Written on June 1, 2006 11:54 PM
By Nancy Flynn
I love a party. I’m inspired to throw one at the slightest provocation, but summer is truly the party season. The light lasts longer, the nights are warmer, fresh fruits and veggies abound, and for many people, work slows down a bit too. While of course it is not necessary to have an excuse to invite friends over for snacks, drinks and conversation, it spices things up to set a theme to build your food, drink and ambiance around. The travel bug also bites in summer, but since many of us don’t get more than a few days off, a party is great way to have a little bit of the exotic at home. I’ll share some of my favorite ideas, and I hope you’ll share yours in the comments.
The Sun Also Rises
Tickets to Barcelona a bit too pricey? Bring a little of Hemingway’s Spain to your own living room or back yard.
To wet your whistle:
Low-rent Sangria
1 jug Carlo Rossi Red Sangria wine (or other two buck chuck)
1 2 litre bottle lemon-lime soda
2 fresh oranges, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered (or package frozen berries of your choice)
Pour wine to fill three quarters of a pitcher, add fruit, and refrigerate. Just before serving, fill pitcher the rest of the way with lemon-lime soda. Serve over ice.
To tempt your tastebuds:
Bacon-wrapped dates
Gazpacho
To enchant your ears:
The Gypsy Kings- Greatest Hits
B-Tribe- Suave Suave
That’s Amore
I’m told that the canals in Venice get a bit ripe in the heat of the summer, so skip the plane trip and have some Italian romance at home.
Beve
Brachetto
This was my favorite drink in Italy—it is rather like a Kir Royale, but uses strawberry liqueur instead of Chambord. You can substitute strawberry Italian syrup
1 bottle Prosecco (Italian sparking wine)
Fragolo (Italian Strawberry Liqueur) or strawberry flavored syrup
Fill a champagne glass 3/4 full of Prosecco, then top with a generous pour of strawberry liqueur or syrup. Yum!
Mangia
Mozzerella Caprese
This super-easy salad is a crowd pleaser, especially when fresh basil and tomatoes are in season, the recipe below will serve 6 who are nibbling delicately.
1 container mini mozzerella balls (or one large ball mozzerella diced into just smaller than bite-size pieces)
1 container sweet cherry tomatoes (or 2-3 large firm, ripe tomatoes diced)
5-6 large fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
salt & pepper
Combine mozzerella and tomatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and a splash vinegar, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss with basil leaves.
Tortellini Pesto Salad
1 container cheese tortellini
1/4 cup pine nuts (pignoli)
2-4T store-bought pesto sauce
Cook tortellini according to package directions. Put pine nuts into a dry skillet over medium heat and toast, shaking often-- keep an eye on them, they seem like they're doing nothing, but they can burn up very quickly!
Musica:
Lucio Dalla
Old Blue Eyes
Land of the Midnight Sun
Did you know that on Midsummer in Sweden the sun hardly goes down at all? This of course is cause for a great big, all-night party.
Ulrika Cocktail
My favorite Swedish restaurant in NYC closed recently, so I won't be able to have my favorite cocktail again unless I make it myself(or hop a plane to Stockholm)!
Elderflower cordial
white wine
cucumber, seeded and diced
strawberries, diced
ice
Place a few ice cubes, a few cubes of cucumber and pieces of strawberry in a wine glass. Pour a shot of elderflower cordial over the fruit and ice, then fill glass the rest of the way with white wine.
Cucumber Cooler
Sparkling water
Sugar syrup
1T fresh lime juice
diced, seeded cucumber
ice
Place 2T of diced cucumber in a large glass, pour lime juice and 2T sugar syrup over cucumber, add ice then fill with sparkling water.
Salmon and Pumpernickel
Smoked salmon
Dill
Honey Mustard
Pumpernickel or other dark bread
Cut bread into snack-sized triangles. Spread with honey mustard. Place a portion of salmon atop the honey mustart, and top with a small sprig of dill. Serve immediately
And of course, everyone's favorite Swedish band provides perfect accompaniment:
Abba
South of the Border
So maybe Cinco de Mayo passed you by—it's never too late for a little bit of ole!
Drink up
Super-easy Margaritas
1 can frozen limeade concentrate
Tequila
Water
Ice cubes
Large-grain salt (i.e. Kosher or sea salt)
3 limes, cut into wedges
Pour frozen concentrate into the bowl of your blender. Fill can with water and add to concentrate. Fill can 1/3 full of tequila (or your preference, less for weaker drinks, more for stronger), add ice and blend until nice and frosty. Cut a lime wedge in the middle and run it around the rim of the glass. Pour salt into a saucer, then twist top of glass on saucer to make salty rim (you can skip this, or substitute sugar if you prefer), place lime wedge in bottom of glass and pour margarita over top.
Fizzy Limeade
1 can frozen limeade concentrate
1 litre club soda or seltzer
Place 2T of limeade concentrate in bottom of glass. Fill glass 2/3 full with seltzer and mix gently, then fill the rest of the way with ice.
Yum
Tortilla Pie
Black Bean Salad
Of course there are plenty of other trips I'd like to take on my terrace, but there are only so many Friday and Saturday nights in the summer! I'd love to hear about yours.
Nancy Flynn is a dilettante crafter who lives in San Francisco with her fiance. She is in the midst of planning the biggest party of all-- her wedding in July!
