Your CartFall! Season of so many gorgeous delights. Entertaining in fall is my very favorite. Luckily here in Southern California the weather is still mild until evening, so that we can entertain outdoors. Learn how to set up this gorgeous Autumn Crostini Bar party today.
This is a perfect inspiration for arranging an easy and relaxed party for Fall gatherings, Friends-Giving, for serving Thanksgiving appetizers.
When autumn’s sweet breezes bring summer’s heat to a mere memory, it’s time for the long-awaited season of porch parties and fall garden entertaining to begin. This year, it’s a definite bonus!
This amazing crostini bar idea was created by my darling friend Lisa from Delicious Table. Lisa is always my “go to” chef, I love collaborating with her. Be sure to check out her beautiful site, I’m sure you will be pinning quite a bit of her recipes for future use.
What is so fabulous about this crostini bar is that your guests can create and enjoy different combinations, and share their favorites at your party.
But the really great thing about this is that you can make everything ahead. So you can enjoy every moment of your own party. I’m always a fan of that!
For this set-up, I used our smaller table in the front garden here at FrenchGardenHouse as the base. Having this outside fits in perfectly with our social distancing these days, too.
Gather the Necessities.
Use what you have to design a visually beautiful display.
Gather these to set up your crostini display:
- Tables and chairs
- Plates
- Glasses
- Antique silverware
- Linens & Napkins
- Antique cutting boards
- Baskets
- Fresh flowers
- One or more pumpkins
- Small ceramic bowls
- Long-serving boards
- Chalkboard
- Crates
Set the Scene For Your Crostini Bar Party.
Get creative with setting up the table you are serving from. Pick a place with shade and consider the weather. {You can set your table up inside if the weather isn’t cooperating.} For our photo shoot day, the sun was waning, it was around 4:30 in the afternoon.
Try to set up a scene with different levels, placing things high, low, and spilling out of baskets.
I layered the wood garden table with an antique French linen sheet, then stacked a few French crates on their side for height. A large wood antique boulangerie board on top of the crate provides a firm surface for the easy flower arrangement in a pumpkin. An antique French pottery vase holds a handful of dried wheat.
Read HOW TO CREATE A PUMPKIN CENTERPIECE HERE >
A Crostini bar party is such fun! Make ahead – so that you will enjoy it just as much as everyone else. What could be better?!
The basics are a whipped feta cheese and whipped goat cheese to spread on the toasts, {Lisa has the recipes!} then layer on toppings! The sky is really the limit. Most of these toppings you buy, what could be easier?
To get the full details read Lisa’s recipe post >
Everyone can take a crostini toast or two – {make that 6 or more!} – spread whipped goat cheese or whipped feta cheese on each, and add their favorite toppings.
Trust me, there won’t be anything left but crumbs!
HOW TO MAKE CROSTINI TOASTS
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
1. Slice your French baguette into 1/2″ slices.
2. Arrange slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. {I use parchment paper}
3. Drizzle slices with olive oil and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
I usually make my crostini toasts the day before serving. Let them cool all the way to room temperature, then place in a ziplock bag.
Large Vintage Bread Basket | New Linen Napkins | Antique Silver | Place Cards
Happy Fall everyone! {Not entertaining just yet? You can make less of everything or choose just a few toppings and make this for 2 or 4 or 6 in your family too.}
We are unpacking the most glorious French antiques. See what’s new for fall!
WHAT IS YOUR FUN “GO TO” FOOD FOR ENTERTAINING?
A BIENTOT
Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and above all uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com
This sounds as delicious as it is beautifully arranged – pinned! Thank you, Lidy and Lisa!
You are welcome Rita! Hope you do this in some form or other soon. : ) xo
Lidy, thank you for this great post. Crostinis are one of hubby’s favorite things, mine too. This is such a great idea for a gathering. Hopefully, we will be seeing such events another summer.
Have a great day, Lidy.
Hope you have a great day too, sweet friend. I think you could tailor this for a two person “dinner” easily too Sandra! Maybe add a great soup and salad.
What a fun post Lidy. I’m a fan of crostini and throughly enjoyed Lisa’s recipes and am on my way to the market to get blue cheese, pears and a baguette.
That sounds delicious Alice! I’m going to serve this to our family (kids and little people) next time they come for a garden dinner, with a salad and soup.
What a clever idea. I’m seeing how I could adapt this to an outdoor, social distance bar with separate tables for each couple, all set with a variety of crostini and toppings so they don’t have to touch the same implements or be close to the table and perhaps without masks (hopefully they are masked to converse with those outside their pod.) I’m getting a good idea here if I can pull it off before the weather gets too cold to be outside!
Jeanie, that is exactly what I thought about this set up. It’s really a perfect and very fun way to entertain any time, but especially during this time. It’s really not that much work, you buy everything and the two cheese spreads are the only thing besides the crostini toasts that you make. (and you could scout out bought versions of those, too!)
Our Fall crostini bar turned out to be so easy and a great way to entertain even at the last minute for busy people like us! Always a joy to style with you Lidy in your gorgeous home and garden …XO Lisa
It’s the perfect way to entertain! Your recipes and ideas are always stellar. Thank you again, not only did we have so much fun, the food was SO GOOD!!
Oh, Lidy, you are always so good to us! Beautiful ideas, recipes and complete with “how to’s”. Such a beautiful setting, and minimum work for hostess enjoyment! Love it! Thank you!
Sharon, isn’t this such a brilliant idea Lisa came up with?! I am so doing this the next time our kids and little people come by for another socially distanced dinner.
What a great idea!….Saving this post for the future!
Lots of great toppings and so beautifully displayed!
Can’t wait to have a “crowd” over … hopefully soon!