On a cold winter or early spring day, here is a favorite idea for hosting friends: A steaming pot of clam chowder. Perfectly cozy and always welcomed by all, and especially perfect for lunch.
Hosting friends for lunch is often overlooked in favor of brunch, but truth be told, it's one of our favorite meals to host – and especially so when that lunch is clam chowder.
What is it about this classic recipe that begs to be eaten midday? Serve it with a big green salad, perhaps a bit of cheese and fruit to round out the table, your favorite bottle of white, and you have the perfect meal.
Over the many years and dinner parties I've thrown, clam chowder is one of those meals that delights guests.
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Soup is, of course, one of our favorite dishes for hosting as you can prepare it in advance and it's so simple to serve. For this lunch as you can see, we served it right from the pot in the center of the table.
A loaf of crusty sourdough bread is a must, as is a big green salad. And while that's all you truly need, I served a nice cheese and some grapes to add some color and nibble-friendly food to the table.
For dessert, I made one of my favorite tried-and-true cakes based off of this plum torte by Marian Burros that the New York Times as been publishing since '83. It's truly foolproof and I love that you can change up the fruit to use what's in season or what you have on hand.
The Menu
Good Sourdough Bread
Green Salad
Cheese and Fruit
While not required, I highly recommend serving with white wine.
Related Product
Gingham Tablecloth
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