We’re pleased to share this Mezze Platter recipe excerpt from Dawna Pitts’ new book, Entertaining is My Love Language. Take a look!
About Author Dawn Pitts
Dawna Pitts was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea until she was a teenager. She moved Sydney, Australia as an overseas student, and in Australia, learned to speak English and met her future American husband. Currently, Dawna lives in Phoenix, AZ with her husband and teenage son, Andrew. Dawna’s passion is entertaining and also helping people to better understand Asian cuisines. She enjoys bringing people together and sharing the joy of gathering. Entertaining is My Love Language is her first book.
Take a look at Dawna Pitts’ new book, Entertaining is My Love Language.
She writes, “I am always looking for reasons to celebrate,” she says. “From my years of entertaining, I have learned a lot and am here to humbly share that with you. And please don’t worry–I won’t make you cook and clean for days! You will be surprised how much of this book is all about how to make home entertaining effortless! My style of entertaining is easy and functional with some twists of reinventing traditions. We make it look pretty and sophisticated but, yet, incredibly relatable!”
Author Dawna Pitts (Photo courtesy of Dawn Pitts.)
Bringing People Together
She enjoys entertaining for the same reason I do; bringing people together is a joy!
“I am the happiest,” she says, “when I see my loved ones enjoying themselves in my home. There’s nothing like it —
my heart smiles,” Pitts says. “I have been enjoying entertaining my dear friends and family for as long as I can remember. Of
course, I love dining at restaurants, but oftentimes, you need to leave when the meal has ended. When you are in your own
space, it is not only a more intimate setting, but the conversations can linger a little longer and so many more memories can be created.”
I appreciate her perspective on cooking and entertaining. And because she is not a professional chef, her tips are practical, fun, and usable. She uses ingredients readily available and her recipes are easy to follow. She also has a wonderful global outlook, and does a wonderful job of both sharing her Asian heritage and also sharing wonderful international recipes such as the mezze platter we share here.
(Photo courtesy of Dawn Pitts.)
From Entertaining is My Love Language
Excerpted from Entertaining is My Love Language by Dawna Pitts. Copyright © 2023 Ulysses Press. Reprinted with permission from Ulysses Press. New York, NY. All rights reserved.
Mezze Platter Recipe
We’re making a Greek mezze platter for the “Mingling Hour” of this particular party. The platter will be served perfectly at room temperature, which is wonderful for outdoor entertaining. It literally takes minutes to put together using some store-bought ingredients (see page 42).
While visiting the Greek Islands on a dreamy family vacation, I was taught the lifestyle of simplicity. Everyone enjoys the beautiful islands and the sun all day. Then, the island wakes up once again at sunset with delicious food and drinks. There is no time to spend an entire day putting together an appetizer platter! This mezze platter makes me think of those easy island days!
Serves 10-12.
Ingredients:
- Crackers
- Cucumbers
- Favorite cheeses, sliced
- Feta cheese
- Hummus
- Olive oil
- Pita chips
- Seasonal fruits
- Toasted pine nuts
- Tomatoes
- Edible greens (fig leaves, citrus leaves, grape leaves and herbs)
- Favorite olive bar items from the grocery store (use a nice selection of various types of olives, preserved peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, and roasted tomatoes, etc.)
Supplies:
- Food safe board – for mezze platter
- Small bowls — for mezze platter items
- Small containers
- Cocktail picks
Preparation:
As you can see, simple grocery store-bought items (at right), a few luscious green leaves and a food-safe board are all you need to build an amazing mezze platter!
I usually get two types of hummus. Pour them into small bowls with a spatula (making it look like you made it from scratch)! Drizzle your best olive oil on top for extra richness and shine, then sprinkle a small handful of toasted pine nuts on top.
Place the other items that needs to be contained such as olives, nuts, etc. into small bowls as well. Clear and white bowls are the best for highlighting the color of foods. Place the filled bowls on your board randomly, not like a checkerboard! Then, start filling out the rest of the board with cut cheeses, vegetables, crackers, etc. Lining cheese with green leaves is always pretty! Try not to repeat the same color next to each one so you get more visual contrast between the different foods.
For this particular photographed mezze platter, I added thin crackers and truffle gouda cheese because one of my friends loves that combo and was in attendance. Just because it is a Greek-style mezze platter, don’t think that you can only use Greek food items. Don’t be afraid to reinvent the traditions and add your or your guests’ favorite things!
I placed cocktail picks (fancy toothpicks) in one container and had another empty container for used picks, right by the cocktail napkins. I labeled the containers “clean” and “used.”
Entertaining is My Love Language is a new book by author Dawna Pitts (Photo courtesy of Dawn Pitts.)
For More:
- We are pleased to share this mezze platter recipe from Dawna Pitts’ new book, Entertaining is My Love Language, from Friesens Press, on Confetti Travel Cafe. Her book is a high quality hard cover with beautiful photos. She includes many more recipes and entertaining tips and we encourage you to order your copy now!
- Follow Dawna on Instagram.
- On our site: We share many more recipes on our site.
