a camera in the kitchen

It’s that time of year for my second seasonal themed dinner party. For autumn, I decided to go with a rustic outdoor picnic, inspired by my family’s leftover Thanksgiving food and style inspiration from my great grandfather’s fishing gear. For the ingredients I couldn’t find in the fridge, I spent the morning in the quaint village of Cazenovia getting fresh, local food from Troyer’s, a general store opened by the Amish (I have a whole other post on this I’ll share soon).

The Menu…

Drinks: Pellegrino Sparkling Orange Drink and Saranac Craft Beers

Appetizers: Maple Popcorn,  Roasted Edamame, Vegetable chips and Homemade Trail Mix from Troyer’s Country Store

Main Course: Roasted Turkey Sandwich with homemade toasted bread, lettuce, tomato, basil infused mayonnaise, provolone and caramelized onions

Side: Saratoga country fried potato crisps seasoned with oregano

Dessert: My mother’s chocolate Italian roll cookies and homemade banana bread

Styling Tips…

• Pack each meal individually in a small cardboard to-go box for an easy transport to your great outdoor picnic location. Cut gift wrap from Anthropologie in thin strips and adhere to the sides of the box and label the menu on a strip of tape on the top of the box

• Birch bark as name cards and propped up at each place setting with one of my grandfather’s fishing lures

• Brown paper bags folded over, tied with ribbon and a burlap bow make for great serving bowls for snacks

• Sprinkle the center of the table with leaves and pine needles

• My great grandfather’s blanket from World War I as a table cloth

• Centerpiece floral arrangement, dried hygendra with a plume from ornamental grasses

Roasted turkey sandwich

Table setting and packed lunches ready to go

Homemade Trail Mix from Troyer's

Floral arrangement

Roasted Edamame

Country fried potato crisps with oregano

Boxed meals and Saranac Craft beer

Maple popcorn and birch bark place cards

Dried vegetable chips

Roasted Turkey sandwich

Drinks and cookies

Chocolate Italian cookies and banana bread