A Garden Party | Our Annual "Clambake"

A couple of weeks ago, we hosted our 6th Annual Clambake... after an 8 year hiatus.  We invited 4 couples, half new and half old friends.  Last week, I gave you a tour of our back yard (here), and today you get to see it in action.  

A real party.  So many times when I'm doing a new product launch, I have to set a "fake" table - which I hate!  It feels so unnatural.  But this is a real party.  With people and everything : )   

This is the first time we've hosted an adult dinner party in our backyard, so I went ahead and fulfilled all of my outdoor entertaining fantasies.  Flowers from the garden, candles everywhere, white and creams with accents of natural wood tones set in a lush green yard.

(the napkins are new, here, and the willow vases are back in stock!)

Our typical backyard entertaining looks nothing like this... more like kids running around, parents perched on the steps, everyone eating in laps or at the picnic table and not much sitting and relaxing by candle light.   However, sometimes, we like to step it up and treat our friends to a real party.

Those casual summer parties have a certain magic, but it is nice to sometimes have real, uninterupted adult conversations while sitting in a garden sipping rose, feasting on lobster with butter dripping down your chin.  What a treat it was!

Willow Vases, $16
White Napkins with Natural Jute Braid, 4 for $24
Anchor Place Cards

Willow Vases, $16

The table has a slightly nautical feel, thanks to the Anchor place cards, but everything else was simple and neutral.

  I made the striped cloth from outdoor awning fabric, cut to fit the table.

Willow Vases, $16
White Napkins with Natural Jute Braid, 4 for $24
Anchor Place Cards

Sorry, the photos just keep going : )

And for a little behind the scenes set up : 

For 10 guests, I used 2 x 6ft tables.  The 6ft tables were a perfect fit for my car so I could avoid the delivery charge from the rental company.

I covered it in a long striped cloth that was in three sections.  I covered the ends with plain white clothes.  I rented natural wood folding chairs.  I think they feel more charming and casual than the white wooden that are often used at weddings.

And, a few detail shots to help set the mood.

 Then it started to rain... pour!

Inside, party prep continued with crossed fingers that the rain would stop.

I like to get everything out, lined up and ready to go.  Nothing left until the last minute - the only way I can enjoy myself at the party, too.

Ice cream goes in short tumblers for Black Cherry Soda & Vanilla Ice Cream Floats.  I put the entire tray in my freezer and just had to pour the soda over for server.  Super easy, yummy and light on a hot summer night after an indulgent dinner.

Herbed Garlic Bread ready to be wrapped in foil and go in the oven.

Heirloom Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil & Prosciutto Platter served with toasted baguette for an appetizer with prosecco and beer.

Terry clothes rolled and ready for hot water & lemon, for after the seafood.  Butter ready for melting, then pouring into the cutest 2oz ramekins.



Darling lobster cocktail napkins that I've been waiting to use for 6 years.

Claw crackers and bowls for shells.

I referenced the Barefoot Contessa's Poached Lobster recipe (Cooking for Jeffery), plus added shrimp.

Menu :

Prosecco & Beer
Tomato & Mozzarella Platter with Prosciutto and Toasts
...
Lobster Tails
Large Shrimp
Corn on the Cob
Garlic & Herb Bread
Drawn Butter
...
Black Cherry & Vanilla Ice Cream Floats

About an hour before guests were going to arrive, the rain stopped and the table got reset.  Yay!

The heat is so bad here now that no one would dream of sitting outside for dinner, but when September rolls around, this is where we'll be again... but probably with lots of kids running around while the grill is going.  I'm so glad I have these photos to remember our lovely evening with friends.

There have been a couple of updates and out of stock items in the online store - stop by and take a look around : )

Seafood Boil Party | My Favorite (and the easiest) Summer Party

Can it be possible that Memorial Day Weekend is next weekend?  Hosting a Seafood Boil is one of my favorite ways to entertain.   It is easy (so easy!), not really that expensive, and it makes a fun and festive night.


For me, a seafood boil is the essence of casual (but special) summer entertaining.  As you know, I love really casual entertaining, so a seafood boil is the perfect marriage of luxury (I mean, we are talking lobster here...) and a roll-up-your-sleeves and dig-in sort of party.  

 

Almost every summer we host some sort of Seafood Boil for our friends.  This year, we threw one for my Mom's surprise birthday party.  If you've never hosted one before - let me tell you, it is the easiest party you will ever throw.  The fresh seafood is such a fun summer treat for everyone, that there is very little to do besides set a pretty table.

Shop my Summer Products including this Robin's Egg Blue Enamelware, here.



Seafood Boil
serves 6

1 lemon, cut in wedges
1 tablespoon of old bay seasoning
1 tablespoon of whole peppercorns
2 pounds of small potatoes
6 ears of corn
6 small lobster tails (optional)
2 pounds of shrimp
french bread
melted butter

In a large pot of boiling water, add lemon, old bay, peppercorns and potatoes.  Boil for 8 minutes.  Add corn and lobsters and cook for 3 more minutes.  Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.  Drain from water and pile on platter.  Serve with crusty bread and melted butter.

 
When I first saw this Robin's Egg Blue Enamelware Collection, I couldn't wait to use it for our annual seafood boil.  Here, I'm using the Large Round Platter ($16) to serve the seafood.  The tall sides make it very easy to pile everything in.

In the summer, I'm a beer girl.  I love, love, love Summer Shandy.  It is like beer and lemonade mixed together.  I put it in the Enamelware Deep Basin ($16)  (Now restocked!!) with ice and wedges of lemon.  I also offer white wine to keep everyone happy.

I made very casual candle hurricanes out of old extra large mason jars.  I filled the bottoms with large sea salt and then used my Tapers.

And of course... Lobster Sugar Cookies are such a fun parting gift... or dessert.  They are actually very easy to decorate.  If you can trace the outside and color in the lines, you're set.

These are back to the store this season - along with some other fun nautical shapes.

Gosh, these cookies make me feel like I'm sitting in Martha's Vineyard right now.

Shop the Nautical Cookie Cutters, here > 

Have I convinced you to throw a Seafood Boil yet?  You won't be sorry!

Another favorite version of this is a Shrimp Boil.  My brother-in-law hosted us at a boil a couple of years ago - old bay spiced water with sausages, onions, shrimp, corn and potatoes.  You can see that recipe, here >

What are your favorite Summer party traditions? 


Shop :

Robin's Egg Blue Enamelware ($16-24)

Nautial Cookie Cutters >

Nautical Copper Cookie Cutters | Sailboats, Whales & Lobsters are back!

Nautical Copper Cookie Cutters | Sailboats, Whales & Lobsters are back!

A summer season in my store wouldn't be complete without some copper cookie cutters.  I start receiving email requests for these beginning in March every year : )   I know I say this every season, but these might be my all time favorite.  Sailboats, Whales & Lobsters - they are just so charming and whimsical.  They would be the perfect addition to any summer party or bake sale - I've already had many orders for rehearsal dinners, showers and birthday parties.  

The Nautical Copper Cookie Cutters are available in my store, here.

As you can see, they are really easy to decorate - just filling in with solid colors.  You can make them as simple or as complicated as you'd like.  

I've included my go-to sugar cookie and icing recipe below!

Shop the entire Summer Collection, here >

I love that the whale looks like it belongs on a Vineyard Vines shirt ; )

Of course they look great with Robin's Egg Blue Enamelware ($16-24), too.

Buy Nautical Copper Cookie Cutters, here. 

the best

sugar cookies

2 sticks of butter

1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

2 1/2 cups of flour

1 tsp of vanilla bean paste

1 tsp of cream of tarter

1 tsp of baking soda

1 egg

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and powdered sugar.  Add Flour, vanilla, cream of tarter, soda, then mix for 20 seconds, then and egg.  On slow, stir together ingredients just until combined.  

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and wrap it with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.  

Unwrap the dough and put it on a floured board.  Roll out dough until 1/4 inch thick.  Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.   Bake for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees just until the edges begin to turn brown - baking time will depend on size and thickness of the cookie.

I use parchment pan liners for baking and my 12" pastry bags & gel icing colors to make the decorating look as neat as possible. 

Royal Icing

3 egg whites

4 cups of powdered sugar

In the mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until almost frothy.  Add in the powdered sugar and whisk on slow until smooth.  

You may need to add more or less powdered sugar or water to achieve desired thickness.  For sugar cookies, you want the icing to be thin enough that it will fall back on itself and smooth itself out, but not too thin so it will run off of the cookie.

Here is a link to my post about mixing great icing colors - My Icing Color Wheel Post.  I will try to do a separate one for these exact colors, if you plan to make your own.

It really is just outlining, and filling in the lines.  

The sailboat requires a little more planning, but is still very simple.  You can just do one solid triangle on top, and a boat below.

The lobsters are very simple, too.  The red color requires lots of the red gel coloring to get anything that doesn't look pinkish.

Each cutter is ready for gift-giving packaged with a copy of my Sugar Cookie Recipe in a Large Cello Bag, tied with ribbon.  They make a great favor, too... especially if you don't think you are up to actually making the cookies.

The whale is shown packaged in the Medium Cello Bag and the Sailboat and Lobster fit best packaged in the Large Cello Bag.

The Nautical Copper Cookie Cutters, here!