A French-Inspired Summer Dinner Party Menu
Some dinners are about showing off. Others are about slowing down long enough to actually enjoy the people sitting at your table.
This menu landed somewhere in the middle — elevated but approachable, thoughtful without becoming fussy. The inspiration for the evening came from La Fête Transhumance, with its relaxed French countryside influence and emphasis on lingering over good food and wine rather than rushing through courses.
The night started with a welcome aperitif of charcuterie, black olive tapenade, French cheeses, grapes, honey, rosemary crackers, and warm baguette slices alongside French 75s and chilled Champagne.
For the amuse bouche, I served pickled beets over whipped goat cheese with orange zest and pistachio pearls, followed by an apricot and tomato gazpacho and a fresh [fennel, orange, and artichoke salad over sunflower microgreens].
The centerpiece of the evening was [lavender honey lamb pops with pistachio yogurt and basil oil caviar] — rich, floral, savory, and honestly one of those dishes that feels far more complicated than it actually is once everything comes together.
One of my favorite parts of the dinner was the wine selection process. I sent the menu to a friend ahead of time so she could bring it into her local wine shop and work with the staff to choose both the Provence rosé and the Old World-style red. Both ended up being phenomenal and elevated the entire meal.
Ironically, by the time we reached the main course, we were so full we couldn’t even think about touching the cheese course or dessert. Instead of forcing it, we did what people rarely seem to do anymore — we sat, visited, laughed, and stayed at the table. The cheese board and lemon posset eventually made their appearance later in the evening once everyone had room again, which honestly made the night feel even more relaxed and memorable.
Sometimes that’s the difference between a meal and an experience.
