As backyard BBQs and picnic outings wrap up for the season, so begins the time of year to break out your seasonal decorations to host friends or family for a fall-inspired dinner party. Whether it is your book club get-together, Friendsgiving, or you find yourself hosting for the holidays, local boutiques should be top of mind to help find your inspiration.
If you walk down Pearl Street, you will find Fiori Flowers, a women-owned flower shop in the heart of Boulder. They offer bouquets for your home, weekly or monthly flower club memberships as well as full-service weddings. Lara DeBroux, owner of Fiori Flowers, aims to celebrate the local community by incorporating other small businesses in her store, “…we strive to stand out with our original designs as well as supporting other small businesses by buying as many locally sourced flowers as possible, selling local jewelry, pottery and more in the shop.” For dinner parties, Laura recommends a mix of vegetables and flowers for her dinner parties, “I love a farm-to-table look... locally sourced gourds, vegetables, fruits and of course flowers, while still leaving lots of room for glasses, plates, etc. and all the delicious food!” You can grab a bouquet from her shop for your holiday table to warm up the room with oranges, yellows and browns. She also cautions using your time wisely when hosting, “Do everything that you can ahead of time and delegate, delegate, delegate! Including calling your favorite florist to help with your floral needs.”
As you continue your walk down Pearl Street you can veer into Jones + Co., a modern mercantile that showcases charming glassware and plating options that will elevate your fall tablescape. Their amber coupe glasses, pebble plates and happy organic beeswax candles will impress any guest who steps foot into your home.
Once you’ve set the scene with a tasteful tablescape, now is the time to roll up your sleeves and decide what food will be served. Expand your cooking horizon with a night out at a Food Lab cooking class. “Food Lab is a recreational cooking school in Boulder that aims to make you the hero in the kitchen,” says Casey Easton, founder and CEO of Food Lab. “We have so many great classes for fall, including baking workshops (gluten-free!), kids workshops, fun date night choices and we are also a huge draw for corporate holiday parties!” Food Lab offers a wider variety of cooking classes including a fall focused baking and pastry workshop. There you can learn tips and tricks to impress your guests with your newfound holiday baking expertise.
Casey also shared her steamed cauliflower with cheese sauce and piquillo pepper recipe which was a “staple at my house for Thanksgiving growing up.” Her recipe is a fun and delicious way to make your kids eat their vegetables. “Now, I make it every year, and also make extra cheese sauce to top some pasta for the picky kids at the table. The piquillo salsa is great served on the side for guests to add for a great herby smokey tang to the dish!”
Steamed Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce and Piquillo Pepper
Ingredients:
- 1 whole head cauliflower
- Salt
- 1 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 TBSP butter
- 2 TBSP flour (can use GF)
- 1 cup milk
- Pepper
- Nutmeg
- 1 jar piquillo peppers, drained
- 1 cup parsley, stemmed and chopped
- 1 shallot, diced small
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 TBSP roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 tsp honey
Instructions:
1. Put 2-3” of salted water in a pot that your cauliflower will be in, bring to a simmer/boil.
2. Peel the leaves off the cauliflower and place it in the simmering water, cover with a lid.
3. Let cook until the water is absorbed and the cauliflower is tender, but not quite falling apart, for about 10 minutes.
4. You may need to add more water and cook longer if your cauliflower is really big or if the lid is not tight fitting. Continue to check for doneness. Remove from heat and set in a nice serving platter or bowl.
5. Melt butter in a saucepan. When melted, sprinkle in butter while whisking so it does not clump or burn. When incorporated, begin pouring in milk slowly, stirring constantly. When the milk is all in, turn heat to low, if it’s not already, and let it cook for five minutes.
6. Slowly add in the grated cheese, stirring constantly. When it is all incorporated, season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg. Turn the heat off but keep it in the pot until ready to serve, when you will need to heat it back up again.
7. Put peppers, parsley, shallot, lime, honey and pumpkin seeds in a small bowl. Salt and mix well.
8. Pour warm cheese sauce over the cauliflower and top with a little bit of salsa, serving the rest on the side.
Credits:
Wine + Cheese Board: Dedalus
Florals: Fiori Flowers
Spirits: B Town Wine + Spirits
Styling: Jones + Co.