everyday entertaining
So much of our time is spent indoors that when summer arrives it’s really a treat to dine out under the stars. Of course, if you’re fortunate enough to live in southern California or some other place with an equally pleasant climate, you can dine alfresco almost year round. It’s a pleasure I never take for granted—especially now that I spend so much time in Manhattan. In this case, we were invited to make ourselves at home at the house of my close friend Kevin Wendle, located on a beautiful property in the hills of Bel Air.
I wanted the evening to be casual, rustic, and relaxed. The idea was to create a communal feast centered around a table laden abundantly with plates of hearty country-style food that would transport our guests to the Mediterranean. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to imagine they were somewhere in Provence or Tuscany, overlooking a vineyard with grapevines hanging from the trellises all around.
The tableware is a wonderful combination of terra-cotta pieces and wooden boards. Since we were dining outdoors, Italian style, I used tumblers instead of stemmed, footed wineglasses. Everything was geared toward making this an informal, inviting feast, the kind of meal at which you feel absolutely no hesitation to soak up the scrumptious swirling sauces on your plate with a good crusty chunk of peasant bread.
Although the meal is quite multifaceted, you’ll be buying most of the items for the appetizer course in the store and thereby saving a lot of prep time. To avoid aggravation and to make it a thoroughly enjoyable experience, write up a good list before you shop. Then give yourself some leeway when you get to the cheese and charcuterie counters. If a particular item looks too good to resist—if it really talks to you—don’t hesitate to buy it and find a place for it on your table. You might discover something wonderful.
For the first course, I assembled a stunning board of delicacies, lining the center of the table with plates of different types of salamis and prosciutto, bowls of assorted olives, country breads, fresh figs, cornichons. . . . You can really let your enthusiasm carry you as far as you like. I stuck to a country theme—part Provençal, part Tuscan—but feel free to go farther afield if you like. The goal is to generate a sense of abundance, that aura of warm country hospitality and gracious generosity. It’s all about celebrating the bountiful harvest and rejoicing in the fruits of the earth, a ritual performed with revelry and delight in cultures the world over.
Timing
This is a meal that requires some advance preparation, so it’s best to plan it for a weekend. If you’re feeling a little more ambitious, it can be done on a weeknight, but be sure to perform a few key steps either the night before or the morning of the party. The foie gras, should you choose to make it, needs to be refrigerated for at least 8 hours. The beans need to be soaked overnight in advance. The dessert takes about 2 hours total, including at least an hour of cooling in the fridge. Everything can be done in advance. The main dish is a simple one-pot preparation that can bubble away in the oven while you’re setting the table, laying out the appetizer buffet, and making other last-minute arrangements.
Menu
Foie Gras in a Cast-Iron Pot
Chicken and the Forty Cloves
White Beans with Pancetta
Chocolate Pot de Crème
Tips
Pernod and Mineral Water
Serving Cheese
Quick-Soaked Beans
