Hosting summer parties is such a joy. When the weather is superb, and the food is fine and the company is divine, well then, it’s simply sublime.

Such was the case with this summertime cocktail party with neighbors. Now before you start wondering, this was not a recent event, on the contrary. Usually whenever we host events my intention always is to share the festivities, and of course, the food choices/combos in a prompt, timely manner. Sometimes good intentions aren’t enough, which is why I never had a chance to post this event that took place back in 2019. That’s right, way back 2 years ago. At first, I felt remise not meeting my own self imposed ‘timely reporting duties’. But after some consideration, I am glad now about the delay. I think this post might have gotten lost in the soup given that none of us were entertaining in 2020, and therefore, could have been forgotten or overlooked. As I’ve often said, things happen exactly when they should. And so I believe this post is more timely presented now as we ponder hosting more gatherings during the warmer weather and for the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend.

Let me first start by setting the visuals for you. We live in the most charming little enclave of Hartsdale, NY known as Manor Woods. By its name you can imagine that we are nestled within decades old trees that tower above us 40-50 feet. Our ‘hood also sports 4 dead end courts which means no through traffic, and ultimately super quiet streets. (Minus all the dog barking.)

Our backyard tucked under towering trees.

Our front yard guarded by this majestic Oak Tree.

Looking down from our backyard, more trees.

No way out, but we don’t mind. We love it here.

And if those weren’t reasons enough to live here, the neighbors are something special. A diverse group of considerate, caring, joyous people that truly enjoy one another’s company and look out for each other. Which is why for the past several years we have been swapping hosting get togethers at one another’s homes. As I mentioned, the last one we hosted was during the summer of 2019, and the weather was simply flawless for a Friday night of food, drink, good conversation and laughter. There is something so special about just hanging and savoring the moment, as well as the food. Relaxed and easy going with no agenda but to chill.

We had a few more people than our original group which brought the headcount to 18. And it was great to see the camaraderie among all. For this type of event, buffet-cocktail style foods are ideal. Fill up a large table with a good variety of eats and let people pick and mingle as they may. I pulled from some of my favorites and had fun arranging the table from high to low, from hot to cold. For more tips on outdoor hosting, give a gander at 5 Key Steps to Hosting a Garden Party.

Florals don’t have to be fussy, just pretty.

Fill the table, and remember height adds dimension and interest.

Everyone finding their space and favorite drink so we can all catch up.

Back then dipping was encouraged. And no, there wasn’t a line for food.

I do like to ensure that there is variety. If your party is scheduled for 2 hours then it’s true you don’t need as many options. But if it’s going to be longer, having only a couple of offerings simply doesn’t cut it. After a while the palate gets bored, and so do your guests. Plus, with so many people you need to have items that everyone can enjoy. The below menu seemed to hit all the right notes.

Here’s the menu:

Various Cheese & Charcuterie Board with grapes, olives, cucumbers
Fennel with Olive Oil & Course Salt & Cracked Pepper
Baby bell peppers with Chick Pea Mash
Endive Spears with Chick Pea Mash
Endive Spears with Peaches, Goat Cheese & Basil
Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese on Cucumber Rounds
Spicy Chorizo Pigs in a Blanket
Grill Meats
Watercress, Cucumber & Herbed Butter Tea Sandwiches
3 Dips with Potatoes, Carrots & String Beans
Rice & Quinoa Crunch Salad in Individual Cups
Puff Pastry Tomato Tartlets
Dessert: Homemade Ice cream balls

*Note: Since some of the above items do not have recipe links, please do not hesitate to contact me for simple instructions on how to prepare them. dana@2fishinc.com

Nothing better than Cheese/Charcuterie platters. Always and forever a crowd pleaser.

The freshness and simplicity of fennel dressed with coarse salted, cracked pepper and olive oil. Refreshing and super easy.

Mini bell peppers stuffed with Chick Pea Mash, Smoked Salmon/Cream Cheese/Cucumber Rounds, Watercress/Cucumber Sandwiches.

3 Dips a Dipping. A hearty take on a crudité platter. String beans are blanched, potatoes boiled, carrots are raw all served with 3 different dips that perfectly complement those veggies.

Pretty in Pink. I love playing with color. Rosy Prosciutto, pink Mortadella, red globe grapes and endive spears. What’s not to love here?

Mini spicy chorizo wrapped in puff pastry served with a mix of grain mustard, Dijon and yellow mustard.

Easy to grab and eat Rice & Quinoa Crunch Salad.

Now, I realize that this may seem like a ton of different plates, but for this amount of people for the length of the party (5-11p), the variety and quantity were much needed. Our guests included meat eaters, as well as no pork eaters, plus those who are gluten free. So having options is key to ensure that everyone is satisfied and has enough from which to choose.

Scott & Harry. White wine chilling. (Notice the bug spray between them. Important to have some key essentials available for a backyard party.

All the dishes were well appreciated and loved, even by the kids, which is a great feat if I do say so myself. The best part about these food choices were that most did not require much attending. A couple of dishes were hot/warm but the majority were room temp. Place and walk away!

I can’t wait for our next get together. I’m really going to have to up my game and come up with a whole new offering. Or maybe since 2 years has passed they won’t mind having some repeat performances. I know I wouldn’t.

Hope you give some of these a try, even if on a smaller scale.

A nod to the Mediterranean using a Provencal tablecloth. Simple. No fuss.

We are in the midst of planning a trip to the South of France. In our research, food and wine keep popping up frequently. So much so that JuanCarlos has taken to buying only French wines at the moment. Getting his palate ready, I guess.
I'm getting mine ready by dreaming of Mediterranean flavors. So with plans to host a Saturday night dinner party for our friends, Donna and Jeff, it made total sense to devise the menu around that theme. It's easy to cook for them. They are food lovers, too, and enjoy a wide variety of food. Well, except that Jeff isn't quite that fond of spinach or squash, which believe or not, were both on my original plan. I had my heart set on making fish en papillote using carrots, zucchini and spinach. But no biggie, there are so many other ways to go. I could still make fish en papillote, but minus those two ingredients. Thinking cap on, I would spiritually fly myself to the Mediterranean and envision some ingredients. I had capers, olives, tomatoes which all fell right in line with that theme. It seemed even more fitting since Jeff and Donna have been to France numerous times, plus they are planning a trip to Italy in June. Yet another cosmic nudge toward a Mediterranean mood. So, mind made up. Plan in place. A celebration was in order, not just the flavors of the region but the style, too.
Starting with the table setting.

I pulled out a tablecloth that had olives, sunflowers and tones of green, all of which are reminiscent of the Provence region of France. I added deep olive green, velvet placemats and playing off the yellow tones, I used gold rimmed dishes and draped a triple pointed folded napkin slightly askew. Simple, elegant but not too fussy.

All keeping in the same tones. Greens play off the yellows and reds. Even the water glass is green and gold.

The Plan:

Table setting with a Provencal tablecloth
Keep appetizers to a few simple bites in the bistro style
Main course featuring fish with Mediterranean flavors, potatoes and salad
Dessert: true European style - Cheese platter

For appetizers, I thought a fun intro to the meal would be small pressed sandwiches accompanied by marcona almonds, olives marinated with herbs de Provence and cornichons. The mini sandwiches were made with a combination of cured meats/cheese and leftover pork loin & onion jam.

Plus a little twist on an old classic; Pigs in a Blanket, served up by using mini spicy Spanish chorizo wrapped in puff pastry and a side of whole grain and dijon mustard mix.

Lastly, a bite from the sea provided by marinated boquerones served on a crisp, cool slice of English cucumber.

These offerings were just the right amount to get us started.

A panini press gives a nice warm crispness to the bread and melts the cheese.

Despaña Brand Mini Chorizo

The puff pastry adds a buttery flavor that complements the spice of the chorizo. These are a more grown up way of serving Pigs in a Blanket. Adding a nod to France, I mixed up whole grain mustard with dijon for dipping. Marcona almonds and cornichon… — The puff pastry adds a buttery flavor that complements the spice of the chorizo. These are a more grown up way of serving Pigs in a Blanket. Adding a nod to France, I mixed up whole grain mustard with dijon for dipping. Marcona almonds and cornichons for crunchy, salty bites.

Boquerones are fresh anchovies. I marinated them in crushed garlic, olive oil and parsley. Then placed them atop an English cucumber slice.

All appetizers were prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge till right before serving. I made the sandwiches and wrapped them in plastic wrap. Then pressed them when our guests arrived. The boquerones were assembled and plated earlier in the day. So all I needed to do was place them on the table. My adult version of Pigs in Blanket were cooked right before they were due to arrive, so those were warm and ready to go. These small bites created a relaxing, no fuss vibe giving us a chance to sit, chat and catch up before the main meal. Many a moon ago, Donna and I had blood orange cosmos at the Royalton NYC. It seemed only fitting that we serve up a similar cocktail to start... just for old times' sake. As we nibbled, we sipped on Blood Orange Martinis made by the deft hand of my hubby, who lovingly squeezed all the citrus and mixed this drink to perfection.

A mix of blood orange, lemons, limes, vodka and simple syrup.

Squeeze them all into a bowl and include some of the pulp.

I love the bright color and flavor of this drink. So fresh. So delicious. Goes down so easy. Now that's AMORE!

Dinner was also prepped ahead of time, stored in the fridge and then pulled together before serving. The real nod to the Mediterranean came in the flavors used for the cod. I like using the en papillote method (cooked and served in paper wrapping) because it cooks beautifully. It's easy to prep, and each guest gets their own portion. I have made fish this way numerous times using different vegetable combinations. Not going with my original plan of zucchini and spinach, I needed some inspiration and found a recipe using grouper with capers, red pepper, tomatoes, kalamata olives and lemon. I immediately knew that combo was the perfect way to go since I had most of the items save for the red pepper. I took my cues from the recipe photo but used my own amounts. I also used cod because it was the freshest at the market. I swapped the red onion for yellow, and eliminated the garlic and red pepper flakes. Although, I made modifications, this isn't my own, so if you want to follow the recipe to a tee, click here.

Using the mise en place method of cutting all ingredients, and getting everything ready makes assembly much easier.

I place the parchment paper right on the baking sheet and built up the flavors. Then folded the paper into a packet and built the next packet. I put two on each pan, then placed the whole baking pan in the refrigerator. Once we were done eating our appetizers, I placed the pans in the oven to bake for 20 minutes.

Fresh, clean and ready to make a pocket full of Mediterranean yum.

Simply fold the edges around to create the pocket.

For side dishes, I made Potatoes Anna turned Potatoes Dana, crispy kale/caramelized onions and Baby Arugula salad with oranges, tangerines, red onion, chopped marcona almonds with a orange/lemon vinagrette.

Slices and slices is what creates layers of potato for this dish.

Peppery bite of arugula is balanced by the sweetness of the orange with the crunch of the almond.

Baking en papillote allows all the juices to delicately poach the fish and vegetables together. A harmony of Mediterrean flavors.

Of course, French wine was served. Beaujolais Blanc and Chateau Saint Roc Cotes du Rhone.

Finishing off the meal with savory flavors of a full cheese board was perfect way to end the evening. Cheese selection of Époisses, Sofia, Majorero Pimenton surrounded by fruit and sweet condiments all enjoyed in front of a roaring fire.

We had a wonderful time together with friends with love, savoring food that paid homage to places we all love. Pick a country or a region and honor it by creating a menu to share with those who love it too. We're glad we did.