Garden Party on a Budget

Yearning for the days of the formal garden party? Ladies in their fancy, frilly frocks and hats, all decked out for the afternoon with parasols, croquet on the lawn, and lazy boat rides on the river. These are all trappings from the Victorian era of living. Welcome to the new millennium, corsets and parasols are not part of today's lifestyle and not many of us have a river bordering our backyard for lazy boat rides. Let's create the garden party for the modern era. I can help you do it all on a budget.

In keeping with the environmental awareness of today's society, thrift stores are an excellent place to find tablecloths, assorted colorful dishes, interesting serving ware, delightful wine glasses, and elegant flatware. The assortment is large and excitement is built in with the mix of pieces. Thrift stores are also a wonderful place to discover tables at a very budget friendly price. If you have low tables, chairs may be omitted in favor of blankets or rugs placed on the ground. As is traditional, a tent or canopy provides shade for the buffet table. An outdoor canopy can be purchased for an average of $150, can be individualized for the event with some thrifty decorations, and is reusable.

Now the foundation is set, time to turn to details and food. Details include placing flatware inside fabric napkins and tying into bundles with coordinating ribbon and tucking a fresh flower between the napkin and the ribbon. Decorating the table with bouquets of flowers of varying heights and sizes, floating candles in bowls for an evening party, and adding scented candles to match the scent of the flowers. Contrast the colors of the flowers with the plates, for example, brightly colored plates then use white or soft colored flowers. Take old bundt pans and spray-paint gold or silver, fill with flowers, place table legs into center hole and voila, additional visual interest and color.

The food at the buffet table should also have an assortment of colors, textures, and flavors. Some great garden party snacks include: Quick 'n Cool Cucumber Nibbles and Cinnamon Honey-Fig Bruschetta. Chicken is a favorite entree idea as there are so many delicious ways to prepare it. I like an herb-marinated or spice-rubbed chicken breast entree, a garden vegetable rice pilaf with a creamy garlic sauce. The pilaf can be made in advance, and the chicken and garlic sauce can be prepared in less than 15 minutes. Drinks can be made festive and colorful by using fresh fruits, colored sugars, and edible flowers for garnishes. A favorite beverage suitable for a garden party is Bellini O' Strawberry.

Quick 'n Cool Cucumber Nibbles
Makes 12 to 16 nibbles
8 radishes, trimmed
4 oz flavored cream cheese (garden veggie is great), softened
1 clove freshly grated garlic
2 Tbsp red onion, minced
1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp hot sauce
1 seedless cucumber, sliced into 1" slices
Pulse radishes in bowl of food processor until finely chopped. In a bowl, combine radishes, cream cheese, garlic, onion, dill, and hot sauce. Using a melon-baller, remove flesh from center of cucumber slices, leaving 1/4" border. Using a pastry bag and a star tip, pipe cream cheese mixture into center of cucumber slices. Garnish with additional fresh dill, if desired.

Cinnamon Honey-Fig Bruschetta
Makes 24 toasts
1 loaf French bread
1 log goat cheese, at room temperature
6 fresh figs, sliced
1/2 cup of honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup green pistachios, chopped
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice French bread into 24 diagonal pieces. Toast bread 8 minutes or until light golden brown and crisp. While bread is toasting, combine honey and cinnamon. Spread 2 tsp. goat cheese onto each toast slice. Place fig slice on top of cheese. Drizzle with cinnamon/honey combination and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

Bellini O' Strawberry
1 bottle champagne
1 quart fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
After washing and drying strawberries, reserve 6 to 8 for garnish. Combine the remaining strawberries with the sugar and allow to sit for about 15 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash the strawberries until a good amount of juice is released, strain and set aside. Add lemon juice and zest to the strawberry juice and stir until combined. To each glass add 3 tablespoons lemon/strawberry mixture and finish filling with champagne. Garnish with fresh strawberry, if desired.

With a little planning and some patience and creativity, the elegant garden party with a twist can be yours. And, it can be yours on a budget. Happy Entertaining!