Real Entertaining | A Dinner Political Party Featuring E Hampton Hedge

I dearest our neighborhood. I've dedicated several posts to the dependent champaign - close how crucial I believe a rigid neighborhood to live as well as close how I've e'er longed for living on a street amongst fabulous neighbors. Our street is but that. Last December nosotros hosted a casual vacation gathering to encounter everyone on our street. That political party resulted inward many thence many fun friendships - a few dissimilar couples that nosotros become to dinner amongst on a regular basis, a novel golf game buddy for Mike, a morn walking partner for me as well as the form of neighbors that volition cheque on Mr. Darcy (or visa versa...) if we're away for the day.

I also lately institute out that ane of my neighbors mothers is a famous designer... seriously. We walked downward to their household ane level (with our ain half-opened bottle of wine) thence Emma could play amongst their boys, as well as I detect myself having a potable amongst someone that is regularly mentioned inward Elle Decor, House Beautiful, etc. She was fabulous - I was picking her encephalon for her favorite pigment colors (Ben Moore, White, of course) as well as recommendations on everything I could hollo upward of.

The way of entertaining for neighborhood friends is the sort of entertaining I love. When you lot hollo upward of having the neighbors over, it is casual, unpretentious as well as relaxed. We oftentimes acquire together amongst our friends, Annie & George, for dinner. It tends to industrial plant ameliorate for us to accept them over to our household because nosotros after Emma mingles for a picayune fleck as well as nosotros accept cocktails, as well as thence nosotros tin lay her to bed as well as taste a leisurely adult dinner. Which for me way I tin consume dinner amongst out someone sitting on my lap - or taking everyone's napkins off their laps as well as putting them dorsum inward the linen drawer... currently her favorite mealtime activity.

Obviously, I'm to a greater extent than than happy to host, but Annie & George e'er graciously similar to contribute to the meal, since we're non e'er available to become to their household for dinner. The lastly fourth dimension they came over George made his famous Peach Cobbler. It was unbelievable. Unbelievable. This weekend they brought a smoked chicken that he'd rubbed amongst a mesquite seasoning that was also soooo delicious. You tin reckon why I'm happy to accept them contribute to the meal! Here is our bill of fare for the nighttime - I'll live sharing the recipes after this week.

Menu :

Homemade Salted Soft Pretzels amongst Mustard & Cheese
Annie & George's Smoked Chicken
Heirloom Tomatoes amongst Homemade Ranch Dressing
Cauliflower Gratin amongst White Cheddar & Parmesan
Pesto & Peas Pasta Salad
George's Famous Peach (and Blueberry) Cobbler

So, they brought the chicken as well as I made sides as well as dessert. Dividing upward the bill of fare is such a fun (and easy) way to entertain because everyone gets to contribute as well as experience a business office of it... instead of ane soul running around exhausting themselves. I used to shy away from letting guests convey anything, but after hosting my Barefoot Contessa Party inward January (we all fixed something from her novel cookbook), I learned how much to a greater extent than festive it tin live - peculiarly when you lot acquire together amongst the same crew on a regular basis. It gives everyone something to live excited about... as well as lets the hostess concentrate on fun details similar the tabular array setting - something that tin acquire overlooked when you lot accept a actually long to-do list.

For the centerpiece I used the wild flowering vine (apparently, it is called "Sweet Autumn Clematis, cheers to a comment below!) that is growing rampantly over our dorsum fence. It smells amazing - similar the lastly sweetness matter of summer. I loosely arranged it inward a pewter pitcher (Match Pewter, a marriage gift) as well as flanked it amongst a pair of "East Hampton Hedge" tapers ($10.50) from my store.

Since I opened my store (1 calendar month ago!) my collection of taper candles has exploded, thence I've been on the hunt for diverse candle holders. I'm inward dearest amongst these drinking glass ones that are perfect amongst our vino glasses. You'll never believe where I institute them... target. Yes, for close $9 each. I dearest them. And I dearest that I accept them paired amongst an expensive pitcher that has rustic, wild flowers spilling out of it... such a mix of high-low accents.

This photograph represents the truthful color of "East Hampton Hedge" well. It is a natural, muted dark-green that has a yellowish tone.

About the East Hampton Hedge Color Collection :

I cruel inward dearest amongst the perfectly groomed hedges of East Hampton when nosotros visited a pair of years ago. You tin read close our trip as well as our sighting of the Barefoot Contessa (we were seated correct adjacent to her at dinner), here.

When I saw this candle color (the manufacturer calls it Spring Green), I idea East Hampton Hedge was a perfect bespeak it. I've matched an embroidery thread to it every bit well, thence you lot tin also acquire my hemstitch napkins embroidered to correspond (as pictured to the right). And... I tin impress custom labels to coordinate.

East Hampton Hedge Products:

-12" Taper Candles, $10.50
-Linen Hemstitch Napkins amongst Monogram, $38
-Cocktail Napkins amongst Monogram, $22
-Custom Labels, $12

I dearest using this dark-green color amongst white flowers because it picks upward the color of the dark-green vines as well as foliage. They would live a skillful selection for whatever floral organization that features beautiful leaves or greenery... every bit they say, dark-green is natures neutral.

I used hemstitch cocktail napkins for cocktails as well as appetizers. The color looks a picayune black hither - I took this shot it inward the evening.

The nutrient prep was thence slowly - most done inward the nutrient processor. I started past times grating parmesan cheese inward the mini prep, as well as thence made pesto.

I dearest this salad - the combination of the sweetness peas, abrupt pesto as well as the salty parmesan is soooo good. Thanks to the Barefoot Contessa.

Then, without fifty-fifty needing to build clean the nutrient processor, nosotros made homemade ranch dressing. Emma was helping to squelch the lemon.

Homemade ranch is thence slowly - sour cream, milk, lemon juice, garlic, chives, tabular array salt & pepper. Whirl.

The Cauliflower Gratin was the most project intensive - but really, real simple. I steamed the cauliflower for a infinitesimal or two, as well as thence made a cheese sauce. Topped amongst panko as well as parmesan - but bake for xx minutes earlier dinner.

I'm non certain where the inspiration for this came from, but I actually wanted homemade pretzels. I used Rhodes frozen staff of life dough (the same that I purpose for my "homemade" cinnamon rolls) as well as made it into pretzels. They were thence good! I involve to perfect it a picayune fleck earlier I post service the recipe as well as concluding photos (they weren't sooo pretty), but rest tuned.