Friday, May 31, 2013

Luau at the Lake - 4th Annual Blogger Get-together


The 4th annual blogger get-together was held again this year at Tellico Lake in east Tennessee on the dock of Almost Heaven South at the home of Larry, Big Dude’s Eclectic Ramblings, and his wife Beverly. I can think of nothing finer than to spend Memorial Day weekend at the lake with friends. This year the theme was a Hawaiian Luau. Chris of Nibble Me This served as the menu coordinator for the event. Other bloggers in attendance included Penny of Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen and her husband David, Dave of Big Daddy Dave and his wife Laurie, and the third Dave of My Year on the Grill and Inspired by E Recipe Cards and his wife Jackie, who traveled all the way from Kansas, plus my husband Meakin, the event photographer and other friends and relatives. We all missed Katherine of Smoky Mountain CafĂ© and her husband A. J., who are part of the threesome who plan this event, but weren’t able to attend this year.

Grab a plate and join me and the others as we sample the offerings.





For appetizers, Larry prepared a sweet and spicy pineapple pork ribs that were “fall of the bone” delicious (more about it here) and Dave made an appetizer of grilled shrimp & pineapple.



For the main course we started with Kalua Pork, which were pork butts wrapped in banana leaves that Larry smoked over Koa wood, details here.



Chris made Huli Huli sliders with chicken that had been brined and was served with a tangy, sweet, almost teriyaki sauce and topped with ponzu slaw on a slider roll. Here’s a link to his post and more pictures of how the fabulous the slider looked assembled.





Penny brought an authentic Hawaiian macaroni salad, recipe here, and wrote more about the party here with lots more pictures.



I made a sweet and spicy pineapple salsa to compliment the pork. My salsa recipe was adapted for the Hawaiian theme, substituting pineapple for the nectarines in this post for a salsa seen previously seen on my blog. Link to recipe here. I also added quartered slices of peeled kiwi for more color.



For dessert my brother-in-law Stuart made a pineapple upside down cake using his wife Sandy’s mother’s recipe, one of their family’s favorite recipes.

Here’s Larry with his plate displaying a nice selection of food for you.



And later showing a sample of a banana leaf that he used to wrap his Kalua Pork.



Of course a party isn’t complete without drinks and lots of visiting. Larry makes some of the best margueritta's on the planet and he also whipped up a Blue Hawaiian special for the occasion.





More to follow on my next post with a very special breakfast the next morning prepared by David and Penny, so don't miss it. Here's David telling us more about what he has planned for breakfast.


Obviously you can see a great time was had by all. If you would like to join us next year, please let any of us know and we'll be sure you get the details.












This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farms, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes, On the Menu Monday at Stone Gable, and Oh the Places I've Been at the Tablescaper.

Have a great weekend everyone.


46 comments:

  1. Mmmhhh, that kalua pork is so moist! A wonderful get-together.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. How does one garner an invitation? Chicago isn't all that far from Tennessee!! Such good company and good food.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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    1. We would love for you to come next year Bonnie. I'll be sure to let you know when the time comes. Maybe you and the baker could join us.
      Sam

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  3. Great job Sam and thanks to you and Meakin for being the official Scribe and Photographer. I think you captured the event well in both words and pics. Just above, Bonnie is asking about an invite and I'm thinking it would be good next year if you, Penny, Dave's, etc would also advertise it on your blogs so more folks would know about the event. Perhaps I'll even remember it til then.

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  4. Great post Sam. It was so much fun spending the Memorial Day holiday with all of you. As Larry said, you captured the event perfectly and Meakin was a busy photographer. Great picture of you.

    Hugs, Penny

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  5. Everything looks great.. What a group you are..and the setting looks idykkic Sam.. love your green sweater on top of your dress..perfect touch..
    Such a colorful group..The ribs..looks AWESOME:) And I remember your salsa:) So fresh..

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  6. Sam, this absolutely looks terrific! WOW! I would have loved to be there with you all. What a fun event! We need to do something like that in Florida, too! :-)

    Thanks for sharing. Glad you all had such a wonderful time.

    XO,

    Sheila

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  7. I saw some of this on Penny's post. It looks like you all had some wonderful food and a great time!

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  8. What an exciting time. Good food and good company make for a great weekend! Wish we could have been there.

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  9. My compliments to your photographer, Sam. He did a great job capturing what must have been a fabulous event. I'm a bit envious. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  10. You're right about nothing better than the lake with friends. It looks like a fantastic event and the food looks "over the moon". If I could travel from Kansas next year I would love to come. That pork looks to die for. Thanks for sharing recipes.
    Ann

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  11. Such fun, Sam. Your post is a shining example of the power of food and friendship. xxoo

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  12. What a get-together feast! I can tell that everyone had a great time.
    I love your sweet and spicy pineapple salsa.

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  13. It looks like a wonderful time was had by all.

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  14. I'm drooling.. I'm a pork lover and that meal was pork heaven. What a great thing to do.

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  15. Looks wonderful!

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  16. oh that looks like so much fun and the food is fabulous!!

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  17. Goodness, Sam, this is wonderful! You are so right, nothing beats a good hang-out with friends. And, my darling, you look fabulous & beautiful! Now, I'll have another marguerita!!

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  18. A beautiful location, a wonderful array of foods, and such pleasant and passionate friends. You couldn't ask for more! I was hoping to attend this year but my husband was away on business for most of May and there was no way I was making the trip alone with my two kiddos. The pork wrapped in banana leaf looks especially moist, tender, and mouthwatering. I'd love to grab a little bit of that pork, along with your very pretty sweet and spicy pineapple salsa. It looks fabulous:)

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    1. I was hoping you could make it this year, but I completely understand. Maybe next year?
      Sam

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  19. That pork looks so outstanding. What a wonderful party. The banana leaf wrap must have been the trick...or else the chef added his magic touch!!

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  20. It looks like a lovely time was had by all. And the food all looks so delicious!

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  21. Hello Sam

    What a delightful time and the variety of choice of food spectacular. So many of the dishes appeal to me. Thanks for sharing
    Wishing you a joyful weekend

    Helenxxx

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  22. Oh my gosh, what a wonderful time! Larry and Bev are wonderful hosts to do this. The pictures are wonderful and the smiles are the best. Add some spectacular food and it must have been Almost Heaven South :) My mouth is watering!

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  23. I read the Nibble Me This post earlier, how fun that you were there Sam! I'll bet the food was amazing! Looks like you all had a great time:@)

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  24. Sam, such a beautiful post I had to forward it to my friends. All the food looks so good it made me hungry!
    I'm not much for cooking anymore, but those ribs and the salsa caught my eye. I want to try them.

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  25. Sam, I forgot to tell you yesterday when I saw that banana leaf that we have bananas this year on our banana tree. They are growing nicely. I don't think I would eat them, but they are getting to be a nice size. I took a picture that I plan to share on my blog at some point.

    Charles, our "Man Friday" said that tried them before and that they were "pretty good", but he will try anything except health food. Believe me, I've tried there because he (and we) could stand to eat healthier. I need to lose weight!!! We won't even go there. ;-)

    XO,

    Sheila

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  26. I wish we didn't live so far away as your event always looks like such a great time. There is nothing nice that spending an afternoon with good friends and great tasting food.

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  27. i am so glad you took so many great photos and took the time to upload and share with us. One of these days I'm going to make it to that party!

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  28. Oh my this looks like a delightful, delicious get together!

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  29. Oh, how I wish I could have crashed this party. Everything looks absolutely perfect. I would have eaten like a glutton, and loved i. What a great story!

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  30. I bet your food was better than the luau we attended in Hawaii!!!! It looks wonderful and looks like a good time was had by all.

    Love your outfit!

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  31. Hi Sam,
    Your 4th Annual Blogger Get Together looks like a fantastic success! I must spend some time with each item and just savory every flavor that must have come off that dock. Good friends and good food one of the greatest gifts of life and you had them all that weekend!

    Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a fabulous weekend.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  32. My goodness, what amazing food! But where was the Spam? I understand it's quite popular in Hawaii, ;-)

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  33. Such a wide assortment of foods...each one looks more enticing than the last, Sam! You guys really know how to PARTY!
    I'm taking notes on what I might bring to step-son's BBQ for his Dad on Fathers Day. Its hard to decide!!

    You look fantastic, by the way...happy colors look good on you!

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  34. Oh my! Love, love that you guys have been getting together each year and having a blast. I am always amazed at the passion and creativity of food bloggers. The virtual foodie community has brought so many people together.

    Velva

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  35. The food looks amazing and I can tell you all had a blast!! xo

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  36. Dear Sam, What a nice treat getting to meet all of these wonderful bloggers. It looks like real good fun and delicious food. Blessings dear. Catherine xo

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  37. It was a great event, in my opinion. Your salsa on that pork was good, the next day I thought "I sure would like some of that pork and salsa on a tortilla right now!"

    I didn't have a drop of alcohol that day but I still don't know what I was doing in picture 45, lol.

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    1. Chris,
      I think the picture is great and looks like you are having fun with the kids. Besides, it's the only one we have of you that day.
      Sam

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  38. The food looks AMAZING! It looks like a great time was had by all.

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  39. Oh everything just looks amazing! especially those sliders! Boy if only i could have been there! amazing

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  40. What a great party, Sam. I love the photo of you in your pretty dress and sweater. Maybe one of these years I will make it out for the get together. I would love to meet everybody and the food looks wonderful.

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  41. That was so much fun to see, Sam! What a super party. Your food photos are divine, I was drooling. And the company...such a fun group! Maybe someday I'll get there!

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  42. Please excuse the graphic nature of this comment, but SALIVATING!!!!!!

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  43. Congratulations!
    Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Have a great week and enjoy your new Red Plate!
    Miz Helen

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