Last Supper: Course 1 (Peach, Prosciutto, Mozzarella & Basil Salad)

Well that’s a dramatic post title, huh?

But it was. Our last supper.

Sort of.

We’re almost packed (we’re leaving the rest of the unpackable-in-advance things – like the majority of the baby stuff – for moving day), and last night the pots, pans and dishes went into boxes. Which means that from now on it’s takeout all day, every day…so this weekend was my last opportunity to cook on my beloved disaster of a stove.

And since our much-adored Coffee Table Picnics will presumably be a rarer event in months to come, I thought I’d do this one up right.

Kind of romantic, right? I’m a big fan of coffee table picnics both for dinners a deux and for small space entertaining generally if your apartment doesn’t accommodate a full-sized dining table: they create a nice, casual vibe and give your guests an excuse to park themselves on pillows on the floor.

I set the table with mix-and-match dinnerware from Noritake, and went for a calm, slightly retro, mint, green and gold look (which, as a side benefit, blends nicely with pieces we already own).

Mix-and-match china has been my favorite look for years now (even our wedding china is a mix of four different patterns), and it’s also just practical: as long as you keep the majority of your pieces in the same general color scheme and vibe (romantic/minimalist/retro/etc), you can collect special pieces along the way as your space expands, rather than investing in a big matched set all at once.

And if you choose fairly neutral pieces for your base set (I went for Noritake Kealia Green large plates and Kealia White medium plates topped with Palmer Gold bowls and accent pieces), you can switch up the extras (bowls, cream/sugar sets, salt/pepper sets, bread plates) as your tastes change over the years, or to transform your tablescape from casual to fancy.

This was the first course: a peach, prosciutto, mozzarella and basil salad that I make constantly during the three seconds every year when I can find really spectacular peaches at our local supermarket.

(Virgil got a little jealous. And scored some prosciutto moments after this photo was taken, because mama is a soft touch.)

These champagne glasses are Noritake Vendome Platinum (heavy crystal with a platinum rim), and are filled with one of my favorite affordable prosecco brands, called – yes – Hi!