Today's recipe: Birthday platters

I love birthdays. Anybody’s, everybody’s and especially mine – no need for false modesty I say. Bring on the party! Bring on the presents! Let's have some fun! And so what could be better than a birthday while underway in Portugal – yippee!

Frank and Conny are a deevine couple we met this year. They're also travelling around in their camper van and we've enjoyed many an evening with them of late. That Frank was good enough to have a birthday is very (aufmerksam) thoughtful of him as people are starting to get suspicious that I have soooo many birthdays...

We started the celebrations off with a lovely Port wine in the early afternoon – what do you mean I shouldn't drink till after 5pm? Just remember Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet telling us all that “it's five o'clock somewhere”. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jimmybuffett/itsfiveoclocksomewhere.html

Moving right along then, “it's five o'clock somewhere” was followed by a deevine selection of substantial nibbles, in the form of baguettes topped with all things nice and hard boiled eggs topped with puppy dogs tails. What do you mean when you say, “huh, has she been on the Port again?” Don't you remember the children's rhyme:
Little girls are made of sugar and spice and all things nice
and
Little boys are made of slugs and snails and puppy dogs tails.
(Sigh. Stay with the program people.)

I thought it appropriate to show a photo of their absolutely gorgeous doggy, Lucy, (who I must add is still in full possession of her tail) salivating while looking at the lovely platters. I thought this more appropriate than a photo of me salivating over the platters...

And considering that it's truly well past 5 o'clock here, I shall quickly give you the ingredients and head back to port.

HARD BOILED EGGS AND TOPPED BREAD PLATTERS

Hard Boiled Eggs, halved and topped with:
Herb mayonnaise, homemade or bought
Sliced gherkins / dill pickles
Tomatoes, cut into wedges
Aubergine chutney (see NOTE)
Parsley to serve

(NOTE: You can get this chutney in most Indian / Asian supermarkets, but if you don't have any another chutney will do the trick too)

Baguette / French stick topped with:
Lettuce
Tomato sliced in rings
Pilchards / Sardines, tinned
Tuna
Lemon finely sliced
Paprika, cut in bite sized pieces
Gherkins / Dill pickles

OR

Camembert
Grapes, halved so they don't roll off!
Aubergine chutney (see NOTE above)