Seamless soirées
Experts share tips for hosting a stress-free summer party
Focaccia sandwiches can be wrapped in brown paper and tied with string for a pretty presentation. /p>
Brie pairs well with honey for a cheese board.
Small potted herbs, such as lavender, can be used as centerpieces.
Nothing Bundt Cakes offers decoration kits with seasonal themes.
To echo the summer season and all those casual gatherings, you can scale back your efforts when you host others at home. Here are some easy-breezy entertaining tips from pros who know how to do more with less.
Crafting an irresistible cheese board
Simple cheeses can be a real crowd pleaser. For instance, Lindsay Kennedy, owner of Dolcetto, Cheese, & Specialty Goods in Farmington, Michigan, suggests brie boards paired with honeys or jams. "They can be sweet or savory, and the brie doesn't have to be heated," she says.
"You can even have one beautiful cheese like toma with a little honey and salt," adds Kennedy, who featured that combination with the classic Italian cow's milk cheese during a recent event where it was a real showstopper.
From a visual perspective, she suggests considering the dead space on your board.
"Make sure it looks intentional," Kennedy says. "Purposeful fillers can include dried fruits and nuts. The dead space can showcase your beautiful wood board."
Pinch pots lend dimension to your cheese board. "You can have jams for little finishing touches to your meals or flavored salt to up the ante," Kennedy says.
Tinned fish has been a popular pick. "It's a great way to give a healthy gift and make an easy meal with pasta or salad, or serve with crackers," she says.
Fondue can be a fun option with a raclette machine that makes the cheese easy to melt. Crackers with edible flowers offer a lovely touch, while caramels and chocolates can be giveaways for your guests.
Seasonal cheeses make great picks.
"You can have fresh burrata and some veggies for a simple and delicious meal," Kennedy says, encouraging people to think outside the box. "You can take Vermont Roomano Pradera, an aged hard gouda with a crunchy texture, and add some cocoa-covered cashews and treat it like a Chex Mix."
Streamline food prep
With the summer heat, Kelli Lewton, chef and founder of Two Unique Caterers & Event Planners in Royal Oak, Michigan, likes to serve cold food plus one hot dish. "You can grill a few sticks with chicken or beef or shrimp for kabobs or satay," she says.
Lewton recommends four or five cold sides that can be placed inside inflatable coolers filled with ice and kept in the shade.
"It's all about the prep," she says. "Prep equals success. Put the food on ice and put on the grill, and dice your peppers and onions a day ahead of time."
For cold submarine sandwiches, she likes to switch up the bread with pretzel rolls and offer other options.
"You should always consider people's diets and preferences. Deconstructed sandwiches let them pick and choose and make their own sub, which can be easier on you," says Lewton, who also keeps decorative elements simple, like muslin sheets for outdoor tables.
Summer get-togethers can be as simple as picking up some fried chicken and asking guests to provide dessert.
"You can make a beautiful celebration out of watermelon and salads and nonalcoholic beverages like a lemonade sparkle bar," she says. "Serve lemonade and sparkling water, with vodka and tequila on the side, so people can add a splash if they want."
Without too much effort, you can make outdoor spaces comfortable for your guests with rosemary citronella candles around the perimeter and a little bucket filled with bug spray and sunscreen.
"Always provide a shaded area and add a hydration station with decanters filled with filtered water that is self-serve," Lewton says.
Use summer's natural beauty to help you set the table
Come summertime, Lauren Kirk, director of event innovation and design for vending company Continental Services and catering outfit Forte Belanger, likes to incorporate garden elements into her tablescapes at home.
"We have small potted herbs in the backyard that I love using as centerpieces," she explains. "Instead of buying plants or flowers, you can take potted lavender or mint and refocus them to give them more attention."
These pieces also can spark conversations. "Lavender is more of an experience that becomes a talking point with people," Kirk says.
Kirk also likes to use fruit as décor, such as lemons in a bowl or cherries in a dish. "That is onestop shopping if you're going to the grocery store, with minimal steps for yourself," she says. "You can have a pitcher or a beverage dispenser for a onebatch cocktail or beverage and add fresh fruit. It's easy, but it looks very intentional."
Without much fuss, outdoor lighting can add another layer to your seasonal celebrations after dark.
"Lanterns or candles and bistro lights and rechargeable table lamps that are portable create such a nice atmosphere," Kirk says.
Take a sweet shortcut
Special desserts can be purchased for casual gatherings, says Kelly Rankin, owner of four Nothing Bundt Cakes stores in Michigan. "We have bundtinis that are sold by the dozen," she says. "They're about the size of a golf ball, and our bundtlets are about the size of a softball."
Signature assortments include flavors like chocolate chip, confetti and strawberries and cream, while featured flavors might include s'mores.
For special occasions, Rankin says desserts like these can be displayed on tiered stands or double as centerpieces. Customers also can add a festive touch with their deco kits, which include summer themes like a flamingo with palm leaves.
Some locations carry platters and plates that make great hostess gifts for bundt cakes that can be wrapped in cellophane. Bundtlet towers also make a pretty presentation that saves time and effort.
"That's why we're here, so we can take the stress of that piece off the table," she says.
