Now that the weather is getting hotter in Bangalore, I am ready and excited to start entertaining at home again. I am so looking forward to delicious and light lunches with family and friends eaten al fresco under the cool shade of our frangipani tree in the garden.
One of my favorite outdoor lunches is a fun and casual pizza party where the guests can assemble their own pizzas to be eaten with a crisp green salad and something gooey and chocolaty for dessert. Warm chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream for a home-made ice cream sandwich would be the ideal ending to a meal like that, don’t you think? Or, for the non-chocoholics, I could also make some home- made strawberry syrup with chunky pieces of stewed strawberries to serve on top of vanilla ice cream.
With toasted slivered almonds as garnish and topped with a tiny sprig of mint, it would be beautiful to serve as well as divinely delicious.
As for a refreshing beverage, I think that a pitcher of sangria and a jug of fruity iced tea would be the perfect accompaniment to the pizzas. These drinks are fun and festive, and great to make in advance and chill in the refrigerator until your guests arrive.
And speaking of summers, no warm weather Italian-themed meal is complete in my mind without good home-made pesto. I buy basil in bulk when I find it and make jars and jars of pesto which I then give away as gifts or keep in the freezer to use later. I add pesto sauce to a lot of my dishes from pastas, risottos, grilled Panini sandwiches, pizzas, salads and even soups. I also mix it in with cream cheese and use it in cucumber sandwiches with bits of dried cranberries thrown in when my friends stop by for tea. It’s an instant dose of that summer flavor which I love.
What are your favorite summer menu recipes? I would like to hear from you and find out what you eat with your family and friends when the weather heats up. I will be sure to post some of your replies on an upcoming blog for the benefit of our readers. In the meantime, as they say in Italy, cin cin!
Wishing you all the best,
Namee Oberst
Founder, Food for Cause
Summer Al Fresco Dining
Thursday, February 17, 2011