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It has been a week since Come and Dine entries opened and we have been inundated with so many wonderful messages and photos of you preparing for your dinner parties. From practicing cooking recipes from “At Home at Highclere” and setting the table, to the outfits you have prepared and previous dinner parties which you hope to replicate.
Cherie Gould and Tina Curran making the White Onion and Truffle Soup
Remember to send your completed entries to [email protected] before the closing date (see entry requirements here). We hope to share a few photos of some more of your preparations next week, but in the meantime, we have created a helpful guide for folding your napkins for dinner!
As you were able to see from the previous video of Luis and Jorge setting the table, there are a great many things to consider to ensure your table is best set for your esteemed guests. Here at Highclere we have have a very particular way of folding our napkins which we hope you will attempt for your party! You can see here the six steps it takes to creating a beautiful decorative napkin:
Come and Dine – 6 steps to folding your napkin
There are a huge number of variations for you to attempt and we would love for you to send us photos of any other designs that you may have, the more creative the better. Think ornate napkin origami! Please leave a comment below if you have any questions or ideas for us!
Instagram
Love the round flower vases that show all the stems. Also, this week, I saw a great program on our travel channel showing the opening of Tutankammon’s tomb with mention and photos of Lord Carnarvan. I thought of you immediately.
Lots going on!!
I hosted the Come and Dine dinner on Sunday, Feb.4, and am now preparing the photos and commentary with all the necessary info to send in soon. I am thinking of a short summary to send to your email, but a more detailed presentation, with the Greek text and more photos in a packet via snail mail. It was great fun and we had your recipe of Poulet Maryland from “At Home At Highclere”, also the rack of lamb for the “roast”, and the “Lords and Ladies” enjoyed it very much. I had noticed the napkin fold that is used at Highclere and found a similar way with the “fleur de lile” style. The Greek guests were in awe as they held the “petals” and then, snap…the napkin opened up immediately to the triangle for their laps! Elegant!
You are amazing – I so look forward to it!
I just love your posts. It’s like getting back to a favorite book each time I see a post come in.
I’m really enjoying your receips too. Yum
Thank you.
Thank you!
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
Little did I know what a SURPRISE I would be waking up to this morning when I opened your latest, “Come and Dine” update!
The first thing I saw was my name along with one of my co-host’s names on your blog! Then I clicked on “READ MORE” and immediately saw the photo’s you posted of the stages of cooking your soup recipe; I screamed out loud with joy, THANK YOU! Although it was not even 7 a.m. yet I called my friend Jill and she answered the phone as I forwarded your blog to her and then she started screaming with delight as well! Minutes later we started receiving texts of excitement from the other ladies; Susan replied, “THATS AMAZING” and Tina said, “SHE WAS OVER THE MOON!”
We just wanted to share with you how much this little idea of getting together with four friends to organize a Valentines dinner party in the name of our love for all things “Downton” has grown into something much more special. We have tapped into our friends foundation and are using our resources and creativity to spread out and touch many lives beyond our own with new friends, students of music and children who need our attention in hospitals.
Thank you again for inspiring us and brightening our day!
Sincerely,
Cherie Gould
I am delighted!!!!
Cherie:
Sounds like you and your friends/team are having a ball!! What would really be great is if by some stroke of luck you are declared winner. I know this is just me getting all excited from reading your post!!! But if you did win, what I would give to be a fly on the wall. Sounds like a fun group of ladies giving it a go for a worth cause. Best of luck.
Best regards,
Bev.
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
Thanks for your interesting blog.All information makes positive emotions absolutely positive.
It is too useful for practical usage.
Thank you
Good – it is just swapping notes between us all!
I made your chocolate pot recipe for my Mum after she came home from hospital and she and everyone else here loved it! Thank you for the video showing how you prepare them! So delicious it’s a favorite now!
Thank you!
Lady Carnavon:
Reading about this competition is so exciting: I can’t wait to see photos and videos. What’s even more exciting is that I ordered your “At Home at Highclere” coffee table book and the postman just delivered it. It is not even out of the plastic wrapper yet!!! I am going to flip through it as soon as I send this comment off.
Best of luck to all the entrants!!!
Regards,
Bev.
Dear Lady Carnarvon
First a gloomy subject. I saw a program the other day on TV ( I am in France and watching British TV) about English houses. I was glad to see you… surveying the horrendous damage caused by fire. I remember being told that the great iron mesh screens at Hatfield (near my home in St Albans) were installed because of a fire. I was heartbroken at the thought of that beautiful house and its wonderful contents being destroyed. I am sure you will implement alarms and sprinklers ..even though they are expensive. I live most of the time in Texas where houses seem to be made of wood and paper. It is a constant worry for everyone and cities are very strict about the height of grass, alarms etc. We have only a few , very few, minutes to get out. Very frightening…but oh~! That lovely house! I can’t forget it. More cheerfully; reading your blog about having friends to dinner, I have decided to quit my ‘downsized ‘house and get one with a proper dining room. I miss the dinner parties we used to have and although my son gives great dinners with exquisite food .. it isn’t MY dinner party! Keep warm ! We have snow. With shutters closed and heating eating Euros, I am sending good wishes to you, the family , staff and of course horses and dogs ! From Josee Hawkins (struggling with my husband’s lap top since he spilled wine on the keyboard and the keys stick)
So looking forward to my visit in may so so shocked as it was such a surprise a wonderful birthday gift we be travelling from Ireland can’t wait x
Wonderful!
My granddaughter (10) and I are going to visit Highclere Castle at the end of March. We are coming from Maryland, just outside Washington DC. I wish I had seen this sooner, I would have had her host a luncheon for her friends before we went, as it is there is not enough time. That would have been so much fun and a real learning experience. I hope to do this with her when we get back and have already sent a link to her. I love the history and she loves the glitz. Best of luck to all the applicants.”
Thank you for supporting PBS my favorite station!
You can plan dinners and you can be spontaneous – but it is all in a good cause
I am so excited to enter this contest!! I travelled from Canada to visit Highclere castle this summer and was very sad that our tour was rushed and I did not get to see all of it! I did not want to leave the lovely place. I think I am the biggest Downton Abbey fan there is! I hope I get the chance to meet you and Lord Carnarvon!
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
I am writing from our home here in Southern Georgia, USA . I have just watched a beautifully present tele show of tbe “Downtown Abbey” with the cordell backdrop so fitting in the beating heart of Highclere, presented by the Lord and Yourself. Realizing the Lord and yourself are Stewards to the place you both call Highclere home. As a side note, I once lived, not so long ago, in Sunningdale, Berkshire,UK. Now retired back in the USA.
Both my Fiancee’ and I are joining friends in the UK to travel about for history and my family heritage.
We will be looking at Highclere’s website for opportunities to visit during the summer 2018 if possible. The Rothschild Family are friends of mine here in the US, as they are still in the Fabric Industry in Columbus, Georgia, my hometown.
Keep up the great post and work all are doing to retaining the keen restorations to such a grand historical home! Im an sure onbe day in the future George will enjoy the fruits of all labor on Highclere.
Kindest regards,
W. Mark Hall