In the collaboration project "Seasons on the Table" with MUSAKO Studio, lavender is the main flower of the summer set. At the same time, the scented candle made by harmone for summer is also based on the essential oil of lavender from France is used. Such a signature element inspired us to design a summer menu with a little bit of French and even European style. Therefore, we started with the popular dish “Seafood Platter” (Plateau de fruits de mer) in French cuisine, and then looked for the other dishes and drinks that can pair up with this dish well. Although the menu is not in an absolute traditional and authentic style, we do believe that it’s a fingerlicking one.
Summer Menu
Greek Salad originated from Greece, but it often appears in Europe, America and other countries, and even has its own authentic ingredients added in different regions. The main ingredients are generally tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, olives and feta cheese. The Greek Salad in our menu includes grilled corn that pairs so well with seafood, and so as tomatoes and cucumbers. The ingredients topped with virgin olive oil and vinegar sauce for dressing bring a simple and healthy prelude to this European style table. With the salty and tasty feta cheese, our taste buds were completely delighted!
We always like to eat chilled dishes in summer, but since we were going to have the chilled seafood platter together with some snacks and wine later on, in order to protect the stomach, it is also recommended to have a hot soup to warm up ourselves a bit. This way of eating makes ones feel comfortable in any season. We chose sweet onion soup which is a simply cooked hokkaido onion soup with beef broth and it has a very high nutritional value. It has antibacterial properties, it can fight colds and help digestion, etc. The sweet taste was really impressive and it did bring warmth to our stomach.
In the Western menu, bread plays a very important role. We grilled a few slices of cheese sourdough toast together with quinoa buns and we enjoyed them together with hot soup, salad and cheese.
Among the many French dishes, we chose a refreshing, savory and colorful seafood platter as the main dish in our summer menu, in which five popular types of seafood are picked: sea prawns, brown crab, clams, blue mussels and whelk, the taste vary from light to salty, and the textures from soft to crispy. Each ingredient brings different levels of feeling when tasting. Among them, mussels and whelks are generally in season in summer, but actually these five ingredients can be easily purchased throughout the year. Therefore, it is not difficult to enjoy the seafood platter at home just like the way you are in a restaurant on the French street.
The most classic wine pairing with seafood can be said to be white wine. This time the refreshing Chardonnay is picked. You can serve it cold and enjoy it directly, or you can simply make a White Wine Spritzer (a cocktail made of mainly white wine and soda water). The super chilled liquor and the super chilled soda water can definitely bring a little excitement to this romantic summer table. Add a slice of fresh lime to wake our appetite up, and the spritzer can totally help to heat up and prolong the pleasant feast time.
For the snack platter, it is a very personal preference. Whenever we enjoy wine, we will always prepare our favorite cheese, cold cut and a little vegetable as well. Brie is always a good pairing with Chardonnay so it appeared. And It is the black truffle salami with the strongest taste in the menu, therefore the refreshing celery is here to bring a balance. Merging a little bit of different styles into the main tone of the mutual coordination of ingredients for embellishment can also be said to be harmone's characteristics of lifestyle and design.
To decorate this summer table, the red fruit pattern tablecloth made by Fung Tai Tai is used as the base for this little feast and now it’s time to light up harmone’s scented candles for summer. Please try to imagine, taste the delicious food with the natural scent of lavender, while appreciating the flowers that MUSAKO STUDIO brought to you from all over the world like the Netherlands which are “so summer”. In addition to lavender, there are also sunflowers, echinops, etc., which are displayed in harmone’s selection of a simple designed, slim and transparent vase. We sincerely hope to share with every of you a cozy, clear, refreshing and sweet summer through such a summer table.
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