Fall Entertaining Essentials

I am back in the mountains this weekend to celebrate my husband's birthday and the fall season is definitely in full swing here.  The leaves on the trees are beginning to change colors creating the most gorgeous fall landscape and there is a crisp chill/snap in the air.  In any event, this atmosphere has totally gotten me in the mood for some fresh fall entertaining!  As I begin to shape my fall entertaining repertoire, I wanted to share my initial picks for favorite entertaining essentials this season.  A great mix of classic and fresh, these items will have you ready for entertaining this season! 

Napa Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

With notes of ripe blackberry, black currant, herbs, cocoa and a velvety finish, Napa Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon makes for the perfect wine to enjoy during the Fall season.  This wine pairs beautifully with an array of delicious cheeses (see this post) and it's full body profile makes it an ideal pick for cozying up to a fire during these cooler months.  A definite crowd pleaser amongst my friends and family, you will love sipping this wine during the Autumn season.  

Figs

Did you know that figs have two in-season periods each year?  The first in June, known as the "Breba" season, only lasts a few weeks.  The second season, known as the "New Wood" season runs from August through October, so we are currently in the midst of peak fig season!  The most common type of fig is the Black Mission Fig, followed by the Brown Turkey and the Green Kadota.  I love figs because they are rich in taste, accompany a cheeseboard beautifully and compliment my Fall wine pick (see above) perfectly.  For more information on figs (storing, preparing, etc...) check out this page from Whole Foods.  

Leopard Cocktail Napkins

This is the craziest thing because I would say that my taste tends to be on the classic side with a predominantly solid color palette.  However, recently I have had a hankering to add a little leopard to my life.  Whether it be these fab smoking slippers from J.Crew or these gorgeous Caspari cocktail napkins, leopard is my neutral this season.   It adds an instant touch of fun and I am not kidding when I say that you will be shocked at how well it pairs up with a variety of colors and patterns (yes, even red tartan!).  For an instant touch of chic this season, I highly recommend incorporating a little leopard print into your entertaining repertoire.   

Olivewood Cheeseboard

A new season definitely calls for a fresh cheeseboard!  I have always loved the olivewood aesthetic when it came to finding casual and slightly rustic serveware.  Recently while perusing the aisles of Sur La Table, I came across this Italian Olivewood Slice Serving Board and instantly fell in love ( yes, love for a cheeseboard!).  The thick weight and earthy color tones make this board the perfect addition to any fall party and great for serving up a flight of tasty cheeses or charcuterie in style.  This olivewood slice board is a serving piece that will instantly freshen up your entertaining repertoire with a unique rustic flair!

Blackberry and Lemon White Wine Spritzer

According to the weather channel, a good portion of the country is in for a seriously oppressive heat wave this weekend (woof!).  While it would be great to make the most of this super sunshine and hit the beach, I'm stuck in the city this weekend figuring out different ways to keep cool.  While there are certainly plenty of other ways to beat the mega heat this weekend, a cold and refreshing cocktail certainly makes the list!  Specifically, my latest go-to cocktail creation - a blackberry and lemon white wine spritzer!  

Beer is too filling in my opinion and while I am a major red wine enthusiast, this weather is just way too hot for red wine drinking.  Instead, this weekend I am opting for a cool and refreshing white wine spritzer with a fabulous new twist!  Combining two of my favorite things (Napa Cellars Wine and Spindrift Blackberry Seltzer) with a little hint of lemon and a few frozen blackberries has resulted in a drink that is not too sweet and a most delicious flavor profile.  If you are in the market for a new cocktail recipe this weekend, I highly recommend trying this recipe. 

Ingredients

• 1 Bottle Sauvignon Blanc
• 4 Cans Blackberry Spindrift Seltzer
• 12-18 Frozen Blackberries
• 4 Ice Spheres
• 2-3 Lemons

Instructions

1. Place one sphere ice cube into each tumbler or glass
2. Pour 4oz of wine into each glass
3. Fill the remainder of the glass with Spindrift Blackberry Seltzer
4. Squeeze the juice of 1/4 of a lemon into each glass
5. Garnish with 3-4 frozen blackberries and a slice of fresh lemon
6. Serve and enjoy!

Summer Poached Pear Recipe

Fourth of July is without a doubt one of my favorite holidays for picnicking.  Warmer weather, a long holiday weekend and enjoying a spectacular fireworks show on the national mall are just a few of the many reasons why I find picnicking to be an absolute must!  When trying to come up with a delicious menu that suits the time of year and is easy to transport, the one go-to that always makes the cut is my summer poached pear recipe.

My summer poached pear recipe is a fabulous addition to any picnic and/or summer meal.  It's easy to create, has a wonderful flavor profile and serving it cold makes for an absolutely refreshing and delicious conclusion to any summer meal.  Here is how I went about creating this recipe.  

Ingredients

• 4 - 6 D'Anjou Pears
• 1 Bottle Sauvignon Blanc (ex. Napa Cellars Sauvignon Blanc)
• Juice of 5 Lemons
• Peel of Half of a Lemon
• 1 Vanilla Bean (cut in half)
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 2c Water
• 1 Star of Anise
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 Tbs Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Fresh Summer Berries

Instructions

1. In a medium sized dutch oven, combine the juice of a lemon, bottle of wine, sugar, vanilla bean, lemon peel, water and anise.  
2. Cover with a lid and begin to heat on a medium/high setting 
3. Meanwhile, pour the juice of remaining lemons into a large bowl
4. Peel pears and place in the bowl with lemon juice making sure to thoroughly coat each pear to prevent browning
5. When the liquid in the dutch oven reaches a boil, gently place the pears in the boiling liquid, cover and allow contents to boil for 25 minutes. *Note- When the pear is cooked, you should be able to pierce through the pear without any resistance. 
6. While the pears are cooking, in a separate bowl combine 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar
7. Use a hand mixer on a high setting to whip the cream until semi stiff peaks are achieved
8. When pears are finished cooking, gently remove them from the boiling liquid and set aside on a plate to cool.  
9. Continue cooking the liquid for another 45 minutes (roughly) until the liquid reduces down into a syrup that can coat the back of a spoon.  
10. Serve pears with a mix of seasonal fresh berries, a dollop of whipped cream, sprig of fresh mint and drizzle of the poaching syrup.  

Creating an All-in-One Hors D'oeuvre Platter

I'm constantly evolving and fine tuning my entertaining style.  Of course I love trying new recipes, hosting different groups of people and on occasion, even coming up with different themes for some of my get togethers.  While the party presentation is certainly important, it's equally (if not more) important that I create a sound, efficient and effortless (in appearance), operational process for every gathering. As a hostess the last thing you ever want to do is spend the party running around and looking frazzled.   Your guests have come over to spend time with you, so you need to make sure that you do just that.

In an effort to minimize the time I spend clearing a cocktail/hors d'oeuvre spread before serving dinner, I have developed an all-in-one hors d'oeuvre platter.  This platter is made up of all of my favorite go-to cocktail party foods with the added benefit of only having to serve and clear one dish!  I am really kicking myself that it's taken me so long to figure this out.  Fab summer veggies, hummus, two different cheeses and even those tasty cocktail nuts can be served on one platter! Less time making trips to the kitchen to add and/or clear food means more time with your guests.  Cocktail parties made even easier!  What's not to love about that?!?

See below for full details on this All-in-One Hors D'oeuvre Platter.  

Food Details

• Trader Joe's Herb & Garlic Brie
• Trader Joe's Formaggio Lagorai (mild, semi-soft cow's milk)
• 34 Degree's Poppy Seed Crisps
• Watermelon Radishes
• Mini English Cucumbers
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Endive Leaves (Red & Green)
• Organic Red Grapes
• Purple and Orange Carrots
• Marcona Almonds
• Fresh Dill
• Lemon Hummus (garnished with fresh thyme)
• Red Pepper Hummus (garnished with chili flakes)

Wine Details

• Napa Cellars Syrah Rose (*A perfect pairing with this spread and time of year)

Entertaining Essentials

• CB2 Large Cuatro Platter
• CB2 Marta Tasting Glasses
• World Market Event White Wine Glasses
• Caspari Emerald Damask Cocktail Napkins
• Sur La Table Cheese Knives

Host a Chic Pizza Party

This past weekend I hosted a casual-chic pizza party for a small group at our home.  We had a great time catching up with our friends while enjoying delicious wine, homemade pizza and of course cheering on our beloved Washington Capitals! 

I loved that this small party gave me the opportunity to play hostess and (of course more importantly) the perfect excuse to tablescape!  In order to achieve a balance of casual and chic, I my table setting needed to be a mix of formal and informal.  A centerpiece filled with sunflowers paired with my new favorite navy and white Williams-Sonoma napkins provided the casual spring elements that helped to balance out the more formal crystal and gold elements.  Below I have shared a breakdown of both the table and menu details to show you how I achieved a party that was the perfect balance of both casual and elegant. 

Table Details 

• DIY Herb Bouquet Place Cards
• Pier 1 Dark Brown Rattan Placemats
• Reed & Barton Soho Crystal Highball Glasses
• World Market White Wine Glasses
• Williams-Sonoma Buffalo Plaid Napkins
• Pillivuyt Basketweave Dinner Plates
• Chilewich Dahlia Coasters
• CB2 Bronn Taper Candle Holders
• Centerpiece Flowers: Sunflowers (Trader Joe's)

The Menu

• Hors D'oeuvres: Sprouted Kitchen's Curry Roasted Almonds
• Entree: DIY Homemade Pizza
• Salad: Kale Salad with Avocado Dressing, Roasted Almonds and a slice of Clothbound Aged Cheddar
• Dessert: Blueberry-Lemon Whoopie Pies 
• Wine: Napa Cellars Sauvignon Blanc (Pictured) and Napa Cellars Zinfandel

Every aspect of the party was super easy to create/execute, especially since I had taken the time to have everything done ahead of time (everything cooked/made/set with the exception of assembling and baking the pizzas).  Being super organized is really the key to hosting a successful gathering.  Regardless of size, if you are collected, organized and adequately prepped for your party, hosting will be an absolute breeze!