How To Host An Outdoor Dinner Party In Autumn
Autumn is a beautiful time of the month to host an outdoor dinner party. Growing up on a rural farm in Vermont, we often hosted many dinner parties on the porch or the terrace at peak foliage. Even in early November, when the trees have lost their glorious leaves and the cold winter wind blows in, we would gather armfuls of wool blankets, candles, and lanterns before the old ceramic table would be wheeled away for winter months. The air is so crisp and fresh, so I love to gather outside when the weather is pleasant, even with a chill. It was a family tradition to roast sausages on the open fire pit with a selection of local mustards and tell stories…If you have the space and the weather cooperates, an outdoor gathering can be so special and memorable. It takes a few extra preparations, but it's worthwhile if you want to savor the last beautiful days of autumn! Here are a few things to consider when planning for an alfresco autumnal dinner party:
Be prepared to take your dinner indoors if the weather does turn suddenly. I like to keep an eye on the weather and temperature several days before. Everyone may have a different tolerance level, but the upper 40s and 50s are cool but cozy if properly prepared. If you live in a particularly windy area, consider that too, as that may be a challenge!
When you have a date in mind, I think it's considerate to let your guests know that you plan to serve outside. If you get many groans, maybe you can plan for another time with willing company. Otherwise, tell your guests to come prepared and wear a few extra layers! Teeth chattering on the forks isn't part of the evening plan! If you have any spare pairs of wooly socks, sweaters, or jackets, have those ready if needed.
On the same note, I like to gather as many blankets as possible, ideally one per couple or guest. If it's a smaller group, set the blankets on the chair so they know to bundle right up when they sit down to eat. If you have a fire pit, light that up beforehand for extra warmth!
Light is my first priority on setting an autumnal table outside. I scrounge the cupboards for tea lights and candles - anything I can find. The more, the better! Lanterns, too, are an added touch that is fantastic for lighting up walkways, steps, and any tricky corner to navigate in the dimmer light.
When setting the table, use the season's colors for inspiration naturally. Ochre, gold, nutmeg, olive, sage, burgundy, and cream are my favorite color palettes. Nothing too garish as vibrant autumn colors, when paired together, can look garish sometimes! I like to let the bright orange and bold reds be an accent color rather than the main colors of my table. I like the more muted and earthy colors because they are far more versatile to use year-round and have a soothing, relaxed feeling. Etsy is my go-to place to find affordable, beautiful and top-quality linens — so many options to choose from and a fraction of the cost of buying linen from one of the top department stores or brands!
Autumn is all about abundance and the harvest. It's so easy to create a beautiful tablescape even if the green, lush garden is long gone! Winter squash and pumpkins are an obvious choice, although these can be quite cumbersome and large for a small table. The large carving pumpkins can be too intrusive and block natural cross-table conservation… I like to collect dried leaves, any fresh greens I can find, gourds, garlic, onions, and fresh herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme can adorn the table with tea candles nestled in between. I like the challenge of foraging for whatever I can find on my farm and around the cottage opposed to something storebought and definitely not fake! You’d be so surprised what you can find just in your backyard or local park. I like the rustic, natural feel that feels far more thoughtful and creative, but if you simply don’t have the time or place, filling bowls with apples, pears, pomegranates, and any other autumnal fruit is a simple market fix you can pick up on your way home from work. It still captures the harvest and autumnal feeling… I made this garland below from foraged greens I found on my farm and simple florist wire and twine; I think it came out surprisingly beautiful since it all came from my backyard! (It was a fun afternoon project and I may write a separate journal post on how to make one.)
Bowls of nuts, persimmons, apples, pears, oranges, pomegranates, beets, and figs are also beautiful to line down the table between the greens. Heartier greens like Tuscan kale are a lovely option to adorn the center of the table or line the table like a runner down the center. Think of the farmer’s garden brought right to your table! Pampas grass is gorgeous if you can find it! Clipped sunflowers, Chinese lanterns, and marigolds in bud vases are delightful scattered too.
When it's time to eat, even if it's a warmer evening, it's best to keep the food in the kitchen or serve it on the table, and then move any warm foods back inside. In my latest book, The Outdoor Table, I shared some delicious autumnal dishes like Butternut Squash and Apple Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce - it's so cozy and comforting.
With the colder weather, at least I do, love a good and plentiful cheese board. I don't often eat cheese in the summer, but when I feel that slight chill, my body craves gooey and nutty cheeses. Fontina, Gruyere, Comté, Stilton, Sharp English or Vermont Cheddar, Manchego, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Smoked gouda are some of my favorites to serve. It's a delicious range of subtlety nutty to robust and flavorful. Aim for at least three different types with different textures and milk. The ideal range is choosing between soft to hard-aged cheese. And with the Harvest season in mind, let the board be bountiful with lots of dried fruit, nuts, apples, maybe some local chutneys, jam, honey, or anything laying around in your pantry really. It’s not about being “fancy” its about cultivating that abundant feeling of the harvest season and celebrating local products is the best way to do so.
A hearty loaf of bread is always included on our table, especially in colder months. There’s nothing quite so inviting as a fresh loaf of bread! It’s warm, inviting, and a sign of generosity and good will. I love to make my own ( I use The Elliot Homestead sourdough recipe; it’s foolproof!) but you can just as well pick up a fresh boule or baguette from your local bakery! Warm it gently in the oven before slicing it to serve on your table. And note to guests if you’re bored of bringing wine, fresh bread is a thoughtful gesture to give to your hosts - or bring both! For something a little different, try making an herb butter by lightly whipping warm temperature butter with seasonal herbs like thyme, sage, and rosemary and a sprinkling of salt — so delicious!
Lastly, alongside any wine, include a hot drink option too! It could be a hot spiced cider, mulled wine, hot chocolate, or after-dinner tea and coffee. A warm drink in hand cozied up with a blanket and a beautiful dessert will undoubtedly be an appreciated gesture to top off a delicious meal.
For a hot drink idea, this Maple Hot Toddy from my book, The Art of Picnics, is a wonderful option to serve at the end of the evening. Also, I couldn’t help share this delicious Pear and Fig Tart that is a variation of my blackberry one in The Outdoor Table. Regardless what’s on your menu, I hope you savor this beautiful season with many meals shared under cozy blankets by candlelight!
Maple Hot Toddy
Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 cardamon pods
3 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
5 whole cloves
6 cups of water
2 tea bags of PG tips or black tea
2 tablespoons of Grade B Vermont maple syrup
2 ounces of whiskey
2 lemon peels
Add the cardamon pods, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a muslin cloth bag or tea filter and place in a tea pot or thermos with the tea bags.
Boil 6 cups of water and pour into your carrier.
Add the maple syrup and bourbon. Add the lemon peels and a few star anise to garnish in your carrier.
You can make this into a large batch and then distribute into individual thermoses or one large one and pack a few enamel mugs to enjoy. It also is just as comforting if you choose to opt out of adding the bourbon.
Autumn Pear and Fig Tart
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the pastry:
1/4 cup (28 g) walnut pieces
1 1/2 cup (180 g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (28 g) powdered sugar
pinch of salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks
1 egg yolk (save the whites)
1/4 cup (59 ml) ice water, plus a few tablespoons more if needed
For the filling:
1 1/4 cup (120 g) almond flour
1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated maple sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
reserved egg white
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
4-5 tablespoons fig jam
2-3 bosc pears, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (17 g) slivered almonds
powdered sugar for dusting
To make the pastry, add the walnuts to a food processor and blitz for 2-3 minutes until they are finely ground.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground walnuts, flour, powdered sugar, and salt.
Add the butter pieces into the dry mixture and cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your hands until it resembles coarse pea size crumbs.
Continue to add the yolk and ice water into the dough and roughly stir it together with a rubber spatula. It will look like a wet shaggy mess with dry bits at this point.
Now pour out the rough dough onto a lightly floured work surface and cup it with your hands into a smooth cohesive ball. You may need one or two more tablespoons of ice water to bring the dough together. Be careful not to knead or over work it, just form the dough until it comes together with the dry bits incorporated to form an even dough.
Place the dough ball right back into the mixing bowl and set it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. The dough will be easier to handle and roll out once it's chilled a bit.
Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees and gather a circular 9” nonstick fluted tart tin.
Meanwhile begin to prepare the filling by combining in another mixing bowl, the almond flour, all-purpose flour, butter, maple sugar, spices, and salt.
Whisk together the egg and reserved egg white until light and foamy. Continue to add the vanilla extract and maple syrup into the eggs.
Gently pour in the egg mixture to the dry ingredients, incorporating everything together into a smooth and creamy paste.
Set the mix aside for now in the fridge while you begin to roll out the dough.
Remove the chilled dough from the freezer onto a lightly floured work surface.
Roll out the dough to roughly 1/4” thick circle roughly 12”-13” in diameter. With each roll, flip the circle over and lightly dust the surface and the dough with flour as it does get sticky. For a better measurement, place the tin on top of the rolled dough for an idea of how much further or less you need to roll.
Gently place the rolled dough into the tin. There may be an inch or two overhang along the edge. Before you cut away anything, be sure to press the dough very well into every crevasse and corner. I like to run my fingers along the tart rim gently pressing the dough into the fluted sides.
Gently fold any overhang over the rim of the tin. For a quick way to trim off any excess dough, roll the rolling pin over the rim on the tin. It will cleanly cut away the extra dough for a nice finish.
With any extra bits of dough, patch up any thinner areas and roll out a small ball of dough to continue to press the base of the dough into the fluted sides. Prick the base with a fork several times around.
To par bake the dough, once you’ve rolled the dough into the tin, line it with parchment paper leaving a generous overhang.
Fill the lined tin with old, dried beans or pie weights ensuring that every corner is filled.
Bake the tart case for 15 minutes and then remove it from the oven. Gently remove the beans or pie weights and parchment paper.
Spread a few tablespoons of the fig jam evenly over the base of the tart case.
Take out the filling from the fridge and spoon it over the jam evenly with a rubber spatula.
Layer the thin pear slice in a fan like fashion on top of the filling, just enough slices to cover you may have extra.
Continue to sprinkle the slivered almonds evenly over the tart.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the crust is a light golden brown and when an inserted knife in the center of the filling comes out clean.
Let the tart cool 10 minutes before removing it from the tin.
Once it has completely cooled, lightly dust the top with powdered sugar.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
Sourdough and homemade garland of dried mac nut leaves, olive branches, camellia and an unknown boxwood-looking green I found!
