“I shall drink no wine before it’s time! OK, it’s time.”
Groucho Marx

It’s time to break out the sweaters and put on a roast! It’s also time for our harvest dinner. I look forward to this yearly ritual that showcases Steve’s culinary skill, using vegetables from his garden. This year he’s also incorporated red delicious apples from our friends’ orchard.
Our harvest dinner is one of my favorite meals. It began with a gesture of friendship many years ago. So let me lay it out for you, starting with its roots.
Way Back When

Nearly forty years ago, our first autumn harvest dinner party was hosted by my good friend, Suzy, in Jacksonville, NC.
Her warm-hearted invitation filled me with gratitude, sparking a lifelong friendship. The menu made such an impression that we decided to make it our own autumn tradition.
We’ve altered it a little, but the spirit is the same:
- Good wine
- Good food
- Good conversation
- Great friends
Our Menu

Harvest Salad with roasted beets, goat cheese and pumpkin seeds
Apple bourbon pork tenderloin with mushroom gravy
Fried red cabbage with apples and bacon
Warm German potato salad
Pumpkin cheesecake drizzled with salted caramel

Wine, of Course!

We start and end every harvest dinner with a glass of wine. After all, what kind of celebration is it, without a twist of the cork and sip of the red stuff?
Among our favorites are H3, Freak Show and Petite Petit.

And this year, we’re giving a nod to another California wine, Kendall Jackson Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s full-bodied and smooth.
Finely Diced Onions, No Problem!
This is Steve starting the prep work for the German potato salad.
Creating the Right Atmosphere
Steve does all the cooking, but my passion is for decorating the dining area and setting the table!

More Meal Prep
The house smells delicious. All we have left to do is finish lighting the candles and wait for Jim and Liz to arrive!
Success!
Thank you for stopping by! – Barb, the River Blogger (Btrb)

Feel free to reblog anything I post. I welcome all comments and discussion.
Love your blog. Great pictures. We share the love for wine and food. You may like this. https://wp.me/p7hhsa-HV
Looks amazing! Love your blog!!
Thank you! ❤️
Awww. I didn’t get an invite to this harvest dinner! Guess we shall do another!
Yumm, I wanna attend!
Xoxoxox
Xoxoxo. Come visit any time! 😍
Great post
And the most impressive thing about Steve’s onion cutting skills is that he still has all his fingers!