Sunday Night Dinner April 15, 2012

This Sunday night was special because it was our first dinner outside of the year. The weather was phenomenal with the temperatures in the mid-70s, a slight breeze, and sunny skies. Mother Nature only sends so many gifts Ohio's way, so an evening out on the patio was a must!

Music
A casual evening called for our 80s Pandora station. 80s Pop always feels so optimistic to me - Whitney Houston, Cindy Lauper, and Michael Jackson to name a few. Honorable mention goes out to Patty Smyth's The Warrior, which will forever be an 80s favorite of mine. You'll come to find that I have an affinity for strong, "take-on-the-world" type, female singers.

Table
We kept the table setting casual since we were having the ultimate casual food - pizza! However, casual definitely does not mean boring, and it most certainly does not mean paper plates or napkins (at least not at the Robinson-Flowers household).

In fact, the napkins are a crucial piece for setting the tone of the evening. Since it wouldn't make sense spatially or financially to have a closet full of napkins, I like to fold the napkins in ways that make the setting feel different (even if I used the same napkins last weekend!) Instead of perfectly folding the napkins, I pull them through the napkin ring from the napkin's center. This way you get a dramatic, modern shape, but it adds to the casual ambiance because the napkins aren't clean and crisp.

Red napkins not only matched the outdoor sofa, but they also brought some much-needed color to the table. For a whimsical touch, I used my elephant napkin rings. Unlike napkins, you can never have too many napkin ring options. They are the table accessory with which you can be the most playful.

Candles are always crucial to the table setting, regardless of how casual or formal. For this dinner I used  candles that look like tree bark (Pottery Barn) and placed them in lanterns (also Pottery Barn). The lanterns were necessary to block the breeze, but more importantly, they served as the fun, outdoor-appropriate center pieces.

Wine
We drank a 2005 Hall Cabernet Franc. The first time I tried a true Cabernet Franc was at the Hall winery during a barrel tasting, and I immediately fell in love. All Hall wines are incredible, but the Cabernet Franc is really special.

What a beautiful label too! I love how the Halls showcase their art collection on their wine labels. I think it's a genius branding technique, whether intentional or not.

Food
Justin makes great pizzas, and normally he makes his own dough (most store-bought doughs are a waste), but he found a Brooklyn-style dough at Whole Foods that he wanted to try. We made two pizzas - pepperoni and roasted Roma tomato. They were both delicious, but I have to give him kudos on the Roma tomatoes - fantastic!

Roma tomatoes are super easy and make great snacks.

Cut plum tomatoes in half, length-wise, and drizzle with good olive oil (the kind you fall in love with when you are using it as a dip for bread). Don't be shy with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, minced garlic, and a bit of sugar. Roast them at 275 degrees for 2 hours, and let them cool before eating. Just keep an eye on them and make sure they don't dry out. Now you have them for pizzas, salads, and simple snacks! I would highly recommend them with slices of mozzarella and basil leaves for a beautiful Caprese salad.

Noelle and Kyle brought over a classic romaine salad. This time Kyle had the idea of adding Kalamata olives, which as Ina Garten would say, "turned up the volume" on a classic salad. I am constantly amazed at how one ingredient can make all the difference.

Dessert
We had Jeni's Wildberry Lavender ice cream. It has a light, floral taste and is honestly the perfect way to end an evening outdoors.  I also love supporting our local Short North businesses.