Fete en Blanc picnic baskets from Hills Market and Huffman's
Are you planning to make an appearance at this year's Fete en Blanc? For the uninitiated, it's Columbus' annual bleached-out pop-up outdoor dinner party, where guests (wearing all blanc, naturally) don't know where they'll be setting up a table to dine until just hours before the meal starts, a spontaneous way to savor the dwindling days of summer under the stars, with live music and plenty of mingling. It's a bring-your-own-everything picnic, so attendees provide everything from their own baguettes to tables and chairs. The concept is borrowed from a super-exclusive annual dinner in Paris (hence the French name), but Columbus' iteration is open to anyone with a $10 ticket--act fast if you want one, as they're in short supply.
And since you're on your own for dinner, a few local markets have stepped up to supply picnic baskets for the less cooking-inclined. Both Huffman's Market in Upper Arlington and The Hills Market in Worthington are taking orders until Wednesday for their exclusive Fete picnic baskets, which they'll distribute at the site of the event. We grabbed menus for you and compiled them below, with info on how to place your order.
Bon appetit!
To order, call The Hills' catering departmet at 614-846-3220 or e-mail Jen at catering@thehillsmarket.com.
Dinners
All dinners include white plates, white napkins, silver-colored utensils and your choice of dessert.
Pan Bagnat, $14: Ohio pulled chicken, alfredo sauce, artichoke hearts and caramelized onions, pressed on a baguette from La Chatelaine. Served with roasted Ohio fennel and asparagus couscous with lemon.
Ohio Beef Tenderloin, $19: Roasted tenderloin stuffed with grilled Ohio vegetables and ricotta cheese. Served with smoked fingerling potatoes.
Grilled Bruschetta Pasta, $13 (can be made vegan): Ohio-made pasta topped with grilled tomato bruschetta made of local tomatoes and basil and roasted garlic. Served with bread from Dan the Baker.
Dessert choices: Hills Own Vanilla Raspberry Tart, LuLu's Meyer Lemon Cupcake, LuLu's Coconut Cupcake, Pattycake Sugar Cutout Cookie (vegan), Pistacia Vera Fete en Blanc Macaron, Sweet Tooth Cottage Cookie
A La Carte
Herbed Brie Dip, $4 per person: Hills Own dip with a Dan the Baker baguette.
Ohio Cheese Platter, $4 per person: Ohio-made cheeses with fresh fruit and crackers.
Blanc Salad, $5 per person: Arugula, roasted cauliflower, Ohio goat cheese and a champagne vinaigrette.
Antipasto Platter, $6 per person: A variety of Italian meats and cheeses, like pepper salami, capicola, pepperoni, genoa salami, prosciutto and provolone. Garnished with marinated artichoke hearts, pepperoncinis, boccocini and olives.
Pistacia Vera Macarons, $7.50 for 6 and $15 for 12: Includes caramel pecan, vanilla bean, coconut, almond praline, mocha hazelnut and chocolate truffle, wrapped in white ribbon.
Blanc Dessert Platter, $14 (serves 4): A selection of these locally made treats: Hills Own Vanilla Raspberry Tart, LuLu's Meyer Lemon Cupcake, LuLu's Coconut Cupcake, Pattycake Sugar Cutout Cookie (vegan), Pistacia Vera Fete en Blanc Macaron, Sweet Tooth Cottage Cookie.
Bottled Water: $1.25 each
20 oz. Sodas: $2.25 each
Honest Tea: $2.25 each
Dry Sodas (Lavender, Vanilla Bean, Cucumber or Rhubarb): $7.99 per 4-pack
To order, call Huffman's at 614-486-5336. All baskets include napkins, plates, and cutlery. Wine, beer and spirits can be purchased at retail price to go alongside any basket, and alcohol orders include wine glasses.
Menu Option 1: Cheese
$39.99, serves 2
Your choice of caramel apple pecan or sundried tomato brie
Gouda, cheddar, soppressata
Your choice of baguette or breadstick bundle
Your choice of crackers or flatbread
Grapes and berries platter
Menu option 2: Sampler
$49.99, serves 2
Pick one: Sliced beef tenderloin with cream horseradish and stone mustard; stuffed chicken breast pinwheel with roasted red pepper, spinach and cheese; vegetable roll-up
Pick one: Baguette or bread stick bundle
Pick one: Goat cheese-stuffed roma tomatoes, prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus
Pick one: Cold summer salad or grapes and berries platter
Pick one: Chocolate-covered strawberries or macaroons
Menu 3: "Foodie"
$39.99, serves 2
Gouda, cheddar, your choice of caramel apple pecan or sundried tomato brie
Assorted crackers and flatbread
Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and cantaloupe
Goat cheese-stuffed roma tomatoes, baked Jarlsberg and pesto crostini
Chocolate-covered strawberry fruit kabob
Got dining news or tips? Send them to Carrie Schedler at cschedler@dispatch.com.