#NationalDinnerPartyDay

Apr 9

Written By Hauste

Meet us in the garden

Fancy a bite & bev dans le jardin? Who doesn’t? Take to the garden estates of France (or your backyard will do just fine) for a sophisticated soiree filled with iced down oysters, overflowing florals, and a fabulously drawn out dinner party peppered with intimate conversations and chiffon-adorned everything.

It’s our 3rd annual National Dinner Party Day (!), & we’re divulging our tried-and-true hosting roadmap utilizing a specially curated concept that epitomizes je ne sais quoi: hand drawn invitation templates, a fine dining menu that any host can pull off, decor that is a little unexpected in the best of ways, and an aesthetic that feels thrown together but entirely curated.

For history buffs (& hosts with the most): the origin of National Dinner Party Day

Beyond being credited as the ones that fill everyone’s cup with a good meal, memorable conversation and meaningful connection, hosts can also hang their hat on the fact that dinner parties support the mission of a low-waste lifestyle. #NationalDinnerPartyDay was founded to contribute to Global Citizen’s mission of #ADayWithoutWaste.

“As Americans we produce 25% of the world's waste, even though we count for less than 5% of the global population. When you buy food locally, and thoughtfully prepare an awe-inspiring meal, you are the change that reduces this thoughtless, insane waste! And most likely, while doing it, you will have a wonderful time!" @huffpost

In case you needed more reason to host a dinner party, this is it. Our 3rd annual celebration hopes to make hosting your very own NDPD celebration an effortless affair.

Follow along on Instagram & TikTok! @hauste

Get In The Moodboard

Where black tie meets garden party – a je ne sais quoi of aesthetic & ambiance

On the Menu

Serves 10

This recipe is for 1. Perfect drink to batch!
– 1 oz Lime juice
– 2 oz Gin
– 1 oz St. germain
Fill your cocktail shaker with ice. Then add the gin, elderflower liqueur, and lime juice.
Next, shake until the shaker is frosty.
Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime round.
We doubled this!
– 16 oz Castelvetrano olives, pitted
– 1 cup olive oil
– 4 cloves garlic, minced or whole (we’ve done it both ways)
– 3 orange peels
– 4 lemon peels
– 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
– 2 bay leaves
– 2 large sprigs rosemary
– 1 tsp black pepper
Heat up olive oil in a pot over medium low heat
Add all ingredients (except the olives) and bring to a low simmer for about 5 minutes then let cool
Add drained olives to a bowl and pour over cooled olive oil
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months
Mignonette
– ½ cup minced shallots
– ¼ cup white vinegar
– ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
– ⅛ teaspoon sugar
– ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
– 1¼ teaspoon white peppercorns, finely crushed
– 1 small jalapeño, finely chopped
Finely mince the shallots
Stir in the vinegars, sugar, and salt
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours. For best results, store for at least 2 days before using.
To serve, shuck the oysters. Make sure that the oyster is loose in the shell before serving.
How to Shuck an Oyster
Serve the mignonette sauce in a small bowl with a small spoon, alongside the oysters on a platter, along with lemon wedges and hot sauce (we like tobasco)
The best store-bought app!
– Radicchio
– Watermelon radishes, thinly sliced
– Spicy breadcrumbs
– Shaved parmesan
– Caesar dressing
Caesar Dressing
– 1 cup mayonnaise
– ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
– 2 clove garlic
– 1 large lemon, juiced
– 3 tsp Dijon mustard
– 3 tsp anchovy paste
– 1 tsp of black pepper
– salt to taste
Add all of the ingredients to a large mason jar.
Use an immersion blender to blend all of the ingredients together. Pull the blender up and down until the dressing has emulsified. Blending will only take around 15-30 seconds.
Taste to adjust the seasoning if needed.
Make the dressing ahead of time. It will last in the fridge for a week in an airtight container.
Spicy Toasted Breadcrumbs
– 4 tbsp olive oil
– ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
– 2 tbsp jarred chopped Calabrian chilies
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 tsp salt
In a small nonstick pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the breadcrumbs and stir until coated in oil and then add the chilies and minced garlic.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the garlic is fragrant; about 5 minutes.
Transfer the breadcrumbs to a bowl so that they don’t burn in the pan. Season with salt to taste.
Radicchio
– 3-4 heads of radicchio
In a large bowl add cold water and ice. Cut the radicchio into quarters and then cut off the core. Then cut into halves again.
Add the radicchio to the ice water, with your hands separate the leaves and then squeeze them a bit to help release the bitterness. Let it sit in the ice cold water that covers the lettuce all the way for at least 15 minutes.
Use either a salad spinner to dry leaves fully. (Can be done ahead of time and stored after drying for up to 4-5 days in a ziplock bag.)
Toss radicchio with dressing and add to serving bowl of choice.
Top with shaved parmesan and spicy breadcrumbs.
Goat Cheese Spread
– 4 oz goat cheese, room temperature
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– 4 tbsp lemon juice
– 4 clove garlic, minced/grated
– 2 tsp Dijon mustard
– 2 tsp grainy mustard
– salt and pepper to taste
Add all ingredients to a food processor (you could also use an immersion blender) and blend until smooth
Roasted Potatoes
– 4 pounds potatoes, cleaned and cut into wedges 
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– salt and pepper to taste
– chopped chives, Italian parsley & dill for garnish
Wash and slice potatoes into wedges.
Bring a large pot of water to boil and wash and slice potatoes into wedges.
Par boil the potatoes until they're just beginning to soften (too soft and they'll fall apart)
Gently strain them & arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Top the potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper
Bake in a 400F oven until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 35 minutes in total, flipping halfway through.
Spread goat cheese mix on your serving platter of choice, and top with the roasted potatoes. Garnish with herbs & serve!
Compound Butter
– 1 stick butter, softened
– 2 tbsp chopped italian parsley
– 1 tsp lemon zest
– 1 garlic clove, minced
– 1 tbsp shallot, minced
– 1 tsp dijon
– salt & pepper to taste
Add softened butter to a bowl.
Add in parsley, shallot, garlic, lemon zest, dijon, and salt & pepper.
Mix until the herbs and seasonings are thoroughly incorporated into the butter.
Take a sheet of parchment paper and add the butter into the center of the sheet. Fold over one end of the paper and form a log. Roll and twist the ends of the paper around the butter to form a cylinder.
Place in the refrigerator until solid and use within 1 week or store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Ribeye Steaks
We bought 4 ribeyes (about 5.5 lbs of meat) and had a ton left over! The average person will eat about .5 lb (8oz) of meat.
– 3-4 ribeye steaks (~5 lbs)
– 4 tbsp avocado oil
– salt & pepper
– 4 tbsp butter
– garlic cloves & rosemary sprigs (optional)
Remove steaks from the fridge at least 45 minutes before cooking.
Just before cooking, rub steaks with avocado oil and generously season with salt & pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Pro Tip: heat your cast iron in your hot oven for 30 minutes before searing
Heat a large cast-iron pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
Add steaks and cook 2 minutes per side to brown.
Optional: After flipping, add butter, garlic cloves, and a sprig of rosemary to pan. Hold the pan at an angle so that the melted butter and aromatics pool, and use a spoon to baste the steak with the butter as the second side sears.
Place the pan in the oven and roast 5-10 minutes or until the ribeyes reach the desired temperature.
Immediately remove steaks from the pan and place on a plate to rest. Top steaks with a pat of butter.
Rest steaks 5-10 minutes before serving.
Slice steaks into strips and arrange on a platter. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and serve!
Don’t forget to add the compound butter to the table so guests can season their steak to their liking!
Times/Temperatures
Cook times provided are approximate for a 1-2″ steak and will vary based on steak thickness and temperature.
Remove steaks from the heat about 5°F before it reaches the desired temperature as the temperature will continue to rise.
Rare: 125°F
Medium-Rare: 135°F
Medium: 145°F
Medium Well: 155°F
Well: 160°F
A Whole Foods fav! Dessert is a great thing to outsource to a bakery or use a store-bought swap!