Alfresco Dinner a la Lulu

A lovely alfresco dinner with a roaring fire, lights over the table on a dimmer from Target.  A checked table runner was used on the sides with the wood showing down the middle with simple gerber daisies in ball jars. Also I used a ball jar for the water on the table that had place cards attached. A brown tag with chalkboard paint. The lemons we got from the clients lemon trees as well as the rosemary placed on top of the napkin.

We put a big board out filled with cheeses, meats , olives, chickpeas, mustards, cornichons, baked proscuitto.  I think adding herbs (note the rosemary around the grapes) it just takes it up a notch.  I love honey and doused some of the St. Angel cheese which is crazy delicious that I got at whole foods.

The Olives we put in a small sauce pan and covered them with olive oil , lemon and clementine strips and some hot chile fakes.  Brought to a boil and turned off.  Let cool and poured the olives into a bowl with a little of the oil, the chili flakes , and lemon & clementine rind with a sprig of rosemary.  The rest of the olive oil we set out with some grilled bread and people used it to dip there bread in.

I love fried sage sprinkled with salt.  I could eat it like potato chips and that is what I did here on the corner of the board.  In the blue bowl is baked chick peas which are delicious to eat like some nuts.  Drain and rinse off the chickpeas.  Dry on paper towel.  Put on a cookie sheet with a little olive oil cumin, salt and pepper at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Shake after 7 minutes.  Everyones oven is different so cook them until you think they are crispy enough.

The different meats, I had them slice at whole food.  Very thin.  The tomato crostini were grilled bread with buratta,roasted tomatoes (which I roasted baby tomatoes for 25 minutes at 350 degrees with a little olive oil salt and pepper.  Took out and let cool.) sprinkled with torn basil and sprinkled with malt on salt flakes, balsamic demi glaze.

This was a rose party where they tried all different kind of Rose’s.  The host wanted to put out a little tequila bar for those who may have not wanted Rose.  Which I thought was fun and all the guests seemed to sip tequila and enjoy trying all the different roses.