MARCH 2026
ISSUE 022
A Guide to Your March Dinner Party
Your dispatch from Mount Desert Island, Maine.
Let’s get into it. Your guide to hosting an excellent party this March.
Vibe Check
Sunday Lunch with family and friends. 8-12 people.
Turn off all overhead lights (no exceptions). Light lots of candles. These square ones are very cool.The perfect light bulb for a cozy, “well lit” space is 2700 Kelvin, 400 lumen LED bulb.
Have music playing medium to loud when people arrive.
Guests should arrive around noon for a leisurely nosh before lunch at 1/1:30.
Flowers: I am obsessed with pale green hellebores. They are usually for sale at your local florist beginning in March. I also love daffodil bulbs in bowls. So easy and lovely to have something green inside when it’s so grey and cold outside.
Let’s set your dining room table for this lunch. Use a tablecloth like this Indian hand blocked one and use the prettiest plates you have. I love these (and the price) from Wayfair.
A nod to the start of Spring. We are gathering with friends and family for a lighter lunch and some excellent wine and cocktails.
Outfit
Sunday lunch outfit = timeless ease. I like this outfit for your Sunday lunch because it is comfortable and stylish. The slides are a nice balance to the simplicity of the rest of the outfit.
I love these jeans. Agolde’s Low Slug Baggy Jeans are that perfect balance of tailored and nonchalance. I am wearing mine as I type this. I also wear white denim year round because I think there is nothing chicer than white denim in the winter.
Similarly, I love this Max Mara Weekend Wool Knit Sweater. The draping is so flattering that I don’t feel I need to tuck it in. It just sits beautifully. A very versatile piece in my wardrobe that I constantly grab. Perfect for a chilly Sunday lunch in March.
These Wolf & Badger slippers are a cool way to add shoes without them actually being slippers. I would wear these all year round.
Music
Music during a party is so important. This one I made for Good Wolf is great for the vibes we want at this Sunday Lunch.
Nibbles & Cocktails
After the decadence of our February dinner party, March’s Sunday Lunch is about a fresh, light cocktails and a lovely “nosh” plate of all your favorite charcuterie to start.
Nosh Plate
Assemble your favorite cheeses, I love stilton, a triple cream brie, and some sort of hard cheese like a sharp cheddar. Invest in some fig jam or quince paste (available at any cheese or wine shop), some lovely nuts, cornichons, olives and some dried fruit. Assemble on a simple plate with 2-3 knives and some nutty, fruity crackers. This will taste so good with the freshness of our cocktails.
A Very Excellent Citrus Cocktail
Serves 4
4 cups of freshly squeezed citrus juice. I would do one cup of each lemon, lime, orange and tangerine or blood orange
1 cup of vodka
1/4 cup honey (optional, if you like sweet over tart)
2 cans of club soda
Mix all ingredients except for the club soda in a pitcher. Serve over ice and top off with a few splashes of club soda and some fresh mint. YUM
This simple salad says “Spring” to me. The bitterness of the watercress, the warmth of the soft boiled eggs and potatoes, couples with the saltiness of the capers, artichoke, and parmesan make this dish well rounded, simple, delicious and beautiful. It’s the best kind of salad because the lettuce isn’t that important, the other components are the stars.
As always, if you don’t like artichokes, or don’t eat eggs, substitute accordingly. This would be yummy with seared halloumi or roasted butternut squash.
Dinner
Spring Salad
2 hard boiled eggs per person, cut in half
3-4 fingerling potatoes, cut in half
1-2 tins of artichokes, depending on how many guests. I think two tins for 4+ people
Slivers of parmesan or manchego
Watercress or arugula, a handful per person
Capers
How to: Soft boil your eggs, then peel them and slice them down the middle. Boil fingerling potatoes, until fork tender, then slice down the middle. Thinly slice your cheese, drain your artichokes, and capers, and assemble on your bed of watercress or arugula. I like to arrange eggs with eggs, cheese with cheese, capers with capers, etc. before guests sit down and you dress and toss the salad.
Once everyone is seated, add vinaigrette (not too much! People can always add more if they like), sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and toss!
Simple Vinaigrette
2 Tbs finely chopped shallots
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
Large pinch of salt
2 tbs Dijon mustard
6 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
How to: Assemble all ingredients in a jar with a secure lid. Once everything is in the jar, shake well until smooth
Dessert
I love olive oil cake! It is so simple and so rewarding. This cake pairs nicely with whatever citrus you want to use. I have made it with lemons, blood oranges, tangerines, and often a combination of whatever I have on hand. The key is to use a lot of zest and non-extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil will make the cake taste more strongly of olive oil, which is fine, but if you’re going for a milder taste, try using regular organic olive oil.
Pour all of the following ingredients into a large mixing bowl (I use a mixer), and mix well until everything is incorporated. Pop it in a well greased (with olive oil) 9” round cake pan and bake for 50 minutes at 350º. Once it has cooled, sprinkle powdered sugar on top and enjoy.
Citrus Olive Oil Cake
1 cup olive oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbs vanilla
1/2 cup citrus juice
Zest from 4 of your preferred citrus
1 large pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 cup milk
powdered sugar for dusting
Remember— this is supposed to be FUN! Enjoy yourself. Nothing should be perfect, because there is no such thing. I hope this guide helps you eat beautifully, feel beautiful, and enjoy the beautiful people you’ve gathered.
