Games & Gastronamy

Welcome to the first installment in a series of my posts called, “Games & Gastronomy”!

As a self-prescribed foodie, I am always as interested in the food accompanying our game nights as much as the games themselves! Jennifer and I usually pair up to provide delicious delicacies, Greg keeps our mugs and glasses full of comforting liquids, Bob eats whatever is put in front of him to avoid low blood sugar, and Kia roves the floor looking for tidbits that may have dropped for her snacking pleasure. 

Since food is such an important part of our gatherings and since this was my weekend to blog the festivities, I thought it only appropriate that I seek to provide complimentary pairings between our games and gastronomy.

Boggle/Alphabet Soup

The only appropriate pairing that I found for a game of mixed letters was, of course, homemade Alphabet Soup. Most of us had only had the Campbell’s Soup variety but this version was significantly healthier and do to my heavy hand, it had a generous dose of pasta letters as well. While slurping various phrases, we assessed the Boggle competition ahead of us. Knowing that Bob is the “master of words”, each person dug deep hoping to find an expert linguist within them. The battle started out rather even but as each round continued, Greg and I found ourselves fighting for ABL (Anything But Last). The competition was close but Bob eventually prevailed with the top score.

Birds and Animals/Tofurkey & Stripple Paninis

Attempting to find a food pairing with a game named “Birds” and “Animals” automatically leads one down a carnivorous path. So, to honor our highly developed vegetarian stomachs, I had to be a bit creative. Thankfully, the fake meat industry is alive and well and I was able to make a yummy grilled sandwich of tofurkey, stripples, smoked gouda, and cherry preserves to accompany our  Adventist version of “Go Fish”. After reminiscing about the many Sabbath afternoons we spent playing this game with our siblings (while our moms and dads participated in “lay activities”), the fishing began in earnest. An early favorite in the bird game, the Common Merganser, was coveted by all but Jennifer came through with the win. Later, while we were complaining that the animal pictures on the cards were not as we remembered as kids, Bob snagged the Musk Ox and took the last win of the fishing series.

Bible Brainstorm/Manna

For our last Bible game in the “B” section, I decided that we HAD to have Manna. Unfortunately that decision made it clear to everyone (including me) that Heather should only cook……and NOT bake. Let’s just say that the anemic, flattened chunks of dough that resulted from my baking attempt were not even close in resembling that "fine, flaked-like thing" found in Exodus. We did managed to consume all the chunks, however, in an attempt to fuel the synapses between our brains and mouths. Bible Brainstorm was a Cranium-type game that combined charades, pictionary, trivia, and a word scramble. The Thaynes prevailed over the Wendts due to their difficulties encountered in the drawing department. How does one draw "The Glory of God" anyway??!! 

Blink
I did not plan on us getting through so many games this evening so I didn't prepare a pairing for Blink. In fact, I don't even remember playing the game. I must have blinked and missed it. Sorry.

Written by Heather