How to Host the Summer Gathering of Your Dreams
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Entertaining
How to Host the Summer Gathering of Your Dreams
July 5, 2019
Every once in a while, we take part in a meal that feels truly unforgettable. This one, nestled in the shade of two large oak trees at our favorite Folded Hills Ranch, was one such occasion. With the last minute inclusion of some very special guests across the fence and the perfect pink and natural florals by Sarah Winward, the setting felt all but unreal. However, the detail that ended up truly stealing the show was Pamela Salzman‘s fresh summer lunch. Whether you’re entertaining family and friends this weekend or throughout the summer or just looking for a well-rounded meal to try, find these perfected recipes below to recreate this dreamlike spread.
Embrace Nature
For a summer meal that needs that something special, take it outside. Being in nature is half the battle, and makes even the simplest table feel exciting and seasonal. When the flowers are exciting, use a simple tablecloth and minimal place settings: only use the utensils you really need, and use simple glassware (doubled up if you’re serving cocktails). The more you pare back your florals, the more room you have to embellish on the table while keeping balance.
This season, we’re taking cues from Sarah Winward’s winsome floral design. Keeping things tonal but exciting using one anchoring color, Sarah used pink garden roses and grasses, and substituted ceramic cups for traditional bud vases for a casual feel.
Elevate The Menu
Pamela’s lemon-centric summer menu is the healthier twist on the all-American classics we come to crave this time of year. Each recipe carries its own weight and is hearty and flavorful yet light, all adding up to the perfect well-rounded meal. The little gems salad with creamy lemon cashew dressing, grilled artichokes with lemon-caper sauce, and black bean and mushroom burgers wrapped in lettuce hit every spot.
If you really want to feel like a put together host, try this melt-in-your-mouth Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Almond Flour Cake to finish the meal, and top with whatever berries you have in your fridge. The most important idea when summer menu planning is to find recipes that feel nourishing and satisfying but also light and thus seasonally appropriate. This often means finding healthier “replacements” for the ingredients in entertaining go-tos like burgers and cakes. Pamela is the master of this trick, and guests will come back for seconds of all of the above.
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Photos by Melissa Gidney
