I’ve spent the last year documenting the ways that people gather around a table in Italy. From low end pizza to lunch with a princess. So to say I have dinner parties on my mind is an extreme understatement.
But I’ve always been a fan of dinner parties. And by ‘dinner party’ I don’t just mean making dinner. I mean planning a dinner for guests around a table you’ve put some thought into. It’s not for nothing that my very first book was on Italian ceramics. But my obsession with making grand gestures in the kitchen that end up on a table surrounded by friends and family goes back at least to high school, when I would go to the local library to search out recipes to bring to life at home .
I’ve always found that the most difficult part about this entire process was actually planning out the menu. And frankly, instead of getting easier as I become more experienced (i.e.older!) it just seems to present more challenges. First of all there is just so much I want to a) cook and b) share. But the thing that I don’t want to experience? or share? Stress.
“Stress free” is my evolved philosophy about entertaining. While in high school I might have worked on a six-course Schezwan feast, these days I want something that is not only delicious and pretty, but also – here is the kicker – easy to make and doesn’t have me in the kitchen while my guests are sipping negronis in the living room.
So I’m starting a new feature on this blog (let’s see how long I can keep this up!). At least once a month I’ll give you a blueprint for a dinner party of your own. And in the vein of keeping things easy, mostly for me (I am the hostess after all) for the most part I use other people’s recipes. So there will be links leading you to some of my favorite online blogs and resources.
One thing I do have to mention: I only thought about this kind of post after last week’s dinner party was over. Which means I really don’t have a lot of good photos to share today of the table etc. Really, I thought I was taking more. But actually I was just posting on instagram stories. Which means lots of short videos rather than stills. Bur I did manage a few which I’ll share. Mostly shot on my iPhone in candle light and after (perhaps) too much wine.
My dinner party last week was the first I’ve had in quite a while in Rome. And it was the first time I had my neighbors over since our big renovation of last winter resulted in an enlarged dining room. (I’ve been busy, what can I say?) Happily many of my best friends in Rome live in my neighborhood, which always makes for a cozy time. Also? Since one of my neighbors in a wine writer and comes laden down with way too many bottles, getting home involves no driving and barely even any walking (or stumbling for that matter.)
Here is the menu:
Aperitivi : While I usually make cocktails, this time around I decided to open up the case of Ruinart Champagne that one of Domenico‘s clients sent a while back. That, plus olives, taralli and toasted cashews from the market across the street kept everyone happy.
Primo: I often make soup as a first course because everyone loves soup. Also, it was just starting to get cold outside, and so some sort of bean something seemed to herald fall weather. Since I already had a pound of black beans in my cupboard I made Julia Moskins Black Bean soup, adding in cumin and tumeric to make it slightly more complex. I topped it with a swirl of whole yogurt, a slice of avocado and some quick pickled red onions.
Secondo: I’d been wanting to make one of those gorgeous tomato tarts that kept showing up on my Instagram feed all summer long. And since I had what I thought were pretty much the last ripe tomatoes of the season, I figured this was my last chance. David Lebovitz’s recipe was perfect. The only change I made was a layer of grated parmigiano reggiano on top of the crust and then again on top of the tomatoes. I baked it off earlier in the day and served it room temperature along with the following salad. A huge bunch of herbs from our terrace (margoram, basil and thyme) went in before and after cooking.
Contorno: The salad was basically a version of this one that I make all winter long, The only difference was that I also used Belgian endive because I wanted a bit more crunch to offset the tart and used hazlenuts instead of walnuts. I think I also threw in a handful of dried cranberries as well.
Dolce: My friend Eugenia always offers to bring dessert. Which I always gladly accept. First of all, she is an amazing baker. Also? One less thing to worry about. Her plum cake was delicious. And I just found out that she got it from David Leite’s website, but he in turn got it from Domenica Marchetti , who was just here about 5 minutes ago having drinks. (My world is very narrow. )
Drinks: I’ve already mentioned the champagne. While I usually serve cocktails, I knew that Monica was going to bring too much wine, and I didn’t think it wise to start out the evening with tumblers of vodka or gin. What wines did we drink? I know we had a pinot nero with the black bean soup, which was perfect. After that things got a bit blurry. In future reports I will try to be more specific. As always, we ended the meal with way too much Nonino grappa. All I know is that the next morning I had to lug 8 bottles to recycling. (Did I mention we were 9 for dinner?)
Setting the table:
Table cloth: Raw linen that I got ages ago from C.U.C.I.N.A. and is one of my favorites.
Plates: Solimene, from Vietri.
Glasses: Bacarat: Montaigne (the only thing I registered for, for our wedding)
Candle sticks: Tiffany. One of the best wedding presents we got.
Centerpiece: Cabbage leaf bowl that was a gift from Emma, filled with grapes and pears (I usually aim for edible centerpieces)
Silver and grappa glasses: Family heirlooms from Domenic’s aunt.
I just adore the dishes. I have a set for our place in Brooklyn and a set for our place in Fort Lauderdale. You can never have enough Sollimene Campagna. I love the mixture of the Baccarat and the Ceramiche! And whatever happened to C.U.C.I.N.A.?? I purchased so many nice things from them on several visits to Rome. The store was at the Spanish Steps next to the Sermoneta glove store!! Beautiful tavola.
C.U.C.I.N.A. is still there! They’ve closed a few of their stores, but the one near the spanish steps is, I think, still there. On Via Mario de’ Fiori.
What a lovely post, thanks for sharing this peek into your home and planning process! I hope to make that salad if the radicchio variety I am trying to grow this fall does well.
I just returned from two weeks in Tuscany, Florence and Lucca to see The Rolling Stones! My next trip Id love to book time with you for me and several girlfriends! In the meantime I will continue to enjoy your blog. Thanks so much, Brenda
I love throwing dinner parties. These accounts of yours will be a great addition to your newsletters every month. I look forward to reading more.
I am so excited for these suggestions. I am curious what time did you ask your guests to arrive?
Time in Italy is a bit of a mystery to me.
I asked people to come at 8:30. We sat down to dinner at about 9:30. Next time I’ll talk about that!
As always, love your newsletter and especially your Instagram posts and stories!
Thanks!
I really enjoyed your post on your recent dinner party. I love to travel and eat at all the wonderful “foodie” type restaurants around the world. But when I am home my preference is farm to table market fresh ingredients and I love to entertain. I Can’t wait to see the continued sharing of entertaining. Keep it coming.
Thanks!!
Love love the ideas for dinner parties. I agree with you: the older I get and the more I entertain, the more difficult it gets to choose a menu. Why is this? I love that this menu is all about the guests and not about over-the-top heavy food. I will give it a try! Thanks!
Nice piece and I look forward to more. You and I are the same page about dinner parties…I want to be with my guests. Even for Sunday Family dinner, I always think carefully about what I put together to spend as much time as possible with my extended family.
Years ago, and I mean so many years I was living with 5 friends in a house in Berkley, I still saw no reason NOT to use china, silver and set a lovely table for occasions…and to this day, I feel that way…
Me too!!!
Absolutely fabulous Elizabeth!
What a great idea to talk Dinner Parties.
I just love them, both hosting and attending and have done for decades and it’s so wonderful to share yours too!
Thank you for taking us into your homes with your posts, videos and blogs and for allowing us to dream a little of our own Italian life!!! X
Can you post the black bean soup – can’t find it.
Thank you.
It’s posted with a link in the text.
Love this post Elizabeth! So many great suggestions…hoping these ideas will be compiled in a book one day! Thank you!
Book is coming…..
I love this idea and can’t wait to see more – I love entertaining from start to finish, even if it’s just my husband and I!
So this was essentially a vegetarian dinner — which most likely no one noticed! I like that your menu was straightforward, and each course was a focused exercise of it’s main ingredients. Also, almost everything could be done ahead (very important to me, because after an aperitivo or two my brain doesn’t function on all burners).
I have the same wine glasses — which are rarely used because my oenophiliac husband prefers the Riedels.
Can’t wat for more dinner party ideas!
Yes, in fact, it was vegetarian! And I LOVE my wine glasses and use them all the time!!
I’m so excited about this series!
It combines several of my favorite things, food, wine, and beautiful table settings.
i don’t understand why so many people wait to use their “good” china/glassware. These things are meant to be enjoyed and not just for special occasions.
Thanks!! I don’t use the glasses or silver every day, but I do use them every time we have guests. For our everyday, though, I finally broke down and bought a set of wedgewood that I love.
I adore this series! Can’t wait to read them all. So useful and so stylish.
Thanks!!
Yes! Loved this! keep them coming. I love doing dinner parties, but I tend to overdue and end up exhausted . I would love to hear your ideas all along the way. And your pictures are lovely! Reading your blog and seeing your stories gives me a lit of Italy till I can get back. So grateful!
That was a little bit of Italy……
Thanks! Will definitely keep up the dinner party chronicles!
I immediately printed the black bean soup recipe from NYT-it sounds fantastic and black beans are a favorite here at Casa Scalzitti in Texas. I love this new feature on your blog. I’m always curious to see how others put together their dinner parties, how the plan them, and where they get their table linens, flatware, glassware, and dinnerware. I’m looking forward to reading more!
Thanks! I’m glad everyone is so excited about this. So am I!
I have enjoyed your blog for years, but you are losing me with your political statements. We don’t all agree with you, and we get enough political statements elsewhere. I refer to the intro in your emailed newsletter, which I don’t see above. Please don’t tarnish your lovely postings with your political slant and let us enjoy your expertise in cooking, writing and traveling in Italy. Thanks!
I’m sorry you don’t agree with my politics. But as you point out, I keep my political opinions (and they are very mildly put) to my private newsletter. The newsletter, which comes out monthly, requires that you sign up for it. It is not posted publicly, like this blog. Nor is it mandatory reading. It gets delivered into your mailbox, and you signed up for it. I keep this space, here on my blog, as well as my books and apps, politic-free. It’s extremely easy to un-subscribe to my newsletter. It’s also very easy to respond in private to my newsletter. You are actually the one who has now brought your politics into my public, politics-free space.
Like you I started in high school cooking and giving dinner parties when my parents were out of town! Back then I thought everything had to be complicated and time consuming. Thankfully I have adapted to an easier style of entertaining and I love that you are going to share your parties with us. Thanks for all that you do Elizabeth! Looking forward to your next book.
Thank you!!!
My Achilles heel in this department is table linen which I promise to purchase before I entertain again, scout’s honor. I think that cloth napkins would add a certain “¿Qué demonio es esto?” to my dinner parties.
Like most of us concerning our dining rooms tables I must quote a famous line, “I think we need a bigger boat.” ¡Buen provecho!
Inspiring post!! I’ve been thinking about starting back up with intimate dinner parties. Your menu was perfect!
Thank! More coming soon….