Labor Day signifies the end of summer to many of us. September begins. School starts. The weather begins to change. Don’t let this day go by unnoticed. Instead, invite over a few friends for a casual gathering to say goodbye to summer and hello to the impending bounty of autumn. The look and feel of this party is rustic and prop-your-feet-up casual. And the recipes are easily doubled or even tripled, so invite a crowd and let the celebration begin.

COCKTAIL – Bloody Marys

HORS D’OEUVRES – Steamed Artichokes with Drawn Butter

MAIN COURSE – Cold Basil Marinated Chicken, Homemade Drop Biscuits with Chives, Endive and Watercress Salad with Orange Raspberry Vinaigrette

DESSERT – Apple and Berry Cobbler with Whipped Cream

WINE – Rosé

Setting the Scene
DÉCOR – A terracotta and white palette accented with green touches like green glass goblets and large bowls filled with green apples as centerpieces. If you have china pieces that include terracotta color, use them along with plain white cotton napkins and place mats. Or reverse it and use white plates paired with cotton terracotta colored napkins. A wooden dining table would be great for this look.

INVITATIONS – Hand-write your invites with a fabric marker on a 4×6-inch piece of fabric that reflects the décor theme – something like an apple green and white checkered pattern. Be sure and include the word “casual” somewhere on the invitation!

FLOWERS – While the apples make a fun centerpiece, it would also be a good idea to scatter a few vases full of mixed flowers around the dining area. Big bunches of Gerber daisies here and there are a bright and fun choice.

MUSIC – This party calls for a fun mix of tunes. Check out the soundtrack to Living Out Loud for something that will appeal to everyone. (By the way — great Holly Hunter movie, rent it sometime!)

Countdown
FIVE WEEKS: Mail invitations.

ONE WEEK: Order flowers.

TWO DAYS: Pick up flowers. Grocery and beverage shop. Make drawn butter. Refrigerate until day of party.

ONE DAY: Prepare Bloody Mary mix. Chill wine overnight. Cook chicken; refrigerate overnight. Set table, including serving dishes.

SIX HOURS BEFORE GUESTS ARRIVE: Prepare cobbler; place in refrigerator.

FOUR HOURS: Steam artichokes. Place in refrigerator until cocktail time.

TWO HOURS: Prepare sweetened whipped cream. Refrigerate.

ONE HOUR: Take artichokes out of refrigerator to come to room temperature for serving.

45 MINUTES: Make and bake biscuits.

15 MINUTES: Reheat drawn butter over extremely low heat. Mix salad greens.

ONE HOUR BEFORE DINNER: Stir and pour Bloody Marys. Serve artichokes with drawn butter. Take cobbler out of refrigerator.

45 MINUTES BEFORE: Take chicken out of refrigerator to let come to serving temperature. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

15 MINUTES BEFORE: Put wine on table. Reheat biscuits in oven – be sure to cover with foil so they don’t dry out.. This should only take about 5 minutes. Add dressing to salad. Preheat oven to 425. When ready, bake cobbler. Be sure you can hear timer bell during dinner!

What to Pour
COCKTAILS: Bloody Mary (serves 4)

Mix ¾ cup hot pepper vodka, 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons prepared white horseradish, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 3 cups chilled tomato juice, and 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Stir before using.)

Pour into tall glasses filled with ice cubes. Garnish with celery sticks and serve.

WITH DINNER: Rosé. We prefer the bone-dry Provence rosés like Domaine le Galantin Bandol Rosé ($14-ish) and Domaines Bunan Moulin des Costes Bandol ($16-ish).

Serving a Crowd
This type of party is relaxed and fun, and you definitely want to be able to have some fun yourself. Our menu can easily be made in advance, and pitchers of Bloody Marys should also be prepared so you won’t have to act as bartender.

Timesaving Tips
Additional hors d’oeuvres and delicious dessert alternatives can be purchased online for the ultimate in easy entertaining.

Don’t feel like cooking the chicken and biscuits? Instead, buy a few ready roasted whole chickens at your local grocery store. Carve them into serving pieces ahead of time and serve at room temperature. Buy those biscuits in a can, bake and serve piping hot.

No time to go wine shopping? Buy these recommended wines online – Domaine le Galantin 1998 Bandol Rosé ($14) and Domaines Bunan 1998 Rosé “Moulin des Costes,” Bandol ($16).

Recipes
Steamed Artichokes with Drawn Butter
each artichoke will serve 4 as an hors d’oeuvre

To clean and prepare a whole artichoke: First fill a large bowl with fresh cold water. Then, holding the artichoke upside down by the stem, vigorously dunk the artichoke several times in the cold water. The goal here is to force some water in between the tightly closed leaves to remove any bits of grit.

Then, with a large sharp knife, cut off the stem, cutting close to the base of the artichoke to create a flat surface so that the artichoke can sit upright and fairly straight. Important: rub any cut surfaces with lemon or lemon juice to avoid discoloration. Pull off one or two layers of the largest leaves at the bottom and discard. Then, with a sharp pair of kitchen scissors, cut off the sharp points of the individual leaves, starting at the bottom and working around the artichoke toward the top. Remember to rub all the cut surfaces with the lemon. Now your artichoke is ready to cook!

General cooking instructions: Place the artichoke in a saucepan with about 1 1/2 cups water and about 3 Tablespoons lemon juice. Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes, or until the leaves move easily when pried with a fork. Remove the artichoke from the saucepan, open the middle, then remove the choke with a teaspoon or fork and discard. This leaves the artichoke heart easily enjoyed. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

Drawn Butter: Also called “clarified” butter, this is a breeze. Melt unsalted butter over low heat. When completely melted, remove pan from the heat and let butter stand for a few minutes. As the butter cools, milk solids will settle to the bottom of the pan. Skim or pour off the clear butter on top and place in a separate container. That is your drawn butter. (Can be prepared ahead and re-melted over very low heat when ready for use.)

Homemade Drop Biscuits with Chives
(about 18 2-inch biscuits)
If you think homemade biscuits are a bit too much cooking for you, think again. These drop biscuits are a snap to make – no kneading, rising, or rolling required. You just mix up the batter and drop spoonfuls on a baking sheet. Or use a muffin tin for a bit more shapely biscuits. Delish anytime, from breakfast to picnics to supper.

Preheat oven to 450°.

In a food processor, quickly mix 2 cup sifted flour (this means that the sifted flour measures 2 cups, so measure again after you sift!) with 1 teaspoon salt and 2½ teaspoons baking powder.

Add 4 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter that has been cut into pieces. Process until the mixture is the consistency of coarse corn meal. You may add up to 2 more Tablespoons of cold butter until mixture achieves this consistency.

Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup milk all at once, along with 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives. Stir briefly – no more than 1 minute, just to incorporate the liquid into the dry mix. Drop in heaping tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Basil Marinated Chicken
4 servings
Disjoint 2 broiler chickens (about 5 pounds total).

Marinate the chicken pieces for about 1 hour in a mix of:

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 finely minced shallots
1 cup dry white wine

Preheat broiler and then broil chicken for about 20 minutes or until tender. Baste occasionally with melted butter. Salt and pepper the chicken as soon as it comes out of the oven. Can be served hot or at room temperature. Is even better if refrigerated overnight and then served at room temperature. Makes good picnic fare.

Endive and Watercress Salad with Orange Raspberry Vinaigrette
Combine equal parts Belgian Endive and Watercress. If you like, you can also add any or all of the following: Boston or Bibb lettuce, arugula, or radicchio. Salt lightly.

Orange Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing: (makes ½ cup, enough for 4 servings of salad)
3 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
¼ cup olive or salad oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Apple and Berry Cobbler with Whipped Cream
This fresh fruit dessert celebrates the best of summer berries and autumn apples. You can use any small berries you prefer – blackberries, blueberries, even raspberries.

9 apples (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, or McIntosh), peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 pint berries, lightly rinsed and drained
¾ cup sugar, divided
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup cold solid vegetable shortening
3 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 egg
1/3 cup milk

Cream for whipping

Preheat oven to 425°. Butter a large casserole or other baking dish (2½ to 3 quart capacity).

Combine apples, berries, ½ cup of the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Toss well, but carefully so as to not crush fruit. Turn into prepared baking dish.

In a food processor, quickly mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Add shortening and butter and process until mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl, lightly beat the egg and milk together, then add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Lightly stir until just combined, then turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead lightly, sprinkling on more flour if necessary to form a smooth, not sticky, dough.

Break off portions of the dough and place on top of fruit in baking dish. Press and flatten the dough pieces lightly into the fruit. Continue with remaining dough to create a “cobbled” effect.

Sprinkle remaining sugar (3 Tablespoons) over dough, and bake until well browned, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve warm and topped with sweetened whipped cream. (May be prepared ahead up to point of baking. If refrigerated, allow to come to room temperature for about an hour before baking.)