Creams & Greens - A Summer Table-scape of Calm

There is something so soothing about cream colors. Just the word puts me at ease. Which is why I choose it as the base palate for our most recent al fresco summer lunch/dinner. Full confession; I have so many tablecloths that sometimes I get overwhelmed with which to choose. The calming thought of cream put my restless mind at ease. My original goal was to go full on with the cream theme, but I do adore contrast and a pop of color. So pop it was in the shape of soft key lime green. So much for completely soothing but it still felt soft and perfect for a summer’s day.

From there it was time to start building. I’m sure I’ve walked you through the process of how I choose all the elements that make up a table setting. Sometimes, it’s an instantaneous knowing. Other times, like this one, I pull out options to see what moves me. Since my first thought was only cream tones I decided that the napkins should fulfill that goal and be soft and subtle in their tones, and not a screaming ‘look at me’ item.

This party was for our yearly gathering with our friends from Princeton. It’s an all day eating affair with lots of food, so the table needs to be simple with space for platters. This is an easy table-scape to replicate using what you have at home.

The Line Up:

• 1 cream (or white) tablecloth

• 1 table runner (or tablecloth folded) of an accent color of your choice

• Cream (or white) napkins

• Neutral Napkin rings or ties

• White Dishes

• Glassware & Silverware

• Florals of a contrasting color

• Long strip of an organic material (optional)

For me setting a table is just like cooking. Mise en place is equally important. The art of having everything ready. I pull out all the elements, gather them together, check that it all works and also have them handy to set up on the day of the event. Mise en place = everything in place.

The set up. Gather everything you need in one place and start building. It also helps you to visual the entire table.

Whenever I choose a color palate for the table my mind instantly goes to the color wheel for what the contrast should be for the florals. Once I steered from all creams and introduced the soft key lime color I knew violets/soft pinks were the exact perfect complement. And since my menu required a bit of work (not intentional), I opted out of putzing with a complicated floral design. Plus, know your audience. These were food people. Sure the flowers were nice but not the main attraction. Save time where you can.

Fuchsia, soft pinks and greens create such a pop of beauty.

From there it was just about layering of each elements to finish off the table.

Nothing too complicated here, but as you can see ironing the cloths makes a huge difference for creating a pristine base. I use the word runner, but truth is I didn’t have a green runner. (I know you are probably thinking, how it THAT possible?) When you don’t have but want, you create. So I triple folded a tablecloth to get the same effect. I added a strip of natural jute to provide an organic element and complete that landing strip feel down the center of the table. It’s not necessary but I like how it seemed to ground the look and provide an earthy feel.

Layers elevate a table from a simple table cloth to something a bit more visually interesting.

The flowers were next to help center where each place setting should land. The main vase consisted of fuchsia colored mini Calla Lilies & pink Veronica stems from Trader Joe’s along with Hosta leaves from my garden. Three small vases of mini roses in a pale pink/green hue provided a softer version of the palate. In order to not see all the stems in the main vase I wrapped Hosta leaves inside the vase. This little touch made the florals feel polished and more visually appealing than staring at the cut stems.

Looking at this photo, I wished I had wrapped hosta leaves in the small vases as well. Note to self: complete the look for all vases.

Vibrant colors of stark contrast = visual joy. I love the subtle nod of the petals, the napkin tips and design on the glasses (below).

When it came to the place setting I kept it simple, clean and straightforward with pure white plates, silverware in their traditional positions with napkins in the center on top of the salad plate.

The place setting

This was a garden party so I didn’t need an elaborate napkin fold but wanted to mimic the fleur de lis pattern of the glassware.
I achieved that by folding the napkin in a square, tucking under one corner, then pinching the bottom together and finally securing it with a cloth napkin holder. Not hard, not too fancy but just enough flare to tie in the floral notes.

I like collecting vintage glassware and then pairing them together to create whimsy. I added two types of glasses, one for lemon/mint water and the other for homemade Jasmine iced tea with rosemary simple syrup. Of course, we had wine glasses but those were filled and handed to the guests upon arrival. Keep ‘em smiling from the onset.

Floral swirls on the yellow glasses, gold floral swirls on the green glasses with floral napkin to match.

Lastly, I cut some rosemary from my garden and laid a sprig in front of every place setting. I mainly did this to help keep the mosquitos and flies away as they don’t dig the smell. But I also loved how it added another hue of green and played into the florals of the napkins and glassware. Such a simple touch that everyone noticed and commented on.

A sprig of rosemary finishes off the place setting with an added touch of green and natural element.

One final tip in the mise en place category, which I know I have mentioned before but bears repeating. Review the menu, then choose and have at the ready all the serving platters and utensils for each of the dishes. This may seem like an overly obsessive planning piece but I assure you it is a stress reliever. The last thing you want as you are about to serve up the food is to scramble around opening cabinets trying to figure which platter is big enough or deep enough or the right color. Trust me, it’s a small effort prior that pays off on the day of.

This was a simple table setting but I was pleased with how it turned out. It was low key yet still pulled together. And although not fully cream, it was calming just the same.

You can take this same set up and swap out the green runner for any other color and then just spin the color wheel to find your accents. Check out the link below with a major color wheel choices.

Color Wheel Fun

Opposites attract. This wheel gives a wide range of colors and tones that can be used when creating your table scape. If you want complementary colors, go opposite. If you want to stay in the same family go for an ombré effect. So many possibilities. Have fun.

Color Wheel

Keep it simple, keep it pretty. Keep your guests feeling welcome the moment they walk in. Happy al fresco entertaining.

Fish & Bean Stew

Way, way back BP (Before Pandemic), when entertaining and having friends over was a common occurrence, we hosted a dinner party for our friends on Monday night. I know what you are thinking… entertaining on a school night? Indeed we did. Since it was literally the only date we all could find available we threw caution to the wind and made it happen. It was late May and we had been experiencing cooler summer weather than normal so the menu included my Fish & Bean Soup. But as typical with Mother Nature, she rules. When she flipped the weather switch from unusually cool to suddenly warm, it was she who now dictated the menu. Soup did not seem like such a great idea anymore.

Problem was, I had already purchased all the seafood, (shrimp, calamari and monkfish), and I didn’t want them to go to waste. A tiny switch-aroo was in order. Take it from a soup to a stew. Sure, you’re saying ‘How is that different? It’s still warm.’ First, let me remind you that I did say ‘tiny’ switch-aroo. I, and our guests, can attest that that slight alteration made all the difference in a dish that was originally going to be too hot, to just right.

Monkfish, shrimp and calamari from the original stew dish.

Well, it’s now November and the reverse weather pattern has occurred. It’s unseasonably warm but it’s still Fall. We were again hosting with another set of friends at our upstate country house and this stew idea seemed perfect. Plus I’ve had this blog post in a holding pattern waiting to make its debut since 2019. It was high time that it graced our bowls again. I couldn’t find calamari or monkfish for some odd reason. But that is the beauty of this dish, you can use different combos of fish; shrimp, calamari, monkfish, scallops, cod, mussels, clams. They all work.

This recipe is similar to the soup with some revisions, mainly how you cook it.

Ingredients

Makes 4 generous servings as a first course or 8 appetizer bowls
*Note: you can adjust the amount fish you use, adding more if you want this to be a main dish

2 scallions, sliced (Use 1 for beans, 1 for fish marinade)
1 med onion, chopped (1 heaping cup)
1 large carrot, diced (1 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (1 heaping cup)
2 garlic cloves, thin slice (beans)
2 garlic cloves, crushed (fish)
2 32 oz cans Cannellini beans
12 shrimp, cleaned & deveined (12-14 oz)
10-12 oz cod, cut into chunks
10-12 oz. Sea scallops
Red pepper flakes to your taste
Magic 3 (Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper)
1-2 T Butter
1/4c White wine
Parsley to finish

Instructions

1. Peel and devein shrimp. Wash and thoroughly dry all the fish. I cut the cod into bite size pieces but left the shrimp whole. You can chose to cut the shrimp as well.

It’s important to always wash and thoroughly dry the fish, or any protein for that matter.

2. Marinate the shrimp, cod, scallops with scallion slices, crushed garlic, 1/4 t red pepper flakes, 3/4 t salt, 1/2 t black pepper and 2-3 T oil. Refrigerator while you cook the bean portion.

Marinated Fish with scallions, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and olive oil.

3. Chop and dice all your vegetables.

Mise en place: everything ready and in its place Celery, carrots, onions, scallions and garlic

4. Sauté the onions, scallions, carrots, celery for 10 -12 minutes then add the garlic slices, season with 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t pepper, 1/4 t red pepper flakes and cook another 2-3 minutes until soft and tender.

Sauté until soft then add the garlic so it doesn’t burn

5. Add the beans with some of their aguafaba juice and let simmer for 10 minutes until flavors meld. Taste for seasonings and add accordingly.

Just a luscious pot of yum

6. While the beans are cooking, sauté the fish individually (shrimp, then cod, then scallops last) in a cast iron pan or skillet. Once each batch is cooked place them on a plate until you are ready to plate.

High heat develops a nice crust on the shrimp. You only need to cook them 1-2 minutes per side

Seared cod pieces

Seared scallops

7. In the same hot pan, sauté any remaining scallions and garlic from the marinade adding a bit more oil, a pat or two of butter. Once softened then add a few splashes of white wine to deglaze the pan. Reserve this au jus to drizzle over the finished plate.

Hearty Fish & Bean Stew

You can either plate it family style using one big platter with beans on the bottom and fish stacked on top. Or individually plate it as I did, spooning the beans then placing the fish on top of each bowl, sprinkle with chopped parsley and drizzle that delicious, concentrated jus over top.

We enjoyed a few appetizers first. Then had the Fish & Stew as a starter. Followed by Grilled Pluma (Iberico Pork), Paella Rice with roasted garlic oil, Oven Roasted Tomatoes, Salad and Sautéed Broccoli Rabe.

A scaled down cheese platter along with French Breakfast Radishes and Fennel with Coarse Sea Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil & Basil

We had such a lovely, leisurely afternoon lunch with our dear friends, Tecla and Scott. We feel blessed to have them in our lives, and willing to make the drive to see our Airbnb home.
(If you are interested in renting our home in upstate NY, check it out on Airbnb
The Cozy, Country Cape House

This is such a hearty and flavorful starter. If you don’t have any plans to host a small dinner party, use this dish as a main course and maybe add some roasted potatoes or rice as a side along with a salad and vegetable As I said, this might be a warm plate, and naturally perfect for winter weather but it’s not too hot for a cool summer’s night meal or warm November afternoon al fresco.

Print Friendly Recipe

Summer Lunch - All Day Eating with Friends

JuanCarlos and I are super fortunate in many ways. And when it comes to the friend category, we absolutely score. We have the most amazing friends, all over the country. One such lovely group lives in Princeton, NJ and are always willing to make the long drive to visit us. Given the time they invest in traveling, JuanCarlos and I make sure that we prepare an all day affair filled with delectable bites. The food ranges from easy and simple mixed with some other items that require a tad more prep. But the fun part is that we keep it casual and flowing, bringing out items as they are ready. It allows us to mingle, chat, and relax without any formal schedule yet with plenty of food from which to choose. It’s like a grazing event.

Louisa & Rocco sampling the appetizers.

I actually love this type of entertaining because it affords me the opportunity to prepare a variety of different plates. Sometimes I get overly enthused, and just want to offer up the world… on a platter. It feeds my need to experiment plus have a group of food lovers to test out my ideas. I will admit that often times I have to reign myself in for parties. I get so excited, wanting to make more dishes than are humanely possible to consume, unless an army shows up. That said, I do a good job of keeping to amounts that makes sense.

I know I’m always giving advice about making a plan, having a budget, being organized, etc. All of which are necessary. Having a list, knowing what to buy, prep and what to make when, plus staying within your financial limits all are essential. I keep to the first rules diligently. List making, organizing, prepping; that’s my jam. Which is why I included a printable complete shop/prep/menu list at the end of the blog if you choose to replicate this menu. However, one thing I will admit openly; we rarely, if ever, follow a budget. JuanCarlos and I are both of the same mindset. If we are hosting, we will make whatever we deem is appropriate for the occasion and not be concerned about the cost. I don’t recommend this approach for everyone. Having a budget in mind helps to keep you on track and from over buying.

Ok, enough chit chat. This post is going to be chock full of food, so the least said the better. Although, I believe I’ve past that point already. Onward!

Table Setting

I’ve said it a thousand times, as my many posts dedicated to table settings will prove, and I will continue to say it. DO NOT skimp on your outdoor table. Plain and simple: Make it inviting.

Note: If you want me to stop saying it, send me some photo examples of your tables and I will dispense with the repetitive table setting suggestion.

I chose a bold green and black tablecloth that is similar to the one I recently featured Green & Black: A Graphic Table Setting.

I laid a neutral table runner with a bold, black graphic design across the wooden table that was used as a buffet. . I felt that the dramatic outline paired well with that of the tablecloth. I then kept everything else extremely simple.

I bought this khaki colored table runner from IKEA. It was the stark, graphic print that attracted me.

Big white plates, white napkins with a simple rectangle fold placed on the plate lengthwise with the utensils atop. Flowers were from Trader Joe’s. Nothing expensive or extravagant put a fresh pop of color that complemented the tablecloth colors.

Simple but still feels special.

I love the contrast of magenta and lime green. In a pinch, you can’t beat Trader Joe’s for flowers.

Drinks
Have a variety of drinks, but don’t go overboard. I can tell you from experience, people aren’t expecting to have every drink option under the sun. We used to offer a full bar, but through the years have pared down considerably on our offerings.

First tip, know your crowd. If most of your guests enjoy beer over wine, buy accordingly. Our groups are typically wine drinkers. No surprise there. So we offer a variety of wines, sparkling and flat water plus I usually make home iced tea as a non alcoholic option.

Second tip, be gracious; pour and refill your guests glasses. Sure, you would hope they feel comfortable serving themselves, but not everyone will. And it certainly makes them feel special when you are an attentive host.

Keep ‘em refreshed!

Starter | Appetizers

Have a 2-3 different dishes.

You all know that I’m a huge fan of the ubiquitous cheese/charcuterie platter. Since this was a warm August day I wanted to keep the starters less fussy without tons of cheeses melting in the sun. Instead I skewed this a bit lighter with a more tamed grazing platter.

Grazing Platter

Mortadella, French Breakfast Radishes with herb salted butter, salchichon, marcona almonds and dates.

Instead of the big cheese/charcuterie platter, I opted for a more simplified version I dubbed The Grazing Platter.

Watermelon Salad

Watermelon Squares topped with feta, pickled red onions & mint drizzled with balsamic vinegar over a bed of arugula

Nothing more refreshing than watermelon. Up the ante and top it with tangy feta, sharp pickled onion and the fresh herbaceous hit of mint, a drizzle of balsamic adds sweetness. It’s a party in your mouth.

Stuffed Endive

Endive stuffed with whipped cream cheese & goat cheese two ways:
Strawberry | Grape tomato | Basil
Sautéed Peas | Shallots with Pea Shoots.
Click here for recipe

Endive are the perfect vehicle to deliver food into your mouth. I love stuffing them with tons of fillings. These offerings were perfect for a hot summer day.

Intermezzo

This is a small course that we like to serve in between the appetizers and the main meal. I know what you are saying… Food in between the food courses? Well, I did say it was an all day eating affair. For this occasion we served a surf and turf tasting of scallops and grilled meats.

Butter Seared Scallops with Peas/Shallots

These scallops were seared in a cast iron pan on the grill. I used some of the pea/shallot mixture leftover from the endive dish to accompany the scallop. It was a beautiful pairing, and a tasty bite.

Seared scallop with peas

If you can’t get fresh, use frozen peas.

Grilled Meat

No explanation necessary. Grill up some of your favorite meats and serve it family style on a wooden board.

My husband loves, loves, loves to grill. He also loves to have his friends around him while he grills. So offering up both the scallops and the meat right off the flames is right up his alley.

Pluma is the end of the pork loin from an Ibérico pig from Spain. It is moist and tender, and quite the special bite of grilled pork.

My happy grill master, JuanCarlos, chatting it up with Ivor.

Dinner

Salmon Burgers

with Buns & all the fixings (raw red onion slices, pickled red onions, heirloom tomato slices, basil & pea shoots. People can choose whatever floats their boat.

Click here for recipe.

Build a burger station.

Heirloom tomatoes in big slices, raw and pickled onions, fresh basil. Just that is a great salad!

My gluten & egg free salmon burgers. On this occasion, I encrusted them in cornmeal to give them an extra crunch.

Pea shoots and micro greens are more delicate for the salmon burgers. Plus I had leftover from the endive appetizer, so use what you have.

Our friend, Louisa, has celiac intolerance, and I am wheat intolerant. The gluten & egg free salmon burgers were ideal for us and the rest of our guests. While they enjoyed the burgers with a bun, we each choose a different way to stack our burger using a tomato slab; making it our own.

All the other guests enjoyed the bun.

Tomato on top…

Tomato on the bottom…

Spicy Slaw

I love serving this salad because it complements so many dishes. It pairs great with grilled meats or fish. It’s a natural with burgers. So it made sense to sit alongside my salmon burgers.

Click here for recipe.

Spicy Slaw, a crisp, refreshing and hearty salad.

Smashed Baby Potatoes with herb garlic oil

Nothing hard about this one. And the best part is that the majority of this can be made ahead. I use new potatoes, but you really can use any potato you like. Boil them up fork tender but not overdone. Drain well and let them cool slightly on a baking tray. Then using the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup press down on each potato smashing them flat but still keeping them together. You don’t want to fully smash or they will completely fall apart. If making ahead, refrigerator until you are ready to fry them up. To finish them, you can either bake them at 400 degrees in the oven with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. You can fry them in a cast iron pan on the stove or on the grill, as we did.

I love serving these with either my marinated feta or a simple herb garlic oil, much like a chimichurri sauce. Simply mince cilantro, parsley, basil, chives, crushed garlic, lemon zest, squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. If you want to kick up the heat, add red pepper flakes. You can add whatever herbs you like or have. Make it your own.

Nothing better that the crispy skin of a potato with the soft interior. Slather with herb oil and you are in heaven!

Grilled Asparagus

If you have grill fired up, might as well throw on some asparagus. It’s a great summertime green BBQ vegetable.

Dessert was a variety of my ice cream sandwiches. More wine and after dinner drinks. We ate. We drank. We talked. We laughed and ate and drank some more. We love spending time with our Princeton pals, and feel so incredibly fortunate that they make the drive to our little haven in Westchester.

My chocolate chip cookie with vanilla chocolate chip ice cream. All homemade, of course.

Chocolate crisp cookie with vanilla chocolate chip ice cream.

Lemon spice cookie with strawberry basil ice cream.

Now this may feel like a ton of food for 6 people. But remember we paced ourselves and were nibbling all day. You don’t have to make all of these. Try a few. But if you do want to tackle this entire menu check out the printable Prep list document for the entire shop, prep, to do rundown.
I hope you have friends that you would enjoy spending all day with. If you do, make it special. It’s worth every minute!

Print Friendly To Do Prep List

5 Key Steps to Hosting a Garden Party

Summertime is meant for chilling.  You know; the relaxing, easy breezy hanging with friends and family. Most parts of the country wait all year long for the warm weather so we can comfortably sit outdoors, entertain, sip on cocktails, nibble on good bites and laugh the warm days and nights away.

I'm here to encourage all of that. And so, in keeping with my love of entertaining and my passion for making lists, here are my tips for hosting a garden party, or anything al fresco.

1. Make the space inviting and comfortable

Our dear friends Bruce and MaryAnne hanging on our upper terrace for appetizers.

• Have enough, and comfortable seating placed in various locations around your space. You want to encourage groupings to gather and mingle. This also allows your guests to wander around and take in the property, patio, whatever the space from different points of view.

People can sit, stand and mingle as they enjoy cocktails.

Placing small tables allows for food, drinks to be stationed around the property.

• If during the day, have sunscreen and bug spray available in pretty baskets

• If at night, make sure there is proper lighting, candles etc. Not only does it help keep your guests from falling off the patio but it creates a warm and welcoming glow.

• If you are throwing a really big event, then you might need to place some signs pointing to the bathrooms, so you don't spend your entire time answering that question 60 times. For a small party, no big deal. They have probably been to your home and know how to relieve themselves.

• For chilly nights, have a basket of light weight throws, shawls. I have never had this placed out, but do now because I am always running upstairs to my closet pulling out shawls for my guests. Better to have this out and available. It also makes it easier for your guests, as sometimes they don't want to bother you or burden you by asking. Instead they suffer in silence. That doesn't make for good hosting. Of course, a fire pit is also a great idea to have prepped and ready to go.

Mom and Dad

George and Alyssa

2. Table setting & Flowers

Color combinations can range from earthy to floral to plain white with pops of color. Just use your imagination and what feels good. Here I used some floral leaves as a landing spot for utensils and drinks.

Use the flowers you have in your garden.

Create different heights for drama.

• You all know how I feel about table settings and flowers. It seems silly to restate, but here goes. Taking just a few extra minutes to put a tablecloth down makes the world of difference.

• Keep to your theme of the party. Whether it's casual and easy, BBQ help yourself style, or a more formal outdoor sit down, set the table to suit the event.

White plates with cotton napkins keeps this simple while the florals takes a early evening dinner to a dreamy blue elegant table.

• The topic of plates and utensils is a personal one. I like real plates and utensils. That's just me. I'm not a fan of paper or plastic but certainly understand it's convenience. In this area, you choose whatever is best for you. Because a happy, relaxed host is a good host.

• If a buffet, make sure you have an designated area where your guests can pick up plate, utensils, napkin in one easy grab. Also, have a cloth napkin with the serving utensil in front of the dish so it is clear what they should use to serve themselves.

  • Utensil holders can vary from glass vases to wicker baskets or mason jars. Be creative and use what you have around the house to fit your theme.

  • You can also preroll all the utensils in the napkin and place them in a bucket or basket.

Use a floral vase as a utensil holder.

Roll up napkins and place in decorative bucket.

• Place your flowers in various locations to complement your table setting ensuring that guests can see one another, or if on a buffet table, they can reach the food without any obstruction. Who wants flower water all over their ribs?

  • Florals can be bought flowers or cut from your garden to mimic what is already in your guest view

  • You can get small potted plants or create an arrangement using small vases of varying heights

  • You can place flowers or large leaves directly on the table. You get the idea, anything goes. Be creative.

Blues and yellows keep it bright while the burlap keeps organic.

3. Menu - Food & Beverage

• You always hear me talking about serving what is seasonal. So no surprises here that if you are hosting a garden party, you don't want to be cooking hot and heavy dishes in your kitchen.

• Grilling fish and meat, fresh salads of all varieties using vegetables, fruits and grains.

Grilled Scallops

Grilled flank steak

Corn & Fruit Salad

Salmon with yogurt dill sauce

• Stick with food that fits your event or theme.

  • Cocktail party: have a larger table for the bar and two smaller tables for the nibbles (charcuterie/cheese platters, olives, nuts, canapés, etc

  • Here are some links for appetizers and summer salads:

    • 3 Dips a Dipping

    • Smoked Trout Cucumber Bites

    • Fresh Ricotta Crostini

    • Zucchini Crudo with Shaved Parmigiano

    • Shrimp Cucumber Rolls

    • Eggplant with Feta Cream

Good, simple food = happy guests.

Bruschetta Bar. Fill a board with crusty bread and toppings and let your guests make their own.

Have a spot where guests can grab their own glasses.

Always have a bar out and available for easy access.

• Ask your guests ahead of time if they have any food allergies. It's a big deal now. Everyone is allergic to something. (Thanks Monsanto and the FDA for helping to poison our food supply. Ok, that's another blog post, Dana. Stick to the theme.) Make sure you have a variety so there is something for everyone.

4. Know your Guests

Have music… will dance!

• Each party, each guest list is different. So gear your party towards who you invite and vice versus. Don't throw a dance party with a bunch of senior citizens. Unless of course those seniors know Salsa! Don't throw a sit down dinner with 20 kids. Match your guest list to your event.

• If your guest list has kids, make sure you have a couple of fun things for them to do. I used to have some garden games that I put out. Most of the kids in our circle are older now, so we don't need to entertain them in the same way. But I usually like to have balloons for water balloon tosses and marshmallows for roasting available.

Unless the seniors love to get their boogie on.

Water balloons by the dozen. Easy to fill and no need for knots.

Then relax with a game of Dominos

5. Plan B

• Always be prepared for the unexpected. Weather is uncontrollable. I am all too aware of this. So have a plan B. Ours is always to just move the party inside. For two reasons: one JuanCarlos isn't a big fan of putting up a tent or believing that it is going to rain. Two, we have the space inside to accommodate. When it briefly rained on my sister's wedding with more than 50 guests, they all ran into our living room. Happily, it was brief. But it doesn't have to be rain. It could be a heat wave or humidity. So think umbrellas or fans, etc. Plan B or even C, folks. The key to a good party is everyone is happy and comfortable.

Perfect example of having to move the dessert table indoors after the outdoor party got rained on.

The most important ingredient… you know it. LOVE. Have fun with the people you care about.

It’s Party Al Fresco Time. Happy Summer Folks!

Any Night Meal - Al Fresco

That's right the weather has turned... Finally.  I'm sure you have washed off the furniture, swept the patio and tidied up whatever outside area you have, whether it be a terrace, a small deck or a rolling pasture. It's time to go - al fresco.

Of course, we are all anxious to throw garden parties, BBQ's and the like after enduring a long, long winter.  And California, please spare me the "oh, we have that all year round" remark.  We know just how special you are.  The rest of the country suffers through changes.  Which is why we are outdoor party ready.  But you don't need to orchestrate a shindig in order to delight in the summer's offering. Taking in an evening breeze while savoring a meal doesn't need to equate to a big ordeal.  A simple dinner will do just fine so you can bask in the longer days, the extended light and the brisk air of a summer's eve.

You can set the table and create warm vibes, or simply put dishes on the patio table.

Cocktails - Here's a few ideas:

• Aperol Spritz - Aperol, Prosecco, sparkling water and an orange slice

• Sparking White or Rosé Cava

• Rosé Wine- My choice is French first, my second choice is a dry Spanish one like Muga

These Aperol Spritz cocktails are easy to drink, so be careful. If it's a school night, maybe just have one.

A dry rosé is the antidote to any long day.

If you don't want the alcohol:

• Cranberry juice, sparkling water and lemon wedge, or even add some frozen berries

• Watermelon juice, sparkling water, basil leaves

• Sparkling Water with Lemon & Lime Slices

The idea is to enjoy something refreshing.  So, go ahead and shake up a cool drink of your favorite flavors.

The Meal

• Summer Tart , simple puff pastry topped with farm fresh vegetables of the season

• Large salad, it can be as simple as lettuces lightly tossed with fresh lemon juice and oil. Or a nectarine salad to reinforce that summer feel

• Roasted salmon or grilled shrimp

• Yogurt with honey and nuts

Puff pastry tarts don't need to be complicated. Fill them with whatever is fresh and seasonal and pop them in the oven. I always add cheese!

Salad ideas

Nectarine Salad

Baby Lettuces

Butter lettuce with orange segments, avocado and cucumber. Super refreshing

Watermelon & Feta cheese served with a crisp white wine - La Val Albariño from Spain.

Main Dish ideas

Keep it simple and roast fish on the grill.

Roasted Salmon is perfect for outdoor entertaining.

You can even have dessert without a fuss.  Some Greek yogurt, nuts with a drizzle of honey is the just the right amount of sweet to finish off a meal. The idea is to get outside.  Grab whatever food you have and put it on a platter, pop open a beverage and breathe in the fresh air.  And the sheer joy of dining al fresco.  

Whole Red Snapper stuffed with lemons and parsley and grilled on the BBQ. So fresh and clean and ideal for a summer night.

Yogurt drizzled with honey & nuts equals an easy, satisfying dessert