La Dolce Vita

Event designer Lisa Thomas warms up a winter evening with an inspired outdoor fete

For Lisa Thomas, owner of the eclectic Old Village gift emporium Out of Hand and an event design company of the same name, throwing a fabulous party is all about finding the right inspiration. “Whether it’s a movie, a book, or a place that I love, I try to remember all of the details that make it special–the décor, colors, foods, and setting–and then translate them into my own event,” she says. For this evening’s affair, inspiration came from the birthday dinner at the end of the 2000 film Chocolat. “I was so touched by that scene, and I wanted to share the feeling with my friends,” Thomas says.

In doing so, she set out to create a party that felt comfortable and casual, yet entirely enchanted. “I really try to take my guests out of the everyday and into a completely different place,” she says. “For example, I light the entire house in candlelight–it has an old-fashioned ambiance and comes across as totally unexpected.”

The real party is outdoors thought, in the invigorating chill of a Lowcountry winter. While she incorporated elements from the film’s dinner, including good friends and a chocolate theme, Thomas offers this reminder: “Don’t feel like you need to re-create something exactly. Use your favorite details from whatever inspired you and then fill in the rest with your own ideas to really make it yours.”

HOSTING HINTS:
• Take advantage of mild Lowcountry winters. “We’re lucky that here, we can entertain outdoors even during the cooler months,” says Thomas, “Just throw on a sweater, light the fire pit, and make some warm drinks.”
• Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by the big picture. “Pick 10 things that you want to stand out and only focus on those 10 things,” she suggests.
• Lighten your load by assigning something to each of your guests. “You can still keep your theme a secret,” says Thomas. “Everyone can bring a different piece of the party, making for a fun surprise whtn they see how it all comes together.”
• Get the kids involved. Enlisting eager helpers can make a simple project much more fun, and if your guests have their own children, invite them along as well. “I always hire one babysitter to watch all of the kids in another part of the house,” says Thomas. “That way, everyone doesn’t have to get separate sitters and my friends don’t have to hurry home.”


THE MENU
Chocolate Martinis
Chocolate Bruschetta
Cocoa-Hazelnut Beef Filet
Dutch Mashed Potatoes
Chocolate-Cherry Salad


Cocoa-Hazelnut Beef Filet (serves 6)

1 1/2 cups unsweetened organic cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, coursely ground
1 Tbs. sea salt
1 Tbs. pepper, freshly ground
6 three oz. portions of beef filet

Stir together cocoa powder and hazelnuts until thoroughly mixed.
Lightly salt and pepper filets. Sprinkle cocoa-hazelnut mixture on a plate. One at a time, place filets on plate and pack mixture onto them until all pieces are heavily coated. Cover filets and place in refrigerator for one hour. Remove beef from refrigerator and let sit until they reach room temperature. Grill over medium heat to desired doneness (about seven minutes per side for medium). Serve immediately.


Dutch Mashed Potatoes (serves 6)

6 medium Yukon gold potatoes
1/2 stick butter
2 oz. Clemson blue cheese
Dash of milk
1/2 tsp. Sea salt

Cut potatoes into one-inch slices. Boil rapidly until tender (about 12 minutes). Drain. In large bowl combine potatoes, butter, blue cheese, and milk. Mash together until well-combined. Sprinkle in sea salt to taste.


Chocolate Bruschetta (yields approx. 24 slices)

1 baguette, sliced
1/2 cup hazelnut oil
2 Tbs. Sea salt
6 oz. Dark chocolate, ground
2 oz. Milk chocolate, ground

Lay baguette slices out on cookie sheet. Lightly drizzle with hazelnut oil. Sprinkle sea salt across top. Mix dark and light chocolate together. Pile into the center of each bread slice. Place in broiler for five minutes or until chocolate is melted and bread is slightly toasted. Serve immediately.


Chocolate-Cherry Salad (serves 8)
1 container mixed field greens
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1 cup tart cherries, dried
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1 cup air-puffed cherries, dried
1 cup dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

Toss greens, hazelnuts, and tart cherries together. Add vinaigrette and toss again. Plate salads individually and add air-puffed cherries. In center of salad, place a small handful of dark chocolate pieces. Chill for eight minutes. Serve.


Chocolate Martinis (serves 10-15)
1 bottle Triple sec
1 cup cocoa powder
1 bottle Three Olives Chocolate Vodka
Crushed ice
MarieBelle Almond Brittle Candy olives

Wet rim of martini glass in triple sec and lightly dip into cocoa powder. Mix three parts vodka with one part triple sec in cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice. Stir gently until thoroughly chilled. Strain into martini glass. Add a few MarieBelle chocolate olives.