Nowhere says summer quite like the Hamptons, a heady social whirl of sundowner cocktails, dinners on the dunes and relaxed family-style barbecues overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
And no one knows the Hamptons and many of its most famous residents like Annie Falk – tastemaker, influencer, philanthropist, domestic goddess and author, who recently published her second book, Hamptons Entertaining: Creating Occasions to Remember.
A companion title to her first book, Palm Beach Entertaining, her latest work turns the spotlight on oceanfront havens in the Hamptons, where she taps her high-profile social circle for favorite recipes, table settings and practical entertaining tips.
Very few people could get boldface names like Judith and Rudy Giuliani, Georgina Bloomberg, Kara and Steve Ross and Noreen and Peter Thomas Roth to open their homes and share their private lives.
Yet Falk invites readers to savor an intimate look at 18 lavishly photographed parties, offering a wealth of inspiration for ocean home entertaining on a large or small scale.
“There’s a laid-back elegance to entertaining in the Hamptons centered on the natural beauty of the country- side and the bounty of locally grown produce and fresh seafood sourced from nearby waters,” says Falk.
“It’s a unique opportunity to reconnect with nature, serve good food and bring people together in a relaxed and effortlessly glamorous setting, creating the most memorable of occasions.”
The book details how to design the perfect table setting, tips to know before entertaining, how seasonal produce can inform a menu and creative cocktails and recipes from more than 20 of the Hamptons’ most accomplished hosts.
Hamptons Entertaining is published buy Stewart, Tabori & Chang, rrp $45
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LOBSTER SALAD ON BUTTERY CROSTINI
Makes about 25 hors d’oeuvres
1 pound fresh lobster meat, diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced celery
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 baguette
2 tablespoons butter, melted Kernels from
1 ear roasted corn
In a medium bowl, toss the lobster meat very lightly with the mayonnaise using a fork. You want to just moisten the lobster meat and not over handle it. Add the corn, celery, lemon juice, celery salt and white pepper. Toss gently and add more celery salt to taste. Cover and chill the salad for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 300° F. Slice the baguette into rounds about one-inch thick and place them on a baking sheet. Brush them with the butter and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Spoon generous portions of the lobster salad onto the crostini and arrange the hors d’oeuvres on serving trays.
This salad is also great over greens for a main dish or served in a warm, grilled hot dog bun with lettuce as a classic lobster roll.