Our Casa is Your Casa: How to Dinner Party

Baby, it’s still cold outside and getting together this time of year is key to survival. After a recent trip to Lake Como, we were eager to bring our closest friends together for some vino and catch up.

We brought the fascino home with us, freshly inspired and google-eyed by the cool mountain air, picturesque backdrop, and crisp scents---we wanted to share.

We take our setups seriously. We enjoy watching how each of the elements come together. Lights, a little music, basil, some Mojave burning and maybe some smelly formaggio.

So whether you are new to gatherings or not, check out some Abbott secrets for a blissful night of adulting.

Decor

Ina Garten, the great hostess of our times, wrote “The French were masters of repetition. Choose one kind of flower and use lots and lots of them.” This is a rule we’ve followed ardently as it allows there to be a subtle warmth around the room. Whether it’s flowers or Abbott's Mojave candle, consistency is the way to go.

Additional items to consider for dinner party splendor:

When serving pasta, you’ll want the serving dish to draw attention like this Sur La Table Pasta Serving Bowl. Remember, it’s a feast and you want to draw their eyes to your masterpiece.
As simple as napkins can be, perfectly folded linen napkins set on plates coupled with neatly positioned cutlery makes everyone feel like it’s going to be a great meal. A simple and inexpensive way to dress up your table is Birchlane’s Nethery Hemstitched Napkin.
Flowers can go just about anywhere but odd little face planters like this MOCIUN Babe Blue option are a way to keep things subtle and fun. Going back to Garten’s rule of repetition, a few of these around the room will lighten the mood.

Decor invites people in. Creating a cozy environment isn’t always about overwhelming fanciness, sometimes it's just about pleasant details and scents sprinkled throughout the room.

Music

Not everyone is great with music, but that’s really no excuse. It’s a basic element to having a tempo favoloso. It’s as simple as pressing play, here are some easy ways to listen along:

For beginners, here’s any ease one: Instrumental Jazz for Dinner via Youtube

For chill modern tunes, Spotify users can check out Dinner With Friends and Backyard Dinner Party

Food

Believe it or not, there’s an official Bolognese recipe. The classic Italian recipes are usually the ones that get mistreated and misrepresented. Click on the Citalia link for our go-to recipe.

A must-try-recipe from the Emilia-Romagna region, traditional Spaghetti Bolognese is nothing short of meraviglioso. To achieve this, you’ll want fresh ingredients and a bottle of red for some patience as you slow cook the sauce over a gentle heat for a thick and mouthwatering texture.

Accompany this with your favorite vino, fresh baked bread on the side and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Buon profitto!

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