August Dinner Party

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the August dinner party menu! If you’re new here, each month I share what I am describing as a “dinner party in your inbox” for paid subscribers.

It comes complete with delicious exclusive recipes, a printable copy of a hand-painted menu created by, Aurelie Baudry Palmer. (Aurelie is a lovely and incredibly talented water color artist out of London.) Dinner party planning suggestions, decor ideas and more.

There is something so special about gathering the people you love most to celebrate someone on the edge of a great love story. A wedding shower is one of those rare occasions that calls for the whole treatment — the flowers, the music, the food that makes everyone lean back in their chairs and exhale.

“Something Blue” is our theme — and rather than leaning into it literally, we’ve let it live where it belongs: in the gorgeous deep violet of a butterfly pea flower champagne punch, the blueberries nestled into cream cheese frosting on champagne cupcakes, and the overall mood of the table. Elevated. Intentional. A little old Hollywood.

The menu is light and elegant — a lemon herb salmon cake with a champagne remoulade, a spring pea and mint ricotta crostini, a sun-dried tomato and artichoke quinoa salad with crispy prosciutto, and those champagne cupcakes — all built to be mostly done before anyone arrives so you can actually be present for the party. Because that’s the whole point, isn’t it?

Put on the playlist. Pour the punch. Let’s celebrate!