Beat the heat with dinner out

Welcome to my patio party!
With the heat, comes thoughts of ways to beat the heat. Dinner out (of the hot house) can be lovely!

My friends at Wilson River Pottery have provided some wonderful pieces of inspiration for a fantastic dinner 'en plein air'. For example, the grand dame above screams crunchie green. The salad bowl to beat all salad bowls. Think...  Caesar salad, Chef salad, Cobb salad, Greek salad, any kind of dinner salad,Taco salad, Tuna salad, Waldorf salad,Vegetable salad, I could go on. But you get my drift, anything green and crunchy that goes in a bowl with dressing would be lifted up a notch, showcased in this bowl. (It's definitely on my list.)

How about a recipe fit for a King Louie? or if you are feeling Southwesterny...

Set the table featuring an amazing runner,

http://www.etsy.com/listing/19586566/vintage-1950s-floral-kitchen-tea-towel

... with some perfectly unbreakable Melamine,

sipping this...

The recipe for refreshment

This piece screams versatility.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/45803735/rice-bowl-in-textured-autumn 

I'm thinking...

or...

But what I was really thinking...

Bobby agrees. One word, yum.

On a table dressed with...

Thank you Jamie Oliver

and

http://www.daphneverley.com/shop/Summer

With a pitcher of

Ice cold Water.

Serve roasted or grilled corn in this amazing creation of theirs or any other grilled vege. 

 Perfect for anything that come from the grill! 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/45858386/large-blue-midnight-bowl-2

And here is an amazing array of vegetables and marinade recipe from Giada.

Use this vibrant yellow service

http://www.dinnerwaredepot.com/shop/catalog/handler~event~familySelected~pf_id~4035.htm

and black and white plaid tablecloth to set the scene.

and of course this table would not be complete without...

Pineapple Lemonade Spritzers

...the sound of this just refreshes my socks off.

Mint Lemonade ...using concentrate and fresh mint.

And finally, the perfect pasta bowl. Think chicken, shrimp, beef and pasta salad, or fruit salad or potato salad, this is the perfect pasta bowl.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/45862443/blue-midnight-bowl-3

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/02/to-z-pasta-salad.html

or maybe...

or even,

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/10-takes-on-potato-salad

Martha Stewart (the link below the potato salad) has tons and tons of salads using the lowly potato if you need some new ideas, I mean she is Martha Stewart you know.

http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=438827&CategoryID=30214

Here's a gorgeous rustic vintage look for our table

And the perfect drink and glass...

http://www.centralchef.com/storefrontprofiles/deluxeSFshop.aspx?sid=1&sfid=123094&c=187921

Filled with my favorite summer beverage, Ice Tea.

Many thanks to Wilson River Pottery for providing the wonderful handcrafted items that were the inspiration and focus of my patio party, and thank you for stopping by!

Leave a link or a comment and let me know what your favorite salad recipe is.

What ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

 It can't be this easy...homade vanilla extract.

10 vanilla beans, split lengthwise

1 liter vodka

Combine, shove split vanilla beans into vodka bottle, seal up again, place in a cool dark place, shake once a week then in 3 weeks you can start using it.  I'm amazed. Found here<-- today.

Go here<-- to find links out for mail ordersources and the most beautiful picture of a bottle of vanilla. Worth a quick click over.