Afternoon Delight

It's a warm sunny afternoon here today. I'd much rather be languishing here than be at work.

Image: Style Me Pretty

Entertaining Fashion: The 70s

I love the 70s, possibly as it was the decade of my birth, but I think more so because of the fashion and music. I also have really fond memories of Mum and Dad entertaining, The Bee Gees on in the background, deviled eggs being handed out and Mum and Dad both in very tight flares.

Image 1: Irvine Housing Blog

Image 2 & 3: Flickr

Image 4: Jane Birkin circa 1974

Image 5 & 6: Vogue Covers from the 1970s

The Perfect Hostess: Donna Hay

Like most I love the Donna Hay cookbooks and I would imagine she would be the perfect host. I love how she's styled her Sydney store above.

Friday Recipe: Balsamic Strawberries

Give this very simple recipe a go over the weekend, easy and delicious served with King Island Double Cream or alongside a summer pudding.

Balsamic Strawberries

Ingredients

250grams strawberries halved

3 tsp of a good balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup of caster sugar

Directions

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Marinate overnight (or at least for a few hours) in the fridge. Stir before serving. Too easy!

Image: Once Wed

Entertaining Fashion: The 50s

I was thinking the other day what exactly is the perfect hostess outfit. Surely it depends on the occasion and season. But for entertaining glamour nothing beats the 1950s, where men and women would get dressed up in style for just about any occasion. I'm loving the 50s resurgence in fashion at the moment influenced by the show Mad Men. Wouldn't you just once love to dress up for dinner at the neighbours?

Image 1: Vogue circa 1950
Image 2: The Mad Men Ladies
Image 3: The Mad Men cast
Image 4: A scene from Mad Men
Image 5: Jean Desses
Image 6: Pierre Balmain

Dining Out in Style: Outdoor Dining

As Aussies we love to entertain outdoors. The weather and daylight savings make for perfect B.B.Q. or picnic conditions. Here are a few of my favourite outdoor dining settings.

Image 1: Carolyne Roehm
Image 2: Country Living
Image 3: Country Living
Image 4: Country Living
Image 5: Carolyne Roehm
Image 6: Country Living
Image 7: Unknown

Pretty Blooms

A simple bunch of flowers can make a beautiful table setting that little bit extra special. As you can see from the pictures above it doesn't have to be an elaborate arrangement, just something as easy as some gorgeous roses bunched together in a pretty glass.

Image 1: Once Wed

Image 2: Rose Now

Image 3: Rose Now

Image 4: Abby Lanes

Image 5: Simply Bloom Photography

Friday Recipe: Gelato

It's a hot one here today and what better way to cool down than with homemade gelato. Here's an easy recipe you can whip over the weekend.

Ingredients

2 cups of full cream milk

1 cup of heavy cream

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup of sugar

Directions

In a medium saucepan, mix milk and cream. Warm until foam forms around the edges. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until frothy. Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture gels slightly and coats the back of the spoon. If small egg lumps begin to show, remove from heat immediately.

Pour the mixture through a sieve or fine strainer into a bowl. Cover, and chill for several hours or overnight.Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker (or a clean container and stir now and again), and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a sealed container, and freeze until firm. If the gelato is too firm, place it in the refrigerator until it reaches the desired consistency.

Image: Paper Pony

Welcome!

Hi there and welcome to The Sublime Hostess. This blog is all about sharing beautiful ideas about entertaining, ranging from recipes to ideas for decorating for the perfect party. Pretty much anything that takes my fancy. For my first post I wanted to share some pictures of gorgeous table settings. I love settings that are individual and show off the hosts personality. Enjoy!

Image 1: Style Me Pretty
Image 2: Once Wed
Image 3: Folic