Make it casual, make it small, make it last minute—it really doesn’t matter, what counts is that you create with fresh food and fondness.

Whipping up a menu for a much-anticipated chef’s party commences early morning by tasting all the juicy deliciousness from the just harvested fruits of local farmers. The passion from the farmers’ make venturing out to the market irresistible every week—I can’t wait to taste their next labor of love.     On my last visit the tomatoes were the garden-show stoppers and a given for the little chefs-in-the-making that were to arrive in my nest to make their own pizzas that afternoon.   After a quick oven roasting, half of the tomatoes were saved for the pies while the rest was spiced up for a summer afternoon gazpacho served in ice bowls thanks to La Receta de la Felicidad.   

 Don’t forget the greens—arugula, spinach and basil all make for aromatic pizza pies.  If your stalwart guest crave some protein bake an egg in the middle of the pie and enjoy it with a fork.  

  Lemons were pressed for the lemonade and plums were eaten as is—sweet goodness plucked right from a friend’s backyard tree. 

Since there was frolicking between drinks, there wasn’t time to remember every detail of the menu, but everything was well-intended and guest, well they should feel at home in my nest to be able to find a plate or bottle opener on their own.  

 Enjoy a chef party in your nest this summer with heirloom recipes because sometimes fine dinning is overrated. Buy what is locally fresh–you can’t go wrong with a plate of seasonal goodness. Nothing says a celebration more than a pack of high-spirited little ones running deliriously happily in your nest. Celebrate wisely!