Late Summer Dinner Party
A menu to celebrate all of the beauty that August brings...
August is here…and many lament summer being over. We are here to say that summer is ABSOLUTELY not over, and it’s simply the best! August in New England is magic. Camp life winds down, families are off on vacation, our beaches get less crowded and the farmers market is full! Much of my August is spent devouring all of the seasonal produce that only presents itself for a few short weeks, and the beauty of that summer produce is that “cooking” becomes minimal and your oven rarely even has to be turned on. Tomato sandwiches for lunch, corn on the cob slathered with salty butter for dinner, and a juicy peach for a snack are all part of the late-summer days. This is the perfect menu for August - light, full of produce, and perfect for when it’s just too hot to cook. This menu is for those of us who adore summer, and want to make sure to celebrate her one last time before she leaves us. Don’t let anyone spook you into thinking it’s over - take it one magical day at a time!
Seaside Menu:
Rosé Spritz
Fig & Goat Cheese Toasts
Fish in Parchment
Key Lime Popsicles
‘Elegant yet Easy’ recipe (subscribers only): Grilled Pork Chops with Stone Fruit Salsa and Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges
Late Summer Dinner Party Hosting Tips:
During the hottest months it is always nice to start and/or end your meal with something cold! This is why we love to serve a cocktail on ice that is easy to sip and also refreshing, like a spritz! And these boozy popsicles are the perfect way to end the meal! But store bought sorbet and shortbread or grilled fruit and ice cream or affogatos are perfect too!
Bugs getting in the way of al fresco dining?A friend recommended this device and I was blown away by how well it worked! These fans are also great for keeping bugs away from your food, and these incense sticks smell great and work really well too.
Too hot to turn on your oven? You can grill the fish in parchement - these copper grilling mats make grilling anything a breeze!
Different fruits and vegetables in season where you live? Feel free to make substitutions for most in season! Sliced peaches or plums make a great substitution for figs if they aren’t available.
Wanting to do more outdoor dining? Check out all of our essentials here.
Don’t want to transport all of the food back and forth from the kitchen to outside? Set up an indoor buffet!
Late Summer Dinner Party Essentials:
For Subscribers Only:
NEW ‘Elegant yet Easy’ Recipe- Grilled Pork Chops with Stone Fruit Salsa and Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges
Late Summer Dinner Party Shopping List & Prep Timeline
When planning our “Elegant yet Easy” recipe for August, I knew I wanted to perfect a recipe that could be done in it’s entirety on the grill. Well, I guess technically the salsa is not done on the grill, but there is no stovetop or oven involved in this one (yet I did actually include directions on how to prepare this on the stovetop and oven in case you aren’t a grill queen….yet). But back to the salsa - don’t you love how adding a salsa can elevate a dish? And it’s usually way simpler to whip up than a sauce! I adore the hot/cold contrast of the pork and the salsa - it just makes for the perfect bite every time. This meal also lends to lots of substitutions - you can do chicken or steak instead of pork, you can sub pineapple or mango for the stone fruit if it’s not in season. Like all of our “Easy Yet Elegant” recipes, it’s designed to be a go-to in your recipe box. This dish has very limited prep (and it call all be done in advance) and very minimal clean up because we are grilling. Just a reminder - fun is fun!