With all of us spending a bit more time at home, we’ve been finding small ways to celebrate and make the everyday moments even more special. Enter the Simple Porch Soirée. Gather your family or a small group of friends, plug in the twinkle lights, mix up a special cocktail (mocktail for kids), offer a seasonal spread of food, and enjoy a fun summer evening outside together!
Creating the Space:
A porch soirée doesn’t have to be super fussy. This can be your front porch, screened porch, or deck. Even extend it to your backyard and have a picnic on the grass. Let your creativity flow.
Be sure to add inviting touches such as cozy blankets, fun twinkle lights, candles, and great music. Arranging food and drinks on various platters or bowls and tucking in fresh herbs makes it feel special. Fresh flowers are always a great way to make a moment feel celebratory and special as well.
Grab a beautiful bouquet to support a local florist or flower farm, or even clip some from your own garden. Pictured here is an arrangement by Betty Jean’s Flower Truck (@bettyjeansflowertruck), which offers a variety of pretty blooms at their pop-up shopping experiences in Holly Springs and surrounding areas. Some fresh rosemary and lavender were tucked into this arrangement to create a calming smell, sure to elevate any setting.
Creating a Signature Drink:
With the weather turning warm most of us are reaching for refreshing drinks. Using ingredients you most likely already have on hand at home, this fizzy cocktail is refreshing and light. We muddled mint, lime, and a bit of sugar to release the natural flavors before adding a splash of rum and pineapple juice. Topped off with club soda, this cocktail is sure to elevate any porch soirée! Be sure to save a couple mint sprigs to garnish your glass or pitcher. Feel free to get creative and change up your liquor or herb choice.
Pineapple Mint Mojito from Abbie’s Kitchen
Cocktail for One: (this also translates easily to a pitcher recipe)
Ingredients:
2-3 sprigs of fresh mint leaves
¼ wedge of lime
1 tsp granulated sugar
3 oz white rum
4 oz pineapple juice (roughly ½ of a small can)
Crushed ice
Club soda
Extra mint for garnish
Fun tall glass
Paper straw
Directions:
Remove mint leaves from their stems. Add mint, lime juice and sugar to glass. Muddle with the end of a wooden spoon or muddler. Add rum and pineapple juice then stir. Fill glass 2/3 of the way full with crushed ice and top it off with club soda. Give another quick stir to make it cold, then add a mint sprig for garnish. ENJOY!
If you want to make this into a “mocktail,” simply don’t add the rum. Super easy and just as delicious!
Simple variations could be changing the fruit, adding basil or rosemary, instead of mint. Lemon instead of lime. Flavored seltzer water instead of club soda.
If you want to make a pitcher recipe, find a large pitcher and multiply the ingredients by how many guests you have. Tip: be sure your pitcher is large enough first!
Creating the Menu:
One reason to love a good porch or backyard gathering is the opportunity for dining to be less formal, which makes it easier on the host to enjoy, too! Foods should be simple, easy to prepare ahead of time and something everyone can enjoy at their leisure–adding to the laid back, cozy vibe. Think dips, flatbreads, and fresh summer fruit, such as melons; add in some barbeque and salads if you want something heartier.
Since summer is known for its fresh produce and herbs these simple appetizer recipes were inspired by what you might be able to find in your own garden or at a local farmers market.
Summer Tomato & Basil Bruschetta
From Kayte’s Kitchen
Not many things taste better than a fresh summer tomato! Use up some of your homegrown or purchased bounty of tomatoes and basil by making this yummy bruschetta.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. fresh roma or heirloom tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp good olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp each: sugar, sea salt, cracked pepper
Directions:
Chop tomatoes and add to a colander, along with sea salt, and let drain for an hour or more. Combine tomatoes with remaining ingredients and toss to mix well. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Add bruschetta to a grazing board or platter along with other dips, store bought hummus and pimento cheese are great options, and arrange with an assortment of fresh bread and crackers, veggies and nuts. Top each dip with fresh chopped herbs—oregano, dill and additional basil—for an added touch of flavor and style.
Raspberry Jalapeño Spread
from Kayte’s Kitchen
Grab some fresh cilantro and jalapeños to make this sweet, spicy and totally addicting summer spread.
Ingredients:
¼ c green onion, roughly chopped
¼ c fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño, seeded & roughly chopped
⅛ tsp each: cumin, smoked paprika, sea salt
½ cup raspberry preserves
1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions:
In a food processor, pulse together green onion, cilantro and jalapeño. Add in spices, preserves and lemon juice; blend until smooth. Spread softened cream cheese in a shallow dish and pour raspberry mixture on top. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers. Tip: this mixture is also delicious paired with grilled shrimp!
