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!

Lobster Bisque | Easy Creamy Seafood Bisque Recipe

I'm re-sharing this from January 2012.  I haven't made it in a couple of years and it is going to make an appearance on our table soon... maybe this weekend?  I forgot about the homemade seafood stock component... I'm going to try going another route.  I'll let you know!  If you don't have any lobster lying around,  I've also made this with some potatoes and shrimp - very tasty!  While indulgent tasting, it really isn't all that bad for you... just a little cream.  And butter.

...



In New England almost every restaurant has a Lobster Bisque on the menu.  Some are great - luscious, creamy soups filled with large chunks of claw meat.  Others are thin, flavorless and without any actual lobster meat.  After a few disappointing restaurant experiences with Lobster Bisque I started asking servers to describe their bisque - is there actually lobster meat in it?  creamy?  but not thick and goopy... right?


I made this for lunch after a seafood feast from the night before, making use of our shells to make the stock.  Seafood stock is really very easy to make.  You are basically just boiling the shells!

Lobster Bisque
smooth, creamy seafood soup



New! Printable Recipes, here.

6 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of flour
2 teaspoons of old bay seasoning
2 cups of Seafood Stock (homemade, see below)
6 cups of milk
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
sea salt and pepper
1 pound of lobster, crab or shrimp (or combination), torn or cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup of heavy cream
chives

In a saucepan, melt butter on medium heat.  Whisk in flour and old bay, continue stirring for 1 minute.  Add seafood stock and continue to whisk over medium heat until smooth.  Add milk and tomato paste.  Cook on medium for 10 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken, stirring periodically to make sure the soup doesn't burn!  Lower the heat.  Continue to cook until the desired thickness is achieved.  Season with salt and pepper as needed.  Add lobster, crab or shrimp and heavy cream.  Garnish with a dash of old bay, chives, and a drizzle of heavy cream.



Homemade Seafood Stock
making use of shells

water
seafood shells (lobster, crab or shrimp)
black peppercorns
sea salt
onion, quartered
garlic head, cut in half

In a large pot of water, boil seafood shells, peppercorns, sea salt, onion and garlic for 30 minutes until it has reduced.  Reserve liquid from other debris (shells, garlic, peppercorns, etc.).

Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe | The Best Lobster Mac & Cheese at Home`

Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe

Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe

I always thought that Lobster Mac & Cheese was just too indulgent to make at home.  It seems like something so frivolous, financially indulgent and, well, a waste.  In Boston (our new temporary home - more about that later!), Lobster Mac & Cheese is everywhere - on every menu.  I see it on menus more often than I do 'Chowdah.'  Most menus have it listed for $25.  Yikes.  I calculated that I would be able to make enough for 2 large servings for less $25.  It still blows my $10 dinner budget, but it is a great splurge for a Saturday night dinner.

After some research on "The Best Homemade Mac and Cheese" recipes, I decided to use The Barefoot Contessa's recipe as a starting point.  I used white cheddar, gruyere and added some colby jack to balance the flavor of the stronger cheeses.

I bought a live lobster and steamed it at home, but that is not necessary.  Actually, I really didn't like cooking the live lobster - I know, I know we all need to be conscious of where our food comes from, and be conscious that eating meat is actually eating a once live animal... but, I think I'll just buy it pre-steamed next time. 

Recipes | Winter Dinner | Warm Winter Dinner | French Seafood Bisque

This is a great dinner that is warm, comforting and filled with great flavor.  Saffron and white wine give the soup that special touch that turns Tuesday night dinner into something special.

French Seafood Bisque
serves 6

1 pound of shrimp, peeled
1 pound of bay scallops
6 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of yellow onion, diced
1 leek, white and light green parts, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves of garlic
4 saffron threads (optional)
sea salt
black pepper

2 cups of white wine

2 cups of chicken stock

4 whole tomatoes (from 1 can), chopped
1 1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 teaspoon of fresh chives, chopped

In a saute pan, cook the shrimp and scollops in 3 tablespoons of butter, set aside.  In a soup pot, melt the rest of the butter and cook onion, leek, carrots, garlic, saffron, and mushrooms.  Cook for 10 minutes until soft.  Add white wine, chicken stock, salt and pepper.  Cook at a simmer for 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes and cream.  Cook for 5 more minutes, then add shrimp and scallops.  Served hot garnished with chives.

Recipes | Baked Scallops, Caesar Salad, Prosciutto, and Crusty Italian Bread

As I begin planning our honeymoon to Italy, I find myself pouring over scrumptious sounding menus of restaurants we plan to visit. The simple options of fresh fare have inspired me. This dinner took me just 15 minutes to prepare and it was fabulous. I served the scallops with thinly sliced prosciutto, warm crusty bread and a crunchy salad.

Baked Scallops (serves 2)

1 pound of sea scallops

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of white wine

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small shallot, minced

1/2 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, chopped

1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes

1 lemon, zested and juiced

Sea Salt & Pepper

Place the scallops in a heavy baking dish. Mix together olive oil, wine, garlic, shallot, rosemary, red pepper, lemon, salt & pepper. Pour the mixture over the scallops. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes.