How to Host a Tuscan Dinner Party

Tuscany represents bold colors, casual dining, and the outdoors that you can bring together for a Tuscan Dinner Party. Create an ambiance using the fruits and flowers that beautify the hills of Tuscany and serve a menu of the recipes from the region. Planning is essential to have a stress-free time for the host and the guests. Keep the dinner party simple but plan ahead so you enjoy your Tuscan dinner party with your guests. Here are ideas for planning a dinner party with a Tuscan theme.

Instructions

1. Tuscan Dinner Party Location

   During the warmer seasons you have a choice to spend time outdoors on the patio, deck, or even the front yard and spend time indoors, as well. Decide if hors'deuvers and a glass of wine will be enjoyed outside before dinner and retire inside for the Tuscan dinner. This is the first step for planning, decorating, and deciding how many guests you would like to invite.

2. Invitations to Create the Tuscan Theme

   Select the color theme for your dinner party to capture the earthy colors of Italy. Colors such as terra cotta, Tuscan gold, stucco, eggplant, sage green, olive, and poppy represent the Italian theme. Purchase small invitations in those colors, hand write your invite and add a lavender or rosemary stem inside. When your guests open their invitation the Tuscan ambiance has begun.

3. 

   Tuscan Ambiance for the Dinner Party

   Create a look of a Tuscan courtyard for outdoors.
   • Place an iron scrollwork arch adorned with greenery and flowers at the entrance of the party or as focal point inside.
   • Purchase, or rent, Ficus trees or topiaries and decorate them with a strand of small white lights. This will also help illuminate outdoors when the sun sets.
   • Have a water fountain in your 'Tuscany courtyard' since this is a staple for any Tuscan décor.
   • Have small tables with 2 - 4 chairs to finish the Tuscan villa look. They can be card tables, just use table clothes to create the look.

   Bring the beauty of the Tuscany flowering fields and grape vines to your dinner party table.
   • Set up a long continuous dining table and cover it with your selected dinner party colors.
   • Choose plates, napkins, and table accessories depicting the Tuscany theme.
   • Do not forget the use of sunflowers since they represent the Tuscan flower fields and the colors that represent Tuscany.
   • Use wrought iron candle holders with candles that match your party colors. Surround the bottom of the candle holders with wreathes of grapes.

4. "La Cucina Casalinga" or Home Cooking Tuscan Dinner Party Menu

   Select you menu based on the style of service for your dinner party such as buffet or family style and that make sense for how many guests will be at the Tuscan dinner party. Ensure you have the proper serving dishes and place settings for your menu choices.

   Begin the dinner party by offering your guests a drink. Have open bottles of wine sitting on the table so your guests feel conformable serving themselves. You can even set up a wine bar where your guests can sample Italian varietals. Make sure everyone has something to drink.

   A typical Tuscan meal has a certain format.
   • Antipasti is the appetizer and is the first course which includes Prosciutto, salami and ham, marinated vegetables, a selection of cheese such as provolone and mozzarella, and roasted red peppers.
   • Primi could include soup, pasta such as ravioli, lasagna or manicotti, or gnocchi or risotto.
   • Secondi, is considered the main dish consisting of meat or fish including meatballs, sausage and braciole, roasted chicken or roast beef. In Italy, this course does not normally come with vegetables but they can be used to compliment the main course with a splash of color.
   • Fresh, fragrant Italian bread to accompany the antipasto or soak up the gravy from the Secondi course.
   • Dolce, which is the 'sweet' course or the dessert will finish the format. This can include seasonal fruit, cakes, Italian ice cream like Spumoni or Gelato, pignoli cookies, or nuts in a shell to be cracked as the discussions lead in to the evening.

5. Tuscan Beverages for the Dinner Party
   Pair up your wine and drink selections with your menu. Three important things to remember are:
   • Will you serve a specialty drink, prosecco, or wine when your guests arrive,
   • What selection of wine or other beverage to have available for dinner, and
   • What to serve with dessert.
   One suggestion is to serve Chianti. This is a red table wine from a region located in the romantic hills of Tuscany.

Tips & Warnings

• A Tuscan dinner party is when people gather, not just to eat, but to also celebrate friends and family. Your guests will enjoy your Tuscan dinner party to relax, drink wine, and enjoy their evening.

Resources

• How to Decorate Tuscany Style
• How to Decorate a Master Bedroom with Tuscany Décor