More than ever, I realize just how precious life is. It really needs to be enjoyed. All the little moments.

Don’t worry about the small stuff

Savor the silly

Make lemonade out of lemons

Drink in a blue blue sky.

Enjoy a tender moment with a friend (thinking about and praying for my dear friends the C’s)

Don’t you think? Happy beginning of August.

Once a year, we host an outdoor dinner party.  It may also be the one time a year the silver gets polished. This is an excuse to pour over cookbooks and recipes and plan something special for friends.  We aim for a new mix of guests every year.  We love to use fresh summer ingredients and plan the event around the garden looking summer-time peak.  Let me tell you a little bit about it:

First, the table–I love setting the table, it’s almost like building a set.   My aunt sent me a care package recently that contained, among other things, some old drapery panels from The Chatham Bars Inn, before their renovation.  I now know intimately why draperies are so expensive, these were so well sewn I had to take apart a zillion seams it seemed, metal, tape, etc. so that they would lay flat for a floral skirt effect.

The centerpiece was 100% edible.  And very easy.  I mounded, Meyer lemons, champagne grapes and tomatoes on the vine.  It was colorful, the scale I was looking for and in theme.

About 1/4 there

On top of the chintz, I layered burlap and the hand-crafted table runner my kids & I made.  The kids also enjoyed the Italian candies we sprinkled all over the table

Sourced from The Confectionery.

I picked up these cute disposable place mats by Studio Oh, from Madison Park’s Cookn’.  I really like having place mats in particular in an intimate table setting, because it gives the guests a sense of personal space.

So here is a near complete version–flowers placed in bud and all different shaped vases consisted mostly of sunflowers, a few dahlias and lavender from my garden.

For starters, cheese of course.

We served three Italian cheeses; a creamy Gorgonzola Dolce that had the texture of butter, Pecorino Crotonese which was an Italian sheep milk, and Dolce Toma, an Italian goat milk   I also bought a 3 pound, 2.5 feet long salami from Costco.  Why?  Dunno, I guess cuz I can.  We probably only made our way through 1/10 of it.  Guess who’s having salami sandwiches all week?

The beverage table.  To wet everyone’s whistle, we served Prosecco, Peroni and Pellegrino.  Say that 3 times fast!  Un-planned alliteration.

Prosecco is so thirst quenching on a sunny day, no?

For another option and in lieu of fussy and sometimes too sweet for my palette sangria, we also served glasses of white wine with a big healthy slice of peach.

The menu consisted of seven courses.  Beginning with a sip of chilled gazpacho, recipe from Food 52  here.

We made one addition to the recipe, a splash of Tito’s vodka for a kick.

Then we enjoyed cremini mushroom flatbreads with a dollop of goat cheese on top.  They were eaten so quickly, I wasn’t able to get a photo!

Next a Tuscan melon dish…that tastes like summer on a plate.  Simply place good quality prosciutto over the melon, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle coarse sea salt and fresh mint.  Mouth watering yet?

Next, Panzenella salad; made simply by procuring the best tomatoes (which is not hard to do now) you can find, sliced onion,sliced cucumber, basil, and cubed grilled bread.  We like a rustic thick bread for this and the olive oil you toss the salad with moistens the bread.  This dish to me is also pure summer goodness.

#5 Manilla clams sauteed in white wine, butter (and my husband admits to a splash or Rainer beer) and garlic.  Save a few slices of the grilled bread for guests to sop up the delicious broth.  We paired the clams, sourced from Taylor Shellfish, with this yummy, crisp and inexpensive (not why we got it, but a bonus none the less) bottle of vino per their suggestion.  Oh p.s. they also sell wine at Taylor.

What’s next they say? Glad you asked, now we are leading up to the entree–fresh linguine with grilled shrimp.  Prepared simply with butter, garlic, fresh Parmesan, chili flake and ginormous grilled shrimp.

The evening ended with the men around the fire pit, what is it with men and fires by the way?

Chocolate and vanilla gelato served with Italian cookies and a sip of limoncello.

Happy Summer Eating Everyone!

Bet you’re wondering why I’m blogging right now, considering we’re entertaining in a few hours? It is because I look like this:

Can you believe nearly a year later, my ankle is still messed up?  So frustrating.  All I was doing was walking….reminds me of trying to walk in sand in Nantucket.  Nope, that wasn’t in the cards either and I paid for that dearly after trying to spend the day on one of my favorite beaches.  Several days on the sidelines during our vacation.  Say a power through prayer for me for today, at least I was able to do this so far and the weather seems to be cooperating.

So many fun details in the works, I hope we are able to execute them.

In the meantime…Aleeve, Arnica and elevation…

It’s a well documented fact that I love a theme. Some of my friends actually make fun of me to my face about it. Lord knows what they say when I’m not around:) Bottom line is, give me a theme for a party or even a smaller dinner gathering and I’m running with it.

I had the most fun today party preppin’ for a “Tuscan Themed” dinner party tomorrow night. I even super enjoyed produce shopping today, and who does that?  Anyhoo, Franks at Pike’s Place is simply the best.  As they say, they are not the cheapest at the market, but they are the best–after all, quality is what we should be seeking, especially when entertaining.  From intimately knowing every grower and source for items such as local cremini mushrooms to referencing California’s first crop of grapes.  This is the place.

Moving on to the rest of the list:  Dreams de la DeLaurenti are a common nocturnal activity of mine. What, you don’t dream about food too?  Anyways, having such a theme and reason to shop this quintessential Italian market was just sublime.

This spot long ago called Pete’s Italian Grocery (for Pete DeLaurenti and that sign is vintage from back in the day) has resided in the Market pretty much forever.

They carry the mother lode of cheeses, homemade sausages, fresh pastas, meats, olives, dried goods, and pretty much anything imported (and quite a bit local too) that your heart and taste buds desire.

They had everything I needed…

and more.  I got everything else from my list (non-produce related) and didn’t really even break the bank…well, maybe a little bit on the cheese, but what’s life without a little summer splurge?

Pike’s Place is also one of the world’s best spots to source flowers and can you even imagine a Tuscan themed dinner party without sunflowers? I think not.

So I chose 2 dozen of two different kinds–oooh they make me so happy.  Just wait until you see the table. Which brings me to my last prep item: a hand/homemade table runner.

I got this crazy idea to procure some canvas for a table runner that my kids (well, with me and some others to help them too) could create.  We inserted all kinds of Italian inspirations like olives, lavender, tuscan trees, cheese, tomatoes, and more.  The exercise of researching this made us all realize we want to get to Tuscany soon!  The project is still a work in progress.  More creation on the books for tonight and make no mistake, we have had so much fun doing these hand done pastel drawings–I recommend it for a fun summer project.  No matter what it ends up looking like, I’m not going for perfection, but knowing the kids feel ownership in the party prep is priceless.

Win lose or draw, I can’t wait for the outcome tomorrow.  Come back in the next day or two, for menu, tabletop, decor and more.