Labor Day weekend is finally here which means that we are approaching the end of Summer. Personally I say "Good Riddance!," after the sweltering summer we have endured in DC this year, but of course I know that not everyone echoes my same sentiment towards summer. In fact, most people are probably mourning this time of year because it means that we are back to school and summer break is over. In an effort to try and savor the last few weeks of summer, I thought it might be fun to host one last summer fete before officially turning the page to Fall.
Today's post features a simple and delicious cocktail party idea for enjoying those last few summer days, with an assortment nibbles and delicious wine that can work in almost any setting. Here is how I went about creating this Labor Wine & Cheese Picnic:
Food & Beverage Details
For this spread I opted to keep it simple, since it is a picnic after all and who honestly wants to transport a ton of food for a cocktail hour? For this delicious summer cheese board, I opted for Trader Joe's new Jalepeno and Honey Chèvre topped with thin slices of fresh jalepeno and garnished with a drizzle of honey. To accompany this sweet and savory chèvre, I selected a current obsession of mine at the moment, Jasper Hill Farm's Clothbound Cheddar. I swear, cheddar is making a comeback and this particular cheese is the primary reason! To serve with these cheese, I selected an array of nuts (Virginia Peanuts, Spicy Crunchy Chickpeas and Chili Lime Roasted Almonds), a fabulous Spicy Plum Chutney and a small basket of Rosemary Crisps.
To drink, I opted for a crisp chardonnay by Napa Cellars and garnished each glass with a few fresh currants. The perfectly chilled wine with notes of apples, baked pears and a lemony acidity, accented by the tartness of the fresh currants, created the perfect balance for this outdoor spread.
Entertaining Essentials
In an effort to create an homage to the final days of summer, I started by covering this picnic table in one of my favorite white picnic tablecloths/beach blankets. For a pop of fresh floral color I opted to include four small bud vases filled with red roses that flanked the cutest wine basket which held three american flags. For serveware, I choose to keep the color scheme fairly neutral with this olivewood cheeseboard and these white hors d'oeuvre plates. I then added pops of gold to accent the table using gold cheese knives and these fabulous wine tumblers. I selected cocktail napkins from Caspari's summer collection to incorporate an additional pop of color and summer flair to complete this look.
Summer may be coming to a close, but there are still a few more weeks to enjoy one of the most celebrated seasons of the year! Happy Labor Day everyone!
