantastic meal. That must be such a great together.
What a feast! I would love to try the crab cakes, guava paste on crackers and the cake!!
Looks like a bunch of great recipes! Can’t wait to try the avocado salad!
Awesome menu! I can’t wait to make those crab cakes! I haven’t had Yucca in years- now I have an excuse to get some… great party idea!
Great menu overall — and I’m still crazy about the crabcake wrapped with plantain!
Mojitos! And Tres Leches Cake. I want in with your group. The Sangria Roasted pork sounds absolutely divine. The table setting is beautiful too. Marvelous job Lori.
Quite the feast…everything looks good.
I bet all the dishes were polished . looks so good !
What a wonderful menu…oooh how I wish I was a guest to this grand meal! KUDOS!!!
Wow Lori!! I love themed meals…this looks like an awesome spread!! I love easy apps like that one, and that paella is making my mouth water!
What a fantastic meal! I’ve got to get a new supper club started, your menus are making me jealous!
Wow! You ‘Put your foot in this dinner’ as we say. Amazing job.Whered do you store all this themed china. I need more space!Yucca is really good.
Good Lord, lady! What an awesome spread!! Holy cow, I want to make 3 of these items right away!! And your mojitos look perfect!
Sangria pork! Now that’s a great idea. I can hear the islands already 🙂 And the tres leche cake… that doesn’t even need to be said 🙂
I totally hear you on the cinnamon rolls. It’s best to have one and walk away as you eat it… or run actually.
Glad to see that there is nothing too serious about your foot. Always remember to ice it down, and try some non-impact elliptical or something if you can. It can work 🙂
Oh wow! What a feast. I wish I could by fresh lime juice … i’m such a weakling and my limes never produce enough juice. Rose’s lime juice tastes so artificial though. There must be a compromise?
I adore tres leches cake. will definitely make that this summer
Looks like a fun party with lots of great food!
I haven’t had yucca in ages, and that just caught my eye this morning! Your fries and cilantro mayo look great!
What an awesome menu! Everything sounds so unique and delicious! Those crab cakes – yum!
Looks like a fun party! Love the menu! I love dinner parties, I will have to try this theme sometime!
What an awesome idea!! That is such a fun way to spend time together.
How cool is that menu recipe girl? I’m surprising ling attracted to the avocado and onion salad. It just makes me me want to cry with joy! I must try yucca, been wanting to to forever…Everything looks so enticing.