Hosting a Spring Business Dinner at My Farm
I always enjoy entertaining at home especially in spring when the gardens look so wonderful. This week, many of the azaleas are blooming, the tree peonies are exploding with color, and all the boxwood shrubs are lush and green.
Yesterday, I hosted a dinner gathering for a group of business partners and colleagues. My friend, Chef Pierre Schaedelin, from PS Tailored Events, and I, planned a delicious menu for 11. The first course was Jumbo Asparagus Grenobloise using vegetables freshly picked from my garden, followed by Pan Seared Black Bass with Fresh English Peas and Morel Mushrooms. And dessert was a mouth-watering Vanilla Panna Cotta with Poached Rhubarb grown right here at the farm. It was the most delectable meal and a lovely spring evening.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Here is my gorgeous spring dining table filled with all sorts of flowers freshly picked from my gardens. When entertaining, take time to dress the table and look in your own garden and backyard for inspiration.
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- It’s so important to create an inviting atmosphere for any dinner – casual or formal. My peonies started blooming just in time for this occasion.
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- Each setting has a place card and a menu, both stamped with the symbol of my Cantitoe Corners Farm, the giant sycamore.
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- If you haven’t yet, be sure to get a copy of my latest book – THE MARTHA WAY: Essential Principles for Mastering Home and Living. It’s out now and includes my best tips for hosting a well-planned and memorable gathering.
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- This day began with lots of preparations. Enma created several large flower arrangements using bunches of blooming azaleas cut from the garden.
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- Here is a bright red arrangement in my Winter House foyer.
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- In my Flower Room, Chef Pierre prepares the asparagus. These green spears are fresh from my vegetable garden – so big and perfect. Chef removes the skin from the bottom half of the asparagus to provide a a more tender core.
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- White asparagus is also prepared. White asparagus is a variety of grown without sunlight, resulting in pale, tender spears with a delicate, slightly sweet flavor.
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- A giant bowl of fresh peas were removed from their pods.
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- Beautiful black bass fish fillets ready to be seared.
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- I often serve brown butter shortcake cookies when I entertain. The dough can be prepared early, chilled and then cut and baked shortly before the meal.
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- These rounds are baked perfectly in the oven. My recipe is in my 100th book, MARTHA: THE COOKBOOK. You’ll want to make these over and over too.
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- Here, Chef Pierre pours the panna cotta mixture into molds before chilling.
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- After a lengthy and productive meeting, I conducted a tour of the gardens. By dinnertime, everyone was very hungry. Enma and Andres are ready to greet guests as they enter my kitchen. If serving drinks, consider a signature cocktail and always have non-alcoholic options.
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- Appetizers included oysters on the half shell – these were devoured quickly.
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- Mini potatoes topped with caviar and mini salmon bites are also offered.
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- And then the first course, the Jumbo Asparagus Grenobloise. Country bread crumbs, dried capers, brown butter and parsley dressed these spears wonderfully. The parsley and spinach leaf garnishes are also from my garden.
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- The asparagus spears were served with small cups of cold asparagus soup. When planning a menu, think seasonally and think ahead.
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- The black bass was served on a bed of fresh English peas and Morel mushrooms and potatoes.
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- And there is always room for dessert. this is vanilla panna cotta with poached rhubarb grown right here, and two brown butter shortbread cookies. Panna cotta is a traditional Italian dessert made from sweetened cream thickened with gelatin, and known for its custard-like texture. Not a morsel was left. It was a lovely dinner and a perfect day for a spring gathering.
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