One thing I love best about Italians is their refusal to put time limits on a good family get together. They spend hours prepping decadent spreads and curating good wine – all to indulge in well into the evening. Since my mouth is watering just thinking about it, I can admit that I want to be great at this craft as well.

Especially after a busy season of being here and there, one of my favorite things to do is gather my closest friends and family around one big table and just catch up … while we eat, of course. And thanks to this summer’s trip to Rome, I was inspired to bring some of that delicious Italian family tradition to my own table.

With my friend Rosalyn Daniels as host, I designed a modern version of what you might be imagining from the movies using a beautiful tablescape in her cozy dining room, adorned by a gorgeous meal.

I pulled inspiration from the rustic Italian architecture I loved so much in Rome to design a tablescape in her neutral-toned room. I added color to the crisp, clean setting with a whimsy blue and white floral dinnerware from Pottery Barn. Equally tailored and elegant stationery finished the place settings with menus and place cards.

The food was the table’s true centerpiece, though, so I used understated and simple white and blue flowers to continue this soft palette’s subtle color story. The result was robust conversation and barely a crumb left to prove it.

I am excited to share this menu with you all, and look forward to see how gorgeous your own tables look –how long do you think your guests will linger?

Menu

Appetizer | Italian inspired charcuterie with seasonal fruits and jams

Soup | Italian white bean with pancetta and rosemary

Salad | Fig, endive and goat cheese with a pancetta vinaigrette

Dessert | Rustic pear galette accompanied by pistachio gelato drizzled with aged Balsamic of Modena

Cocktail | Grappa espresso martini – grappa, espresso liqueur and brewed espresso

Visit Rosalyn’s page for more details on this elegant menu, and of course, her recipes.

 

Vendors

Venue – Private Home

Menu Development + Recipe Creation – Rosalynn Daniels 

Design + Planning – Michelle Gainey, Lemiga Events 

Stationery – Paper Daisies 

Place Settings – Pottery Barn

Photography – Leah Eversley

Video – Brown Hands Media