Lunch on the Water

This week we had some school friends over to the boat for lunch. Their boys are almost exactly the same ages as ours, so from the moment we arrived the children disappeared into the water and barely stopped swimming for hours.

Meanwhile, my friend and I settled in with a bottle… and then perhaps another. Sometimes those are the very best afternoons.

I wanted to keep lunch simple but full of things that could be prepared ahead of time, leaving plenty of time to actually enjoy everyone’s company.

The menu included:

• Homemade rosemary focaccia

• Whipped feta topped with griddled peaches, pistachios and hot honey

• Tomato and spinach pesto pasta with toasted pine nuts

• Mixed leaves

• Hummus

• Tzatziki

• A simple charcuterie board with cornichons

• Olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dunking warm focaccia

Everything was served with a chilled bottle of rosé Crémant, which felt perfect for such a hot afternoon.

As much as I love cooking, entertaining isn’t really about complicated food. It’s about creating something that encourages everyone to slow down, graze, chat and keep reaching for another piece of focaccia.

As we headed back towards the marina, the sun was beginning to set behind us and nobody seemed quite ready to go home.

Those are always the best kind of lunches.