What You Need to Throw an Indoor Garden Party

There’s a very special anticipation that comes with summer. It’s the still air and languid pace, the smell of peonies and the taste of iced tea. Now that it’s time to unbox summer, we’ve taken inspiration from the boutique flavors of the Pure Leaf Tea House Collection to come up with elevated spins on classic summer days.

The best-laid summer plans can be derailed by unexpected rain clouds and thunderstorms. Or maybe a seemingly never-ending heat wave gets to be unbearable and everyone needs a break from the relentless sun rays. Whatever the weather event, outdoor fun wants to come back inside. Which becomes its own type of new fun! So here we present the indoor garden party. It’s meant to be a little surprising and a lot delightful, much like Pure Leaf Tea House Collection Fuji Apple & Ginger flavor iced tea, which combines these unexpected flavors to create one very refreshing iced tea. Here’s how to pull it off…

Colorful, summery decorations and place settings are key to creating an al fresco feel, as authentically as possible while indoors. Quote the outside by bringing in string lights and fresh-cut flowers. For table accessories and utensils that fit the theme, pick up bamboo paper plates, cloth placemats: casual, yes, but more special than an everyday picnic in the park.

You may be surrounded by walls, but this is still a garden party; make it feel like one! A blanket laid out on the floor is not only perfectly acceptable, but highly encouraged. No extra chairs necessary (but extra cushions are a great idea). Hint: This gathering works better in the living room over the dining room.

Serve up dishes that highlight seasonal flavors. We love heaps of seasonal fruit, a Parisian-style cheese-and-baguette situation, and this vegetable-heavy Kale & Quinoa Salad with Dates, Almonds, & Citrus Dressing. You also can’t go wrong with the perennial picnic favorite, sandwiches. We’re making these California BLTs with Avocado and Basil Mayonnaise, a slightly more upscale take on a classic. And yes, you’re no longer outside, but it is still summer: keeping refreshed is still key. A quenching bottle of Pure Leaf Tea House Collection Fuji Apple & Ginger flavor iced tea pulls the whole thing together.

^{This post was created by the Kitchn Creative Studio and is sponsored by Pure Leaf Tea House Collection.
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