Welcome to our Sunday night dinner. Viva Cinco de Mayo. These days, my 97 year old father joins us each Sunday for dinner. Mostly dinner in or sometimes dinner out.
I was determined to have Mexican food for dinner.
I was determined to have Mexican food for dinner.
I don't know about you, but I like my Mexican food spicy.
So how do you feed spicy Mexican food to a 97 year old man who thinks black pepper is spicy?
This is where careful planning comes in.
Did I mention that he has dentures and they don't fit well?
So no spicy food, nothing that would require a lot of chewing.
Menu:
Mexican pork roast
green beans
Flan
It worked. Great jalapeno flavor, no heat. Winner for everyone.
Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Dressing.
From Epicurious. Recipe HERE.
Son's plate, minus the feta cheese and the avocados.
I highly recommend that salad dressing. Can you say I would drink it straight? LOVE this dressing.
Loved the salad.
Romaine lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, corn, jicama, black beans, feta cheese and avocados.
Heaven!
Cast:
Guatemalen Linens (placemats & napkins - The Shop - Santa Fe, NM
Flatware - Wallace Silversmiths
Talavera dinner plates - Guadalupano Imports, Santa Fe, NM
Napkin rings - Pottery Barn
Mercury Glass candlesticks - Jackalope, Santa Fe, NM
Etched Wine Goblets - Cielo, Santa Fe, NM
Blue goblets - Dollar Tree
Yellow-orange salad plates - BIA
Thanks so much for coming by. Dinner was a success and enjoyed by all.
I'm sharing this table with Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish on Wednesday evening
I hope to see you there!
If you want to check out some previous Mexican inspired tables,
I made chicken enchiladas for my godson and his family on Saturday night. Our table looked nothing like yours, not with 3 little boys!!!
ReplyDeleteI KNEW your table would rock the Casbah!!!! I had NO doubt!!!
ReplyDeleteI share your dilemma: My Dad has never cared for spicy foods. Now that he is knockin' on 90's door, he's not about to change. I like my food tongue-splittin' hot, so I have to compromise. How? I make him a whole separate meal!!!! There's no way I'm not going to load my Mexican food up with every pepper known to man! :-) That's OK...he's basically just a meat & potatoes guy anyway! And his dentures are ill-fitting, too, so...y'know! :-)
The orange poppies jumped right out at me. They really add a lot to the table because of their color AND the fact that they have such a ruffly edge to them. They're like little Marilyn Monroe skirts flying up on the subway vent!
Beautiful, Marlis!
I KNEW your table would rock the Casbah!!!! I had NO doubt!!!
ReplyDeleteI share your dilemma: My Dad has never cared for spicy foods. Now that he is knockin' on 90's door, he's not about to change. I like my food tongue-splittin' hot, so I have to compromise. How? I make him a whole separate meal!!!! There's no way I'm not going to load my Mexican food up with every pepper known to man! :-) That's OK...he's basically just a meat & potatoes guy anyway! And his dentures are ill-fitting, too, so...y'know! :-)
The orange poppies jumped right out at me. They really add a lot to the table because of their color AND the fact that they have such a ruffly edge to them. They're like little Marilyn Monroe skirts flying up on the subway vent!
Beautiful, Marlis!
Marlis, your table is so colorful!! I love the napkins and placemats. I agree with you about spicy Mexican - that is my favorite, but it is not for everyone. I think you did a great job accommodating your dad. The menu sounded yummy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a special table and a great menu, Marlis! I love that you have your dear dad over every Sunday. How thoughtful is that?! Of course, I noticed that most of your things came from Santa Fe, your favorite spot. Now I'm on to check out that dressing that you could drink.........
ReplyDeleteVery festive table, Marlis. Love the Talavera pieces...gorgeous! Pretty napkin rings.
ReplyDeleteI just finished readying the Mexican Chopped Salad for tonight with a grilled chicken breast...I am with you on the salad dressing!
Have a great week...
Hey Marlis, I love your table it is so colorful..those orange flowers are stunning...I never liked spicy foods until I married my husband and now we eat a whole lot of spicy...even my 6 yr old grandson loves hot sauce. but my Daddy is like yours in thinking that black pepper is a bit spicy..LOL
ReplyDeleteenjoyed seeing all your pictures..
Love, Mona
Olé to the colorful table and your not too spicy menu! I would love that salad and dressing! Love your blooming centerpiece and south of the border colors and patterns!
ReplyDeleteMarlis, You are such a good daughter! In my house I'm the one who doesn't like it too hot, so I keep a little bit out for myself before I add the really hot stuff, and I put extra jalapeños and chili powder on the table for everyone else. You have a great knack for putting together different patterns. Love the talavera!! Linda
ReplyDeleteI love hot food , as I think most Latin Americans love it too! Hubby taught me to like spicy food, as in NY, mom and dad never ate anything with chilies, or hot sauces, either. You are so blessed to have your dad and to have him every Sunday..priceless! Your table is fabulous, I love those great dishes, napkins, table topper, glasses..ok, everything! Lovely centerpiece too, my friend. Happy Mother's Day, this Sunday coming. I did my first 5 de Mayo tablescape too, and I found it a fun challenge!
ReplyDeleteBig hugs,
FABBY
Marlis, this table is full of enough spice to heat up anything you serve. Love the colorful textiles, dishes, and flowers. Your flatware and napkin rings are a perfect compliment! Your menu sounds delicious, especially dessert. '-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this festive table!
Love love love that flatware!! The napkins and placemats are beautiful as well! I grew up not really knowing what real flavor was because my dad did not like spicy food either. He is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I never had Mexican food until I was out on my own! Now I love spicy food!
ReplyDeleteGreat table!
So bright and festive! Love it!
ReplyDeleteJocelyn @ http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com
So festive looking, Marlis, like a real fiesta. I had to laugh when you mentioned your fil's dentures, lol. The food looks good and I love your napkin rings....Christine
ReplyDeleteLove the pops of color! I'm hosting a new linky party at http://hickorytrailblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/efforts-and-assets-linky-party-1.html
ReplyDeleteI would love to have you!
Angela
Beautiful table! I love the colorful dishes. Glad your menu worked out.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful setting Marlis! I was determined to as well even though I'm not much of a cook. Your dinner looks delicious and I recognized your talavera dinnerware right away. I have the melamine versions of that pattern that we sold at SM. I love that your's actually came from Mexico. Mostly though I am in awe of your beautiful flatware. What a very festive and pretty Cinco de Mayo tablescape!
ReplyDeleteMy mouth is watering! Mexican food is top of my list. How wonderful that you have your Dad at your table on Sundays! Your setting is perfect for the occasion of course! Such lively color. Love the flatware!
ReplyDeleteYour table is very festive and inviting. Love love love the flat ware and the napkin rings!!
ReplyDeleteLoving the flatware!!! Your table is very festive!!!
ReplyDeleteMarlis, this table is so much fun! Even the flatware goes with the theme. Those dinner plates are fabulous, and so are your napkins. You have such great tablescaping treasures, and you always put them together prfectly. laurie
ReplyDeleteNot only do I absolutely love this table with all the vibrant colors, but I love the story behind it and that you have your 97 year old dad over on Sunday. I grinned about the pepper being considered spicy and the denture comment.
ReplyDeleteWhether he had spice on his plate, he surely enjoyed the spice on the table.
And the menu sounds great to me.
Marlis, this post made me laugh. My family has so many food eccentricities that I often feel like a short order cook. This also made me smile because I don't particularly care for spicy heat in my food, and people are often surprised, knowing that I was born in Cuba. In fact, Cuban cuisine is very mild. It's flavorful, but not hot. So your menu sounds perfect to me. As always, your table is lovely. Those colors pop so beautifully! As my father would say, these colors "abren el apetito" (open up the appetite). Happy Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteI love your table. I have a fondness for colorful tables with a Mexican theme. The poppies are gorgeous. Your dinner sounds yummy. Mexican is one of my favorite cuisines, but I rarely prepare it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun and colorful table Marlis, love the orange poppies, bright colored dishes and the napkin rings. I have the same issues with my 91 year old Dad. I had some peppered gravy Saturday morning and he thought it would be spicy hot because of the black pepper. He wouldn't eat green peppers because he thought they were hot too, so I had to convince him they were sweet. Anyway, we are both blessed to have our Dads around.
ReplyDeleteI love this, so colorful! The napkins and napkin rings are great, and the centerpiece, WOW!
ReplyDelete