Alcohol + Food + People = Barbecue Austrian style

Today started out quiet if rather cloudy (temperature didn't get above low 70s (F)). Since today was the day of the barbecue for my austrian parents, they kept a close eye on the weather, especially as some dark clouds rolled by. Luckily, the weather held cloudy but not rainy and we began to prepare for about 16 people to visit for a barbecue (austrian parents dance, the guests were there dancing partners). The guests were to bring salads an desserts and my austrian parents worked on appetizers and meat (as well as beer).

We stopped for lunch and my austrian mother made a batter of eggs, milk, and flour that she would drop into boiling water to make a type of pasta. It was interesting as I had never seen it done before. My austrian father also pulled out some more lemon beers for lunch. We finished eating around 1 pm and then my austrian parents went to the lake to sit for awhile (I did some reading) and then came back around 2:30 pm to finish the appetizers and other preparations.

Appetizers included tomato on toothpicks with oregano and mozzarella, and sliced bread with a light sauce or a liver pate (photo below).

Bread covered with liver pate and/or a light spread

Guests showed up beginning at 3:30 pm (barbecue started at 4 pm). Some of the guests spoke English but a majority seemed not to. I ran into my austrian grandmother who was talking to me in German. I ended up saying "no sprechen Deutsch' and then my austrian grandmother said 'no sprechen Englisch.'
When a majority of the guests had shown up we walked down to the lake and had some champagne to toast.

On the dock at the lack

 Back at the house my austrian father began to grill both sausages and some sort of steak? to the barbecue.

Austrian father grilling

It seems that those who brought the sweets brought  A LOT of sweets

Cake row

Cake row from other direction

I had dinner outside (was given another lemon beer) and I found that I was enjoying myself even though all the conversations around me were in German. I usually could figure out what was being talked about by the hand gestures and occasional words that were in English (or sounded close enough to their English counterpart). At one point I was asked (in English) about items coming on to Washington shore from Japan (tsunami debris). They seemed worried about the radioactive possibility of the debris and I tried to explain to them that it was more environmental worry (foreign plants, wildlife, etc.) in Seattle.

Dinner plate as I was trying to fill it up.

Dessert was an interesting affair and I tried to have a sample of as many different types of deserts I could.

Dessert time! Upper left is bascially like a chocolate covered cream puff, Everything else was sweet)

The guests left around 10:45 pm leaving a very late late night for my austrian family and I. Tomorrow should be a relaxing day though.

Candle after guests left (on outside table)