outdoor entertaining Archives - Page 2 of 2

Making Summer Last | Outdoor Fire Pits

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the days have started to get shorter. As this terrestrial ball takes yet another spin around the sun, the glorious season of freckles and flip flops is starting to bend her knee in a gentle curtsey. The endless days of summer have started their slow-motion run straight into the awaiting arms of Autumn.

I love the Fall for all it’s splendor. The colours, the crispness of the air, the cozy sweaters, the Fall harvest and the heart-warming meals. But I’m not ready to go there just yet. Summer and I have a few more memories to make together first.

For me, one of my favourite memories is snuggling up by the fire on a summer’s evening under the stars. So for today’s inspiration, I’m featuring two of my favourite fire pits along with a couple of campfire essentials to go with.

As Leonardo DaVinci said, “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” I think that sums these two different yet sculptural simple fire pits quite nicely. Both from Design Within Reach, they have distinctly different personalities. The fire pit above has a more casual air about it, and given its handles could easily be transported in the back of the car for impromptu beach bonfires. The fire pit below has a stronger, more architectural presence to it with it’s very angular, crisp lines. I love that it also metamorphoses into a coffee table when not ablaze.

No childhood campfire would be complete without s’mores! Let’s face it, most grown-ups love them too. I don’t eat sugar so I can’t partake, but I’ve still fallen head over heals for the design of this marshmallow roaster from Terrain.

Organic, elegant and reasonably priced, it adds a designer’s touch to the experience of roasting those white fluffy orbs to golden perfection. Speaking of which, why not have designer marshmallows while we’re at it? Cinnamon Sugar, square and handmade in LA, these are perfect for the foodies in our midst.

Last but not least, why not get designer with your chocolate, too? Artisinal chocolate purveyor Antidote has a banana chili chocolate that will no doubt make campfire conversations much spicier!

However you plan to spend your last few weeks of summer, I hope they are filled with the stuff that memories are made of. If you’re like me, you’ll definitely make time to snuggle up and watch for shooting stars.

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|August 24th, 2012|0 Comments

An Easy Summer Dessert | Grilled Apricots with Mascarpone and Lavender Honey

Remember yesterday’s endless summer dinner party? Well, I thought I’d let the evening linger a little longer. I can still taste the mix of herbs and fresh ingredients, the savoury and the sweet, and I can still hear the laughter ringing in my ears. Satisfying to heart and palette alike, it was an evening well worth savouring.

I’m afraid I can’t share photos of the main course with you as we were so enjoying it {and more importantly, each other’s company} that it didn’t get photographed! But our simple and delicious dessert did, along with the simple and delicious process of making it. The recipe is really as straight forward as reading the photographs, but I’ll include it below.

The Ingredients:

4 ripe, organic apricots
Raw lavender honey
Mascarpone

The Method:

Wash and halve your apricots, removing the pits. Heat BBQ and sear the apricots face down so that the cut flesh caramelizes from the heat of the grill. Plate 2 halves per person and drizzle with the gorgeous, golden goodness of the raw honey. Savour the slow and decadent dance it does on the way down to the plate while enjoying the wait. It’s worth it. Top with a good dollop of mascarpone on each apricot half and ENJOY. {Pairs well with tea lights hanging in trees, wood-burning fires and great friends.}

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|August 22nd, 2012|1 Comment

Summer Salads: Beet, Basil + Goat Cheese Stacks with Arugula + Walnuts

I love a casual dinner with friends. The kind where you cook while catching up and linger so long over the first course that you almost forget there’s more food waiting to be eaten. The kind where good food is only overshadowed by better conversation. The kind where you feel as if the night could just saunter along forever and no one would mind even a bit.

We had one such charmed evening with friends recently. I thought I’d share a few shots of the evening with you {and a recipe as a tasty side dish to go with the photos}.

BEET, BASIL + GOAT CHEESE STACKS WITH ARUGULA + WALNUTS

The Ingredients:

4 organic beets, peeled, boiled and cut into 1/4″ slices

Raw goat cheese

Organic baby arugula

Fresh Basil Leaves

Raw, organic walnuts

Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Reduction

Chives for garnish

The Method:

Peel, slice and boil the beets. {Funny side note: I attempted to keep each individual beet’s slices grouped together in the pot so that they would fit back together like a puzzle when it came time to create the stacks. This beautiful idea did not work at all. The boiling naturally shifted the pieces all around the pot leaving me with a beet puzzle and a whole lot of pieces that looked exactly the same. I managed to find pieces that fit fairly well with one another, nonetheless. Not quite as I had envisioned, but still quite lovely.} Cool the beets by running them under some cold water in a strainer once they have boiled.

Plate a bed of arugula. Begin to arrange your “stacks,” layering the beets with a blanket of basil leaves and then a thick, delicious slab of goat cheese in between each piece of beet.

Scatter a handful of raw, organic walnuts around the plate. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a good balsamic reduction. Finish with 2 or 3 long chives leaned decoratively against the beet and goat cheese stack.

Enjoy with good company.