Garden supper this evening. Would it be reasonable to suggest that guests might leave the table for the football?

[LemonRoses]

We have a ten people arriving for supper this evening. We plan to eat on the terrace, with a 7pm start to catch the last of any sunshine. Clearly if they arrive at 7.15, have drinks and warm spiced nuts/olives then sit down to a starter of crab, we’re not going to be serving the entree until well past 8pm.

I don’t know two of the couples. My guess would be that three, maybe four, of the men would want to see the match. I don’t think most of the women would be particularly interested.

My problem is I wasn’t aware there was a football match this evening and I rather suspect some guests will want to see it.

Do we;

• open the doors so people can pop in and out?
• suggest those that wish cut their food at table and then eat of their knees with a fork whilst watching the television?
• suggest we watch together later?
• not mention to football and hope nobody else does?
• arrange regular update messages from someone who is watching?

If a match is at 8pm, what time will it finish? Should we defer eating until after the match but add in more substantial canapés?

Oh do keep up @Orchidflower1 - LemonRoses doesn't even know two of the couples coming. But that's how they roll in the Cotswolds - if you're wearing red trousers in the queue at the deli, you and your lively wife might get a coveted invitation to supper chez LemonRoses!

Sounds divine. I'll be there at 7.
I don't care about football.

I will bring wine

What's the dress code?

Well your menu sounds lovely! I would serve early on at 8 and go straight to the mains .Probably say leave the doors of lounge open, and interested parties can pop in and out? We are also out for a celebration meal this evening !

@LemonRoses this isn’t relevant, but indulge me - when your guests accepted, did they do so in writing using their “usual correspondence card”? 😆

Do people really have this kind of "Garden Supper"?

It's sounds very Abigail's Party.

As to the football, best to abandon your proposed format, and have fish and chips round the television with plenty of lager.

@Daphnise

Do people really have this kind of "Garden Supper"?

It's sounds very Abigail's Party.

As to the football, best to abandon your proposed format, and have fish and chips round the television with plenty of lager.

Sounds like your typical normal shooting weekend. Just a straightforward one.

I’ve never had my nuts warmed.

It sounds lovely! I wish I was going to a garden supper on the terrace in the sunshine tonight. Instead, I'll be having tea with the children and then DH will be watching the football after a wet day stuck indoors!

invite me round... I'll finish off the crab... except it's peeing down here so you can't be anywhere close.

My feeling is I would prefer a relaxed evening so would plan for whatever will feel most relaxing for most people.

Just contributing that I'm a woman and I've watched almost every game of the entire tournament so don't count on the women not being interested just because they're female.
Also 'football food'? I assure you that many football fans appreciate a warm nut and a dressed crab, we're not all hotdog-munching lager-swilling yobs, you know?

@RogueMnerHidesUnderABigHat

Sounds divine. I'll be there at 7. I don't care about football.

I will bring wine

What's the dress code?

How uncouth of you. Have you not seen the other thread. If the host has said 7pm then it is apparently terribly rude to turn up before 7.30

Only those with no manners and are of the lower classes turn up at the time the host advised

Personally I would forego the foie gras etc as it might be tricky to eat off one's knees; several cans of Stella and two Iceland pizzas per person should suffice.

One might substitute with garlic bread and a bag of salad with some sliced boiled egg, cucumber and tomatoes for the ladies, who may be slimming.

Pudding after, if the ladies dare!

I love this thread. The detail (warm nuts), the language, the sudden switch from crab and an entree to popcorn, hot dogs and ice cream, as if that's what people eat at football

What's for main and dessert?
And will you have fizzy pop

Please don't make the women feel they have to sit outside and miss the match, but other than than your plans sound sensible, please let them know I bet some will be very relieved.

My accent had changed after reading this thread.

She didn’t know there was football on.

To be fair on that one, I’m only vaguely aware of it & would actively avoid watching it. Good luck to England of course but I find it boring.

Of course, the boys might be more traditional in their approach to football cuisine and neither Iceland pizzas nor hot dogs would be appropriate. Have you considered ordering in some pies?

I’d be tempted to dispense with nuts on the terrace and hand them a packet of KP salted, a tin of beer and a little England flag as they walk through the door - then point them in the direction of the telly and plonk yourselves in front of it (in an ironic manner natch).

Order a Chinese for half time and you’ve got yourself a dinner party that no-one will ever forget.

Engerland, Engerland, Engerland,
Engerland, Engerland, Engerland,
Engerland, Engerland, Engerland,
Engerland,
Engerrrrrland (really hold this one OP)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

I have no interest in football at all and only found out England are playing this evening by reading this thread. I don’t read papers or watch the news so it is highly possible not to know they are playing today.

Surely if they were that desperate to see the football, they would have said no to your dinner? Or at least, would have now contacted you to cancel?

I'm not a football person, but surely if you were so into it that you couldn't possibly miss a match, you'd know by now that the match was on and would have already made plans to watch it?

Don’t forget the Pukka Pies, op!

This thread is quite hilarious. ‘Garden Supper’; I ask you 😂

I would love a terrace to have supper on.
It’s pouring down with rain here. I’m jealous

She’s having people round she doesn’t know in the middle of a pandemic.

She’s having more people over than is allowed in England.

As I suspected. The covid police.
Absolutely no reason not to have people round that she doesn't know. And ten people on an outside terrace is perfectly okay.

If you're going to be covid police, @Orchidflower1, at least make sure you understand what is and isn't within the rules.

Would love be invited to supper on the terrace but would also appreciate an informal atmosphere with TV on and people being able to dip in and out as long as the football watchers tried to maintain some sense they are there to socialise too and your husband?? Remembered he is hosting too. Ie non football watchers shouldn't feel abandoned. I think it depends on who the group are I think. Just come to the conclusion while writing this that if I had gone to a supper expecting a good chat at the table and half the group pissed off to watch footie and I was left with strangers I wouldn't be impressed so it does have to be carefully managed with perhaps prior warning.

I’m laughing at the idea that football = popcorn and hot dogs.

Of course, one can eat anything whilst watching football - I shit you not, last night my husband watched the Belgium / Italy game eating olives and… WARMED NUTS!!!

But, if you wanted to go “themed stereotype football food in an ironic way” 🤣 then you would NOT do stereotype American film night food. I mean: type film and iPhone emoji suggestions actually include 🍿

No - you need a cup of Bovril and a pie.