PrintFor the majority of horse-folk--the ones who lack the services of cooks, scullery maids or footmen--hosting a social event differs significantly from gatherings hosted by non-horse (or normal) folk.
History proves that normal folk tend to categorize their "happenings" into seasons, i.e., holiday, theater, strawberry, debutante, while horsefolk employ the all-purpose hunt breakfast.
Useful at any time of the year, the hunt breakfast can be successfully combined with a multitude of festivities, including lawn parties, housewarmings, birthdays, anniversaries, showers, and wedding receptions.
The Irish, including members of my own family, are also adept at smoothly integrating the hunt breakfast into a wake or a funeral.
But, more about that later.
Hosting hunt breakfasts relieves horsefolk from fretting over the commonplace nuisances that attend most parties, like cleaning the house, unwrapping heirloom china, polishing silver, and adhering to a dress code. I speak from extensive experience in planning hunt breakfasts for all the above-mentioned events, except the wake/funeral, which traditionally fell under the purview of the McMahon (maternal) branch of my extensive family fruit and nut tree.
But it was from them that I learned early on about the sensibility of incorporating memorable events and seasonal celebrations with hunting days. They did, however, teach me that hunt breakfast/wakes were quite doable, especially if the hunt club meets three days a week, thus easily able to accommodate a funeral into the schedule.
And, if you doubt for one minute that a "passing" can't be tastefully included under the headline of "festivity," you've never at-tended a full-fledged Irish wake. Particularly one organized by foxhunters.
But, more about that later.
No Such Thing As Inappropriate Fare
Speaking in generalities, food preparation for any event is always simplified by holding a hunt breakfast, where all members adhere to the ancient custom of bringing a covered, uncovered or sometimes recently alive dish to add to the feast. No matter what occasion is being celebrated, commemorated or memorialized, there's very little on the hunt breakfast menu that can be considered inappropriate fare.
Wedding receptions have the only mandatory requirement for hunt breakfasts.
These have to include a large cake in the menu, although it's perfectly within the bounds of proper etiquette to replace the traditional plastic bride and groom atop the confection with a small stuffed or tastefully frosted fox.
One of the simplest and most satisfying aspects of preparing food for horsefolk is their uncomplaining acceptance of just about anything edible, as long as it's hearty, plentiful and minimally recognizable.
I have also attended--although never hosted--a number of hunt breakfasts featuring wild game for the main course. Trust me when I tell you that Tabasco sauce goes a long way to disguise pan-fried groundhog.
Clearly, the basic hunt breakfast menu need be no more complicated than providing an enormous pot of robust beef stew, buttered crusty bread and chocolate layer cake, all complimented by Dr. Pepper or a vintage Bordeaux, depending on your taste and need for alcohol.
History proves that normal folk tend to categorize their "happenings" into seasons, i.e., holiday, theater, strawberry, debutante, while horsefolk employ the all-purpose hunt breakfast.
Useful at any time of the year, the hunt breakfast can be successfully combined with a multitude of festivities, including lawn parties, housewarmings, birthdays, anniversaries, showers, and wedding receptions.
The Irish, including members of my own family, are also adept at smoothly integrating the hunt breakfast into a wake or a funeral.
But, more about that later.
Hosting hunt breakfasts relieves horsefolk from fretting over the commonplace nuisances that attend most parties, like cleaning the house, unwrapping heirloom china, polishing silver, and adhering to a dress code. I speak from extensive experience in planning hunt breakfasts for all the above-mentioned events, except the wake/funeral, which traditionally fell under the purview of the McMahon (maternal) branch of my extensive family fruit and nut tree.
But it was from them that I learned early on about the sensibility of incorporating memorable events and seasonal celebrations with hunting days. They did, however, teach me that hunt breakfast/wakes were quite doable, especially if the hunt club meets three days a week, thus easily able to accommodate a funeral into the schedule.
And, if you doubt for one minute that a "passing" can't be tastefully included under the headline of "festivity," you've never at-tended a full-fledged Irish wake. Particularly one organized by foxhunters.
But, more about that later.
No Such Thing As Inappropriate Fare
Speaking in generalities, food preparation for any event is always simplified by holding a hunt breakfast, where all members adhere to the ancient custom of bringing a covered, uncovered or sometimes recently alive dish to add to the feast. No matter what occasion is being celebrated, commemorated or memorialized, there's very little on the hunt breakfast menu that can be considered inappropriate fare.
Wedding receptions have the only mandatory requirement for hunt breakfasts.
These have to include a large cake in the menu, although it's perfectly within the bounds of proper etiquette to replace the traditional plastic bride and groom atop the confection with a small stuffed or tastefully frosted fox.
One of the simplest and most satisfying aspects of preparing food for horsefolk is their uncomplaining acceptance of just about anything edible, as long as it's hearty, plentiful and minimally recognizable.
I have also attended--although never hosted--a number of hunt breakfasts featuring wild game for the main course. Trust me when I tell you that Tabasco sauce goes a long way to disguise pan-fried groundhog.
Clearly, the basic hunt breakfast menu need be no more complicated than providing an enormous pot of robust beef stew, buttered crusty bread and chocolate layer cake, all complimented by Dr. Pepper or a vintage Bordeaux, depending on your taste and need for alcohol.
