Progressive Dinner an enchanted feast

An "enchanted evening" is how event chairperson Leslie Perrin describes the 15th annual French Quarter Citizens Progressive Dinner, to be held Nov. 6 from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Usually, a progressive dinner begins at a lovely home with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, and the party progresses to different homes for salads, soups, entrées and desserts.

My idea of a progressive dinner goes like this: When the door chime rings, I am never ready, so guests sit around the kitchen island while I cook and serve the first course -- a soup, salad or amuse bouche. I stopped doing hors d'oeuvres because everyone seems to be dieting, even the men, and when you go to all that trouble to cook, you want hungry appetites.

For the entrée, we progress to the dining table, and for dessert, troop to the loggia on the courtyard, provided mosquitoes do not dive bomb us, forcing an indoor retreat. For dessert, we might walk guests over to the Palm Court for jazz and warm pecan pie, topped with ice cream.

This year, the FQC Progressive Dinner will do its own innovative thing with a slightly different twist "to make everyone feel more comfortable," Perrin said, noting the difficulty of finding homes to accommodate 150 people.

For starters, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served at three homes, including the lovely Vieux Carre residence of Frances Hegenberger, where the dinner begins with food by award-winning French Quarter chefs.

The entrée, with wine pairing and dancing, will take place at the former Cabrini Convent, now the home of Dr. Carlos Trujillo, where the statue of Mother Cabrini graces the courtyard. The party then progresses to the grand finale with dessert and champagne.

Entertainment will include music by Sharon Martin and the First Take Band. FQC president CoCo Paddison will be honored for her service....