Photography by Peter Frank Edwards

As I say so often on The VeryVera Show, I generally choose the serving dishes for my gatherings before I decide on the menu. The impact of the presentation is essential, and it starts with the stories behind the special pieces used for entertaining. Who said that good silver and fine china can’t go outside?!

With this mindset, you may choose to showcase The Azalea cocktail in an heirloom champagne glass borrowed from the display case in your grandmother’s old dining room. It’s always nice to “welcome” our family history to the table by incorporating pieces that have been passed down or inherited. Antique glassware etching gives even more appeal to festive drinks before diving into the main course.

To complement an al fresco menu, what could be more appetizing than our Seafood Bisque with shrimp caught right off the dock? Hot soup in the summer is unconventional, but you will find your guests asking for seconds of this favorite.

Desserts around the pool might be a little tricky, but you can round out the quintessential Southern vibe with something everyone’s great-aunt probably used to make, Hummingbird Cake. For some whimsy, find hummingbird decorations and arrange them as though they are diving in. 

Lastly, I share recipes for my all-time favorite semi-homemade ice cream, Easy Tortoni Coconut Macaroon Ice Cream, and my husband’s favorite Oatmeal Lace Cookie — a perfect art form for me in the kitchen. I’ve included some great tips so you can find out how these recipes have stood the test of time.

The Azalea

---

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 drink

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 oz. gin (or vodka can be substituted if you prefer) 
2 oz. fresh pineapple juice
1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. grenadine
Lemon wedge, to garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the gin, pineapple juice, lemon juice and grenadine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 1 minute. 
2. Strain the contents of the shaker into a tall cocktail glass or coupe glass filled with ice. 
3. Garnish with a lemon wedge and enjoy! 

---

Easy Tortoni Coconut Macaroon Ice Cream

---

Prep Time: 5 minutes 
Chill Time: at least 2 hours
Yield: 1 1/2 quarts

INGREDIENTS

8  coconut macaroon cookies, best from a bakery but crisp, coconut macaroons can be substituted
1 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened
1/3 cup ground roasted, unsalted almonds
2 Tbsp. amaretto liqueur
1 Tbsp. grenadine
Cherries, optional
Whipped cream, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Crush most of the cookies in a food processor. Leave a few of the cookies in bigger pieces. 
2. In a large bowl, stir cookies, ice cream, ground almonds, amaretto and grenadine together. Continue stirring until well combined. 
3. Refreeze the ice cream in the freezer for at least 2 hours. 
4. When ready to serve, top with a cherry, whipped cream and a laced cookie, if desired. 

Scoop ice cream in advance onto a sheet pan and freeze. It will hold up longer in the glass for presentation.

---

Seafood Bisque

---

Prep Time: 10 to 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 10 to 12

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup salted butter, divided
2 1/4 cups Vidalia onions, diced
1 1/2 cups canned button mushrooms, drained and cut in half
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. shrimp base*
1 1/2 Tbsp. lobster base*
4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups half & half
3/4 tsp. paprika
2 1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
Cooked shrimp, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Sauté the onions and mushrooms in the butter until the onions are translucent.
3. In a Dutch oven, melt the remaining 1/2 cup of butter. Add the flour and whisk until the flour has dissolved in the melted butter and a creamy, light brown paste (a roux) has formed. 
4. Cook the roux until it is dark tan in color. Add the shrimp base and lobster base; mix well.
5. Stir in the milk slowly and let the mixture thicken until it looks like peanut butter. 
6. Add the heavy cream and the half & half to the onions and mushrooms and heat through. 
7. Slowly add the onion mixture to the roux mixture, then add the paprika. Let it come to a slow boil and then add the sugar.  
8. Reduce to low heat and cook until the soup thickens, about 35 to 40 minutes.
9. Add shrimp to each serving as a garnish and a hearty addition. 

Note: I use fresh large shrimp, sautéed in butter and cut into bite-size chunks. You can also use small popcorn-size shrimp, adding 6 to 8 for one cup of soup or 12 to 14 for a bowl.  

My husband and I are fortunate enough that our dock in Beaufort ends on top of a shrimp hole. One of our favorite things to do in Beaufort is to throw the cast net with the grandchildren. 

*Shrimp base and lobster base are available at specialty food stores. If you do not have a local specialty food store, check at amazon.com or an online specialty food store. Although it may require more work to find these ingredients, both add so much flavor to this soup and will give you enough to make this many times! 

Serving soup outside can be done easily in a crock pot and you can build a “designer wall” around it with stones, hardwood used in your fireplace, or sprayed cardboard cutouts.

---

Hummingbird Cake

---

Prep Time: 25 to 30 minutes 
Bake Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Makes: 9-inch, 4-layer cake
Serves: 20 to 24 (3/4″ or 1″ slices)

INGREDIENTS

Cake

Floured baking spray
3 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups Wesson^® vegetable oil
3 ripe bananas, chopped
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
12 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Icing

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
16 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar

DIRECTIONS

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease and flour four 9-inch pans lined with parchment paper.
2. Beat the sugar, oil and bananas in the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed until bananas are broken down, about 3 minutes.
3. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. 
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Add the vanilla and beat well.  
6. Combine the cake flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl and mix with a wire whisk. 
7. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture slowly and beat until well blended. 
8. Scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate any unmixed batter if necessary. 
9. Beat the batter for 7 minutes on medium speed.
10. Add the crushed pineapple and chopped pecans to the batter and mix until well blended. 
11. Divide the batter evenly between the four prepared pans. Tap the pans on the counter to ensure there are no air bubbles.        
12. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test doneness by touching a cake top. If it springs back, it is done. If the indentation stays, it needs 2 to 3 minutes longer. 
13. Cool the cakes for at least 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from the pans.

Icing

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer for 3 minutes. At the end of the 3 minutes, scrape the bowl extremely well. 
2. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 1 to 2 minutes. 
3. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, beating on low to ensure the sugar does not fly out of the mixing bowl. 
4. After each addition of confectioners’ sugar, scrape the bowl extremely well. 
5. Once all the confectioners’ sugar is incorporated, beat on low speed for 3 minutes.
6. Spread icing between the cake layers and then on the top and sides of the stacked layers.

Hide a couple of box fans in the shrubs. Your guests will welcome the refreshing breeze.

---

Seen in the May 2024 issue of Augusta magazine