Harvest Party Time!

"Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance and none can say why some fields will blossom while others lay brown beneath the August sun. Care for those around you. Look past your differences. Their dreams are no less than yours, their choices no more easily made. And give, give in any way you can, of whatever you posses. To give is to love. To withhold is to wither. Care less for your harvest than for how it is shared and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace. " ~ Kent Nerburn

I decided to host a small autumn get together to celebrate the harvest this weekend for two reasons. It had been far too long since I hosted a get together and one of my main ideas in the book I've been writing is to share how fun it is to gather friends and family around good food inspired by living near the beach-I consider hosting a party as research for the book!
Another reason I decided to host a party, is that I've been invited to a number of Halloween Costume parties and for whatever reason (I can't even come up with a good one) I really don't like having to wear a costume to a party. Although by passing on those parties, I didn't want my friends to think I didn't want to get together with them so I decided to invite them to a Harvest Party instead.
I'm going to serve all things harvest related and have a fire going in the fireplace.
First thing this morning I baked a carrot cake, cranberry biscotti with white chocolate and a pumpkin bread with a white glaze. I'm serving baked brie with preserves and walnuts, pumpkin and sage ravioli, bacon and blue cheese tarts and an apple crisp. I will offer guests Pumpkin Flavored Beer, Pomegranate Martini's or Apple Cider to share in a toast of this season's harvest.
More than anything, it's a chance to catch up with friends!