April: Dinner at Isabelle's

Dining at The Gardener's Table

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

This past week I hosted my monthly themed dinner party for April, the theme was The Gardener’s Table. It was an evening filled with spring produce and gardening themed decor! Let’s dive into some details.

The Theme:

After what felt like a never-ending winter, it is finally starting to feel like spring. Flowers are slowly starting to pop up, grass is turning green again, and there are little buds on the trees signalling that leaves will be out soon enough.

Earlier this year, I moved out of my apartment and into a house. This will be the first summer I've had a backyard, and I could not be more excited about it. There is something about being able to step out of your home and onto grass that feels like such a luxury when living in the city. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my mom in the garden and doing yard work. My last apartment didn't even have a balcony, so I am beyond excited to get outside and start building some herb and vegetable planters!

In the spirit of all this excitement, I knew I wanted April’s theme to be a celebration of spring—more specifically, a celebration that gardening season is almost upon us. I filled the evening with early spring vegetables, gardening tools, and whimsical elements. It ended up being a really fun theme to decorate for and one that lends itself well to recreating with your own supplies!

Setting the Table:

This month’s table was especially exciting for a couple of reasons. The first was incorporating gardening elements—I really wanted to lean into the gardening theme. I swapped out cut flowers for an herb planter and two daffodil plants, printed menus on plant tags which I stuck in little terracotta pots filled with dirt, used gardening tools as serving utensils, and poured water from watering cans. These touches really brought the theme to life in a way that felt playful and fun but still chic!

The second reason is that Williams Sonoma (yes, the Williams Sonoma!!!) sent me pieces to set the table. I remember going into Williams Sonoma as a kid whenever we ventured out of our small town to visit a big-city mall, and feeling like I was stepping into wonderland. There’s just no cooking store like it, and I'm still kicking my feet and giggling just thinking about the fact that they know who I am—let alone sent me some of my dream dishware (truly what is my life). They sent over iconic pieces from the Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage collection, including dinner plates, serving platters, and pitchers, alongside the sweetest assortment of blue appetizer plates. I mixed these new items with some pieces from my existing collection, including bee-patterned water glasses and flower-embroidered napkins.

That being said, this tablescape would be really easy (and fun!) to recreate with thrifted items. When I think of gardening, I imagine all things whimsical—so mixing and matching different dishes, vintage plates and linens, and anything floral would be perfect here!

The Menu:

To Drink:

• Rhubarb & Elderflower Spritz

• White Wine

To Start:

• Butter-Dipped Radishes

• Seared and Steamed Artichokes with Tarragon Aioli

The Mains:

• Shaved Spring Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese and Pink Peppercorns

• Roasted Parmesan Asparagus over Pea–Tarragon Purée

• Fennel, Anchovy, and Garlic-Rubbed Lamb Chops with Garlic Yogurt

• Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

To Finish:

• Salty Honey Rhubarb Trifle

Recipes: