Guest of Honor: The Art of the Dinner Party with Olivia
The guests are arriving in 15 minutes, and I’ve yet to shower, the greenery I wanted across the counter remains in its plastic flower bag, and our appetizers still need to be plated. It’s long been my dream to open a bottle of wine, and greet our guests, glass in hand, and so begins our dinner party. We’ve experienced the joys of gathering around the table, the kitchen counter, a deck of cards. There is most certainly a special joy in opening up your home to those you love to share food and drink.
Today, Oliva, founder of La Cura Events, walks us through the art of the dinner party. From discussing the magic of gathering around the table for hours, to how to reduce the stress of hosting, this episode includes so many tips for creating a meaningful night!
Listen to the episode below or via one of the links provided, and don’t miss following Olivia on Instagram!
If you’d like to follow along outside of the blog, it is also available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Spotify, and other sources.
On the Table:
Fig Crostinis and White Negronis
Olivia is a fan of the aperitivo hour. It allows you to greet your guests and spend time with them, before wrapping up dinner. Try these amazing recipes, courtesy of Olivia!
Olivia’s Fig Crostini – serves 6 guests
1 box of figs
1 orange zested + 2 tbsp of juice
2 tbsp champagne vinegar
handful of fresh mint leaves
3 stems of fresh oregano
1 tbsp raw honey
1 package high-quality ricotta cheese (I like sheep’s milk)
1 baguette
Flaky sea salt & fresh cracked pepper
Method
In a medium bowl place the orange juice, champagne vinegar, and honey, whisk together until fully incorporated.
Slice the figs in half, *you can set aside some fresh figs for plating, they are delicious raw & plate beautifully with the compote on the crostini, that’s how they are pictured above.
Toss the figs you are cooking in the orange juice and vinegar glaze. Heat a small pan with a bit of olive oil, add the figs and 2 stems of oregano whole. Season with flaky sea salt, cook for 3-5 minutes, you want the figs to retain their shape, some will break down more than others. That’s ok! The glaze should begin to thicken. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Discard the oregano stems.
Slice your bread on the diagonal, toast with a bit of olive oil. In a small bowl season your ricotta with half the orange zest, and pinch of flaky sea salt.
Roughly chop the remaining oregano stem with some mint leaves. Set aside.
Layer the toast with ricotta cheese and the cooled fig compote. Garnish with fresh herbs, the remaining orange zest and more flaky sea salt. Season with fresh cracked pepper. Serve immediately.
You can also serve as a build-your-own platter if you are having a group of guests.
Take Home Tip:
Dinner parties and life in general look a little bit different lately. But as Olivia points out, we can, and should still work to create meaningful moments. Like eating pizza dressed up with the people you live with. Being together, whether in person or online and sharing a meal is something to celebrate. So let’s find those little pockets of joy this year.