Take A Tip From Mother Nature - Dine Alfresco This Summer By Jorj Morgan Alfresco is the Italian term that describes everything fresh. Summer is the perfect season to drink in all that Mother Nature has to offer. Alfresco dining combines garden-fresh bounty with the ease of outdoor dining - an experience that is meant to be shared with good friends. Cocktails are offered while your guests watch the slow descent of the late afternoon sun. Supper is plentiful and served amid cool evening breezes. Greenery abounds and the senses go wild with fragrant herbs and spices. Sound like something out of Roman Holiday? Not necessarily. With just a little preplanning, your dinner party guests can enjoy a wonderful evening dining alfresco. Setting The Scene Choose a setting for your alfresco dinner party. An outdoor garden, backyard deck or screened porch is a perfect place for a summer party. But, don't stop there. An apartment rooftop, public park or corporate lobby can be transformed to simulate outdoor dining. The secret is to surround the dining table with lots of fresh greenery. Enhance your outdoor setting by bringing in several large potted green plants. Many nurseries rent these items for a nominal fee. Incorporate small pots of flowering plants to give your dinner setting the feel of sitting in the midst of an intimate garden. In place of an elaborate centerpiece, use a crystal bowl filled with whole fruit such as lemons and limes. Spread a tablecloth of a color that blends into your outdoor garden like pale green or mint. Opt for making use of china and crystal when setting each place rather than the more casual paper products utilized at barbecues. Place a pitcher of ice water flavored with lemon slices next to a chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio. Use crystal hurricanes to shield lighted candles from cool breezes. Create a fresh; green atmosphere that takes advantage of everything the outdoors has to offer. Antipasti Begin your outdoor meal with a simply prepared dish that blends a variety of bite-sized meats, cheeses and vegetables. Choose only the freshest and most flavorful ingredients. Cubed Genoa salami, rolled slices of proscuitto, shaved Parmesan cheese, marinated artichokes and olives are some of the foods you can assemble onto a large platter. More elaborate choices include cheese and herb balls, marinated shellfish, and garlicky grilled bruschetta topped with chopped, ripe plum tomatoes. A bottle of extra virgin olive oil is the only condiment required. Your guests serve themselves while they mingle under the dwindling summer sunlight. Primi Pesce A first course of fresh fish is another pleasure when luxuriating over a heady summer supper. Fresh Mussels Steamed in Garlic Tomato Broth is a terrific first course. The dish is easily prepared by heating olive oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat. Toss in two tablespoons of chopped shallots, five to six chopped green onions, and three to four whole garlic cloves that have been peeled and thinly sliced. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Add one cup of dry white wine to the pan and cook for about five minutes or until the liquid disappears. Add four chopped plum tomatoes, one half cup chopped parsley, the juice of one lemon and one half cup chicken broth to the pan. Stir and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Just before serving, place about two pounds of mussels in the pan and cover with a lid. Cook for about five minutes or until all the mussels are open. Serve the mussel first course in individual shallow bowls with a generous spoonful of sauce drizzled on top. A basket of crusty bread should be within the reach of your guests in order to soak up the remains of the garlicky broth. Carne The main course is a choice of either meat or poultry referred to as "carne." Outdoor dining based on effortlessness allows for a menu that includes a cold main course dish. A favorite Italian specialty that fits our menu perfectly is a cold veal dish served with a rich and pungent tuna and caper sauce known as vitello tonnato. Substituting cold poached chicken breasts in place of the veal makes an easy twist on this dish. Both the rich Tuna Sauce and the poached chicken breasts can be prepared the day before. The cooked breasts are sliced into medallions and marinated in the sauce overnight. The finished dish is served from a large ceramic platter garnished with fresh Italian parsley, thin lemon wedges and a sprinkling of capers. This presentation has as much eye appeal as it does flavor. (Click here for Tuna Sauce Recipe) Dolci No outdoor dinner party is complete without a terrific dessert like the traditional Italian honey, walnut raisin cake, plum stuffed brioche or an authentic amaretti cheesecake. It does not matter which dessert that you choose as long as you remember to include rich, dark and deeply brewed coffee and a plate of crumbly biscotti cookies for dipping. The meal is completed with a bowl filled with cold, refreshing, fully ripe fruit. Alfresco dining takes advantage of the freshest seasonal ingredients, served with effortless simplicity in a natural setting. This very idea implies a relaxed atmosphere, carefree mingling of good friends, and a desire to return to the scene again and again. Take a tip from the great Italian cooks and open your door to Mother Nature for your next summer dinner party. I'm sure she won't disappoint. Bon Gusto!! Also see: • Simple Summer Pizzas for Family and Friends • Throwing a summer dinner party Email Jorj at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your great alfresco dining tips and recipes. We will share your ideas with other BlueSuitMoms. Jorj Morgan is the Lifestyle Director of BlueSuitMom.com and the author of 5 books including Gorgeous: The Sum of all Your Glorious Parts, Fresh Traditions and At Home in the Kitchen. Most importantly Jorj is a mom and new grand mom. Learn more on her website Jorj.com