Cards, Crape Myrtle Table and an Herb Garden Luncheon for the Ladies of Fair Oaks

The Fair Oaks Samba Club consists of four neighbors (Josephine, Betty, Joanne and Mavis) who have been friends for over forty years and who have lunch and play cards once a month, rotating among their homes. This month my mother was the host and as luck would have it, she and her partner won the game!
Of course it doesn’t matter who wins, it’s a special time that they share together as their dozen children are grown and now they have time to play cards and enjoy lunch. It’s always the first Monday of the month unless that falls on a holiday and come noon, these four are around the table.
For this month’s luncheon, the Senator and I cooked and served and played favorite music for them. We printed menu cards with a little something about the various herbs served as reminders of the day, you know they make great bookmarkers for your cookbooks. Then we trapsed outside and cut some crape myrtle and potted up some speamint for luncheon favors and set the table with some of Mother's favorite china that complimented the violet and pink blossoms. Herbs were nestled amid them and the fragrance of dill, spearmint, basil, and the baking rosemary chicken filled the breakfast room where they played.

Those four cleaned their plates and then the dessert bowls. It’s so nice not to have picky eaters. Then it’s time to shuffle and deal the cards. They play a form of canasta called samba and for the next two or three hours, they are counting points, wondering who’s holding what in their hand, and trying to avoid letting their opponents pick up the pile of cards. There’s a lot of laughing, some good natured complaining, plenty of coffee drinking, and even recipe swapping throughout the afternoon. When it’s all said and done, there’s always next time and jolly good luck to them all.

Fair Oaks Samba Club
Noon, August 3, 2009
An Herb Garden Luncheon

Rosemary & Lemon Garlic Roasted Split Breast of Chicken
Lady Peas & Silver Queen Corn Salad
Asparagus Spears
with Pesto Vinaigrette, Aged Parmesan & Toasted Pine Nuts
Sweet Pickles & Garlic Sweet Pickles
Dill Bread with Chive Butter
Spearmint Semifreddo with Hershey Chunks
Moomba Splash and Blended Mint Iced Tea
Rosemary – “The dew of the sea” was used by the Queen of Hungry and Don Quixote for miraculous healing balms. It has a reputation for improving memory and is a symbol of remembrance. During the Middle Ages, it was known as “the love charm” as the bride, groom and all wedding guests wore a spring of rosemary. Studies even suggest that its carnosic acid may shield the brain from free radicals, lowering the risk of strokes and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig.
Basil – “King” has been cultivated for 5,000 years and should be added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavor. Jewish folklore suggest it adds strength while fasting; Greek Orthodox use it to prepare holy water; and in India, basil is placed in the mouth of the dying to ensure they reach God, as they believe that it will open the gates of heaven. Basil oil has potent antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties and it has been used to treat diabetes, stress, and asthma.
Chives – “The least onion” is the only species native to both the Old World and the New World. Grown since the Middle Ages, they were used by the Swiss to flavor pancakes and traditional herring dishes. Chives produce a juice which fights fungal infections, mildew and benefits the circulatory system. Romanian Gypsies have used chives in fortune telling and it was believed that bunches of dried chives hung around a house would ward off disease and evil spirits.
Dill – “The lulling herb” grows wild in Spain and Portugal among the corn and is used to ease colic in infants. To the Greeks the presence of dill was an indication of prosperity. In the 8th century, Charlemagne used it at banquets to relieve hiccups and in the Middle Ages it was used in a love potion and was believed to keep witches away. The Receipt Book of Joseph Cooper, Cook to Charles I, 1640 described the use of dill in the pickling of cucumbers.
Spearmint – “The good herb “was originally used as a medical herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains. It is a strong aromatic, diuretic and aids in digestion. Mint oil is also used as an environmentally-friendly insecticide for its ability to kill wasps, hornets, ants, mosquitoes and cockroaches. In Rome, Pliny recommended that a wreath of mint was a good thing for students to wear since it was thought to "exhilarate their minds.”

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