Toast to Summer: Menu for An End of Summer Dinner Party

Every year I plan out a late summer affair, featuring the spoils of an Indiana summer.

When thinking through the menu, I let the market be my guide: aisles overflowing with fat tomatoes, corn so sweet you can eat it raw, and fragrant juicy peaches. It’s generally easy to follow the 1-2-1 rule when it comes to the main course: one hot thing, two room-temperature or cold things, and one easy starch. For this menu, risotto acts as a sneaky dinner party favorite. Parcook (or partially cook) the risotto early in the day, getting all the labor-intensive simmering out of the way, and warm it on the stove just prior to serving. Room-temperature sliced tomatoes are a must on the August table, and a towering green salad with a mustardy vinaigrette provides freshness. A boule of sourdough from a local bakery rounds everything out. 

Once the main is considered, think of the bookends: For an appetizer, keep it simple with a dip or hunk of cheese and some nuts to snack on. For a late summer dessert, try something , with fresh, ripe fruit, ready to pull from the fridge and serve.

Menu (with Recipe Links):

Piment d’Espelette Pickled Cherries with Whipped Cottage Cheese

Sweet Corn Risotto

Tomatoes with Shoyu & Boursin

Green Salad

Fontainebleau with Ripe Peaches

Drinks:

Vermouth Spritz

Assorted Wine

Tips: 

Batch your cocktails ahead of time and set up an area where guests can self-serve drinks. This allows you to enjoy the company of your guests and settle into the party without needing to make individual drinks.

If you feel intimidated by choosing wine, let the experts guide you. Find a reputable wine shop and tell them what you’re cooking and how much you want to spend—they’ll be thrilled to help, and the pressure is off.

Don’t overcomplicate it—people are happy that you’re feeding them. 

Save the dishes for the next morning!