Keeping food fresh at an outdoor party can be tricky. Potato salad sitting in the heat? Warm fruit? Disaster! I saw these serving pieces the other day at Sur La Table and thought they’d be a perfect solution for outdoor entertaining. So practical — and the clear acrylic will match anything.
Where have I been? Sur La Table has a gift registry? That is the best news ever for brides and grooms! Sur La Table is one of my all-time favorite kitchen supply stores. (I was just in there today, in fact, drooling over so many lovely things.)
There are always some good essentials to include in a registry — and Sur La Table has them all. They also have fun gadgets and tools that you may never have thought of.
A registry should never be something you publicize; it should always be word of mouth. So let folks pass the word that your latest registry is at Sur La Table!
Sur La Table Gift Registry
Sur La Table — a tie with Williams-Sonoma for my favorite kitchenware store — is having their big annual sale right now. Time to stock up on kitchen basics and fun new items! Here are a few things I’d put on my list:
flour sack towels
Red Deco Dot Apron
Deviled Egg Platter
Porcelain Cake Stands
Bamboo Salt Box
Why not add some humor to your summer tablescape? This chip and dip serving set makes me chuckle every time I look at it! The little piggy set is available at Sur La Table.
It’s hard to believe that Labor Day is almost upon us and, with it, the end of summer. Labor Day weekend is the perfect opportunity to get friends together and enjoy one last summer celebration.
What better way to cherish summer for a just a bit longer than with summer’s sweetest treat: ice cream. Here’s some inspiration for hosting an Ice Cream Social both children and adults will love:
1) Start with great ice cream.
Your obvious options here are store-bought or homemade. If you go with store-bought, stop by your favorite local ice cream parlor and buy a few of your favorite flavors. Nielsen’s Frozen Custard (technically different from ice cream, I know…) in Vienna, VA is my go-to place (the staff are on a first-name basis with me and my husband — scary!); I love the bumbleberry custard.
If you go the homemade route, Buttermilk Ice Cream is a satisfying choice and a great foundation for sundaes. Offering more “avant garde” flavors is a way to insert a little “chic” into the Social. Try something like Basil Ice Cream
or for a “grown-ups only” selection, why not Jack Daniel’s Ice Cream With Jack Daniels Fudge Chunks?
For even more bespoke options, check out Fine Cooking‘s Ice Cream Recipe Builder and get creative!
Finecooking's Ice Cream Recipe Builder
2) Offer Tasty Toppings
To “dress” the ice cream, you’ll need three categories of toppings: 1) mix-ins or toppers; 2) sauces; 3) whipped cream. For the latter, my preference is always homemade (That’s my mother’s influence. We NEVER had anything but homemade whipped cream growing up — hence, my longstanding disdain for Cool Whip…).
Get creative with your toppings but be sure to also include the standards like M&Ms, crumbled Oreo cookies, chopped nuts, and diced fruit.
For sauces, homemade is also best. If time is an issue, however, you may want to enlist the help of Knipschildt who offers a wonderful selection of artisan sauces.
Knipschildt artisan sauces
3) Make it Pretty.
Lastly, consider some fun ways to set up your ice cream smorgasbord extravaganza. I love these fortune cookie topping holders; the instructions look very easy.
Ice Cream Social inspiration from Martha Stewart
Because Summer is over and stores have already moved in Fall merchandise, you may find deals on ice cream bowls and other ice cream accoutrements. For example, sundae glasses are on sale at Sur La Table. Snatch them up!
For more ice cream inspiration, check out this previous post and enjoy a sweet Labor Day!
I admit it. I am a java junkie. Without at least one cup of coffee in the morning I am completely useless. The rational part of me understands that, yes, it would probably be better for my health if I did not drink caffeine. But the foodie in me can’t seem to part ways with my coffee cup.
Coffee is an essential part of almost any meal, whether formal or informal. Not just because I am addicted to the stuff, but because it plays such an important part in entertaining, I will be dedicating a series of posts over the next few weeks to the topic.
In this first post, I will cover coffee serveware. In future posts, I’ll cover creamer and sugar sets, coffee accessories, coffee and espresso machines, and other coffee accoutrements.
After you’ve brewed the perfect pot of coffee, it is important to consider in what you will be serving it. For small gatherings (six or less people) it’s perfectly acceptable to use the carafe from your coffee maker.
For larger gatherings (6-12 people) or for times when you feel guests will enjoying lingering over a few cups of coffee, it is important to have a functional carafe, and preferably a thermal one to keep the coffee hot over time.
For new entertainers, one of my favorite carafes to consider is the Mirror Carafe from Crate & Barrel. The price point is accessible, the coffee stays hot for many hours, and its simple aesthetic is appealing:
Mirror Carafe from Crate & Barrel
The creme de la creme brand of thermal carafes is considered to be Alfi. Their wide selection of carafes offers something for everyone.
Alfi Carafe available at Williams-Sonoma
Alfi's Achat Carafe
This Alfi Opal carafe would be perfect for outdoor entertaining.
Alfi Opal Carafe Chrome Plated Brass with Brown Wicker
Non-thermal coffee carafes abound. Oftentimes, carafes are offered as part of a china service so if you are registering for or completing your china set, consider including the carafe in the pieces you select. Otherwise, simply scout out a carafe that you like. Here are some beautiful options.
STELTON's Arne Jacobsen Coffee Pot
Christofle Vertigo Silverplate Coffeepot
Royal Copenhagen White Full Lace Coffee Pot & Cover
TIffany's Cirque Chinois coffee pot in hand-painted Limoges porcelain
For fans of french pressed coffee (and who isn’t?!), Bodum’s thermal press available at Sur La Table is lovely. Thermal presses are not as ubiquitous as regular french presses, but are far more functional — solving the frustrating issue the coffee getting cold quickly in the press after the first pour.
Bodum's Thermal French Press available at Sur La Table
Bodum also makes a double-walled glass french press, also available at Sur La Table, that also keeps coffee warm for up to two hours — a nice alternative if one does not like the somewhat bulkier look of a thermal press.
Bodum Double-Walled French Press
For larger parties, you cannot go wrong with this functional and handsome coffee urn from All Clad, available at Williams-Sonoma:
All-Clad Stainless Steel Coffee Urn, available at Williams-Sonoma
The Rex & Regina Blog shares both trendy and traditional ways to extend gracious hospitality through weddings, other social occasions, and at-home entertaining. Learn more about Rex & Regina.
