Endless Summer

“It is easy to forget now, how effervescent and free we all felt that summer.” —Anna Godbersen, Bright Young Things

What better way to celebrate the final weeks of summer than with a picnic? We’ve been planning to have a summer picnic for months, and this past weekend we had the perfect opportunity when we visited my sister at her lakeside townhome. Under two large shade trees in the green space shared by the neighborhood with views of the lake through the trees, we found the ideal spot to have our little summer picnic.

This picnic came together fairly easily. We brought along our rolling picnic basket, a few non-perishable items for the charcuterie board, two delicious loaves of bread from our local bakery (Vanilla Challah and French Peasant Bread), a Petit Chablis, and a fun little picnic game (Show Me The Monet) with plans to pick up our fresh items from one of the local grocery stores once we arrived in town. If you’re having a destination picnic with a kitchen nearby to put everything together, I highly suggest picking up any fresh items (and flowers) once you arrive.

Our picnic setup with gorgeous sunflowers that felt very Van Gogh.

Domaine Fourrey Miles, 2020, Petit Chablis

This wine from the Domaine Fourrey winery is produced by the family of Domaine Fourrey. The wines are known for their rich, smooth flavor that balances with the apple and pear flavors of the wine. The wine is usually white, green with a strong mineral flavor that is common in wines from this region.

For those of you who are already familiar with Petit Chablis, you already know that it is a particularly light and lively wine, and the distinct notes of apple are present from the moment the wine is uncorked. Since this is a light wine, it paired perfectly with our summer salad and as well as serving as an aperitif with the most delicious cheeseboard. Since this wine is very versatile it goes well with a variety of dishes for your summer gatherings including roasted chicken, a grilled white fish (tilapia, cod, bass, grouper, haddock, catfish, and snapper), and a delicious quiche or frittata for a brunch gathering with family and friends.

Summer Citrus Salad

Ingredients —

• 1 head of Bibb Lettuce (washed and torn)
• 1 can of mandarin oranges (chilled and drained)
• Goat Cheese (crumbled)
• Walnuts (chopped)
• Bees Knees Meyer Lemon Honey
• Penarrubia Organic Summer Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Oliviers & Co)

Directions —

To assemble salad: Add freshly washed lettuce to bowl, top with mandarin oranges, crumbled goat cheese and walnuts. Drizzle with olive oil and honey.

Endless Summer Charcuterie Board

Gumdrop Grapes

Uncured Genoa Salami

Wedge of Brie

Marcona Almonds

Parmesan Crackers (Paul and Pippa)

Garlic Stuffed Olives (Whole Foods)

Crunchy Chickpeas (Saffron Road)

Dark Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers (Whole Foods)

Dark Chocolate with Mint Crispy Thins (Divine Chocolate)

West Elm Marble & Brass Cheese Board

Outfit Details | Dress (MANGO) // Hat (similar) // Mirjana Sandals (Sarah Flint, $50 off with code: SARAHFLINT-BACHRISTA) // Corda Fine Chain Friendship Bracelet (Monica Vinader, 20% off with code: US20RAFINSIDER-F6C1) // Ollie Ella Picnic Basket (Anthropologie)

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

** The Petit Chablis and Marble Cheeseboard featured in this post were gifts from my friends at Sopexa. **