Themed dinner menus

Midsummer party

This dinner serves 12 but if you have a different number of guests you can modify its doses easily.
If you have any difficulty, !
A cold dinner offers the undoubted advantage its courses can be prepared in the morning for the evening allowing hostess more time for herself. In this case the only appetizers must be prepared just before serving. Summer with its heat and long days in the open makes us wish for cool and appetizing foods.
Therefore I thought to open this dinner with some unusual appetizers in a "scenography" that should make a hit. The classical Italian "melone e prosciutto" (melon and ham) is added to "fichi e salame" (figs and salami) and to "code di gamberi e kiwi" (prawns and kiwi fruits). All these different ingredients must be cut into pieces, alternated on skewers and stuck into a round loaf. Nice, isn't it?
My two first courses are very different: chilli cool pasta and a delicate rice. The first has the typical Mediterranean flavor, the second is dainty, dedicated to people who like eggs, mayonnaise and cotto ham.

Let's go on with meat and fish in a summer version: cool salads, rich of chives and other fresh or dried herbs.
A buffet of raw seasonal vegetable gives a blob of colors on the table but it is also a tempting course for people who like bell peppers, tomatoes, radishes and other fresh vegetable.

Ricette italiane - Insalata-polpi

My dessert, very easy to do, is the right way to close such a dinner: ice-cream with cooked cherries.
There are seasonal products on the table indeed!
Courses can be placed all together on the table and guests can help themselves to what they want without problems and without established sequence.

That's important! Tastes are well combined. There are no problems with knives, too; they aren't necessary. Remember to put near the dishes all that is used for seasoning: olive oil, chilli, balsamic vinegar and salt. On the same table guests find cool water and wines chosen. Our suggestion is "Verdicchio" or another white wine. This wine is ready to serve at 8°C. If there are children you can't forget traditional drinks. But everyone has to act according to guests tastes.
Ice-cream with cooked cherries will be served only when your guests have finished the other courses. You'd choose vanilla ice-cream; it agrees very well with the cooked fruit. If you don't find cherries, you could prepare some hot chocolate cream to pour over the ice-cream or some raspberry cream. Wash 400g (14 ounces) raspberries. Purée in a blender or food processor with 2 tablespoons sugar until smooth and pass through a sieve, if desired. I suggest to make the last step to eliminate the unpleasant little seeds. Chill your purée until serving.
And after dessert? "Arancino" or other liqueurs with ice.
If you have any difficulty, don't worry: !