I wanted to share this post before the holidays begin. I think it is an easy way to entertain large or small groups and it is very interactive! Pick and choose what fits with your hosting style!

Inspiration

My friend Lorie saw a blog post by Faith Durand for an Italian Polenta Party and asked if I would like to collaborate with her on a similar party. I said “Of Course!”. She also recruited my husband, Tim, make to make some large boards to hold the polenta. He was very happy to have a focused wood shop project! We were all excited about the party…and then…The Pandemic. Need I say more?

Fast forward three years later…we revisited the idea and made it happen!

We hosted the party in October so we could be outside at the barn…but you could recreate something similar any time during the next few winter months!

We liked the interactive aspect of this party because everyone got to participate. The main course is polenta, served on long boards, topped with delicious meat balls in marinara, and mushroom ragu.

Food Prep

Lorie was our head chef and prepped the toppings the day before the party. She made mushroom ragu using this recipe. The meatball dish was her own recipe with tomatoes from their garden. Here is a tomato sauce recipe similar to hers. She said the trick to good meatballs is to simmer them for several hours in the sauce to make them tender!

Lorie made the polenta the morning of the party and we put it in slow cookers to keep it warm until it was time for dinner. She stirred a pat of butter and fresh parmesan cheese in the polenta just before serving. Note: She made three batches of polenta to serve 16 people.

Our friends, Mark and Julie came over early to help in the kitchen and set the tables.

Setting the Table

We continued the “Italian theme” on the table and used linens in blue and burgundy colors.

The hero of the table was the food so we kept the decorations simple…black candle holders and small vases with burgundy dahlias…

…white plates, black and copper flatware, amber goblets, and a sprig of rosemary to each placesetting.

Craig (Lorie’s husband) is a master rose gardener and brought a beautiful selection of roses from his garden. They were the perfect Italian detail for the drink table!

We served Aperol Spritz and shots of Lemoncello. Every guest brought contributions to the meal including cocktail ingredients, a fresh Italian salad, and loaves of focaccia.

The Boards

The centerpiece of the tables were 5 long boards…three for polenta, and two for charcuterie.

Tim made the boards in our wood shop. The center of the polenta boards were cut out on the CNC machine. However you could use any boards you have. They do not have to have the intent in the center…but it is nice for this specific meal as the sauce was contained on the board!

The boards were 35” long and 11.5” wide. We made them from wood we had leftover from our barn floor project! Be sure to use food safe mineral oil to preserve the wood and protect from stains.

We used the flat boards for charcuterie and to serve dessert.

We wanted to be able to pass the items on the charcuterie so we used small plates and bowls to contain olives, crackers, cheeses, meats, and nuts.

Tim also cut several small boards that we used for risers to add height and make it easier to pick up the boards from the table.

The Guests

This is a very special group of women in my life. Several of us have known each other for years and we are now a book club! Reading the book is always optional!

The brains behind the event!

Enjoying conversation and cocktails!

Passing the appetizers!

The whole gang!

The Main Event

When it was time to serve the polenta…everyone was involved! The boards were removed from the table. They were filled with polenta and then passed down the line to add the mushroom ragu and meatballs.

The piping hot food was delivered to the table.

Each board had both toppings so guests could reach and serve themselves!

No time was wasted digging into the main course!

Good food, good company, and an evening outdoors!

Dessert

The morning of the party, Tim made a cherry and red wine sauce. It was served warm over vanilla ice cream with a cookie garnish. We served it in vintage dessert dishes. Note: the sauce can be made days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

After dinner we sat in the lightly drizzling rain next to a fire. It was truly a magical evening!

I hope you found something that inspired you! A recipe, a table decoration idea, or simply a reason to gather with friends!