Entertaining

Summer Cocktail Dinner with Liquid Riot

Located about 30 minutes outside of Portland is one of the most charming little local farms. Although more than the beauty of the physical property, what makes Farm to Table Kids so special is their heart-felt mission to empower children and families through hands-on learning at their organic educational farm. I’ve known founder and head farmer Stephanie for a few years now and have been in awe of the incredible work that she does and admired her energetic, kind spirit. I’ve wanted to collaborate with Steph for some time and she graciously offered me her farm’s greenhouse to host a cocktail dinner the other week that I’m excited to share with you.

What better way to celebrate the end of summer than by bringing friends together and enjoying the season’s plentiful bounty. Looking to the garden as the inspiration for the dishes served, private chef Jen Lenzi of Whisk & Thyme crafted an extraordinary floral-inspired menu using produce from the farm and other locally sourced ingredients. Joining me at the table were my friends Kelly, Katie, and Maggie (who you may recognize from older blog posts). These ladies, who are entrepreneurs themselves, have deeply encouraged me over this past year to take my styling business to the next level, and inviting them to an intimate dinner experience was the least I could do to honor our meaningful friendship.

More than perfectly styled plates and stunning flowers, a great gathering is filled with happy people. And nothing makes people happier than being greeted by a relaxed host with a cocktail in hand. Lucky for me, that included a delicious seasonal spritz featuring top-quality bourbon from Liquid Riot (which is distilled right in downtown Portland). Lately, I’ve been broadening my palette by venturing into the world of spirits and Bourbon, which once felt unattainable is now my go-to base for cocktails. Dinner parties, especially in summer are synonymous with bubbly so for the cocktail served I decided to go with an Orange Bourbon Spritz – because who doesn’t love some prosecco with fruity orange grounded by rich hand-crafted Old Port Bourbon. Keep scrolling to see the recipe so you can make the drink at home.

If there’s one thing I want readers to know, it’s that you do not have to break the bank to host a meal with friends. For instance, you may be blown away by the beautifully colorful tablescape setup, but you’d be even more impressed at how inexpensive all of the tableware was. With Summer dining specifically, I usually go for melamine or plastic that way you don’t have to worry about breaking glassware or plates while entertaining outside. It also makes for easy and light travel as well.

Orange Bourbon Spritz Recipe

INGREDIENTS

/ 3 Jiggers (4.5 oz) of Liquid Riot Old Port Bourbon
/ 3 Drops Orange Bitters
/ 2 Cups Prosecco
/ 1 Cup Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
/ ½ Tablespoon Sugar
/ Zest of 1/4 of an Orange

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large pitcher, using a wooden spoon, mash the orange zest with the sugar and bitters. Add the orange juice, prosecco, and bourbon and stir to combine. Serve over ice.

Yield: Serves 4

When it comes to styling a tablescape itself I often rely on the food to be the main focus and then have the plates, glasses, silverware, and napkins all complement it. In this garden party dinner, I leaned into the colors of the floral arrangements for inspiration. Knowing that dahlias were in season I wanted the items on the table to pop and have it feel super vibrant. Style tip: never be afraid of playing with color! I loved pairing this rainbow silverware set with mustard yellow napkins to go on top of a more subtle pale pink plate. To tie in balance for each setting, I opted for fun-shaped clear blue glasses.

The Menu

Starters

Crostinis with Herbed Cream Cheese

Grilled Escargot with Lemon & Herb Butter

Crudité with Dressing

Entree + Sides

Grilled Shrimp and Steak Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Melon, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella Salad

Dessert

Watermelon Cake Pops

When coming up with this dinner menu, both Jen the private chef, and I agreed that we wanted shareable plates that looked super elegant, but in reality, were very easy to put together. I wanted the garden party to feel both rustic and elevated at the same time. Being a food stylist I make it a point to have each dish look like a plate of art. Between the colorful flowers and fresh local produce, it wasn’t difficult to achieve.

Speaking of local, I try to support small businesses whenever possible and I love that Liquid Riot uses almost entirely Maine-made ingredients in their products as well. The Old Port Bourbon featured in the signature cocktail I served is made with Maine-grown corn, rye, and buckwheat. Besides bringing together amazing women for this dinner it was also such a treat to also work with local companies from my community to bring my creative vision to life.