CALIFORNIA TRAVEL DIARIES: END-OF-SUMMER DINNER PARTY

Of all the ways to spend quality time with loved ones, there’s nothing quite like gathering around a big table and sharing a home-cooked meal together. During my visit back home to the Bay Area in August, my family and I threw a dinner party to celebrate the end of the summer season. We devoured flavorful dishes and desserts that highlighted seasonal produce, as well as exchanged lots of jokes and stories about what’s new in each other’s lives. This was one of my favorite parts of my vacation because it helped me reminisce on early childhood memories of big family gatherings when I was still living there. They were always exciting occasions where everyone feasts, laughs and is present together, and I’m happy to say that they still feel like that. :) Here’s a little guide on how we put together our dinner party.

Step 1: Choose theme & menu

For our End-Of-Summer theme, we decided to highlight vibrant colors (think red, yellow & green) and florals in the food and table decor. Then we curated a Mediterranean-inspired menu with plenty of refreshing and bright flavors to celebrate the time of year that has (in my opinion) the best produce. Below is our Pinterest tablescape inspo and menu.

Step 2: Shop for ingredients

My aunt and I can’t resist a trip to the local farmers’ market, so naturally we picked up the juiciest fruits and most crisp vegetables from there. Heirloom tomato & pluot season was upon us, and I’m still dreaming about those flavors that instantly remind me of a Bay Area summer.

Step 3: Prepare dishes & desserts

What made this meal extra special was being able to harvest and use the fresh produce and herbs growing in my aunt’s garden! There was a lot to prepare so she tackled the main entrees while I focused on the desserts and assisted with appetizers and sides.

Step 4: Set table & decorate spaces

Fancy platters, a patterned tablecloth and flower arrangements are details that really elevate the atmosphere for a dinner party. My cousin arranged mini floral vases to scatter all around the house and the backyard. While we ended up serving dinner inside, we still enjoyed the last of the late afternoon light in the garden surrounded by lush plants in bloom.

Step 5: Enjoy dinner together!

After all the hard work was done, we sat down to enjoy our incredibly satisfying feast all together. A few featured items on the menu were the baked salmon and fresh chimichurri, peach burrata caprese, raspberry pistachio chocolate chip cookies and double chocolate zucchini bread with raspberry mint garnish.