WE SHOULD HOST A VALENTINE'S DINNER

October 20, 2017

Several years ago, David and Marci began the planning of our first Coffee Pot Valentine's dinner. We all wanted it to be a romantic, memorable dinner with music, intimacy and, of course, fabulous food. Since that first event, we have greatly expanded the Coffee Pot's original kitchen, but for that first dinner, everything was done in a tiny 12'x12' kitchen.

That first year, the prime rib was roasted in an electric roaster because the little residential stove was too small to hold the roast and bake the other dishes as well.

Allie made truffles and beautiful little boxes in which to display them. Marci made a new side dish called Potatoes Anna with layers of thinly sliced potatoes baked in a delicious sauce. There were three or four dessert options, and for that first dinner, we didn't require our guests to specify which dessert they wanted, so Marci baked extras of each to ensure everyone received their first choice.

Back in the day, the dining area was a tiny part of the whole store with the pottery taking up most of the floor space. Before the dinner, the entire store was rearranged to accommodate all the dinner guests. We sectioned off areas with antique doors, brought in borrowed tables and chairs and turned the pottery store into a cozy little restaurant. White linens and candles created ambiance, and each female guest received a rose. We "borrowed" dishes from the pottery studio to set the tables.

Nothing goes on without a little drama, and a few hours before the dinner was to begin, Marci found that the Potatoes Anna had turned dark in the refrigerator, and they all has to be remade. David was in charge of slicing the prime rib, and after serving most of the guests, realized that he had miscounted and we were several slices short! David sliced the remaining ribs much thinner, and we ended up asking special friends if they would share their meat and give up one of their meals so that we had enough meat for the final guest. Very humbling.

We didn't have an automatic dishwasher so Kristy washed every dish by hand. There were a lot of dishes and we left the party at a very late hour. It was a wonderful time, and I think everyone enjoyed themselves, including the staff. We ended up losing $8 per person on that dinner, but considered it 'continuing education' on our part.

We will have our traditional Valentine's Day this February 14th and still have a few seats left. We promise the same passion for food, service, and romantic ambiance, but there probably won't be quite as much drama, and we're ok with that!

Many Blessings,
Jennie Lockie
Share: