Would you believe me if I told you I woke up craving pasta with clams and decited to throw a themed dinner party, bought everything (including flowers, ingredients) and did it all on the same day? Well, July is my birthday month and I'm one of those people who celebrate all month long lol so I thought, why not?
Well, when you live in Memphis and decide to host a dinner party called "Shells & Champagne," you might find it a little harder to get all you need when it comes to... well "shells". But you better believe I made it work, by the end of the night the house was filled with the tantalizing aroma of pasta with clams, oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail, and—of course—copious amounts of champagne. Here's how it all went down.
The prep work began after I set up the menu. Super easy to do, I made it at Canva. I had this idea of using some clementines that I had at home and incoorporate them in the flavors and the decor.
Off I went to Trader Joes, got all the flowers and then picked up a huge order of clams and oysters from The Fresh Market. I definitely got way too much but I had no idea of what would an appropriate amount be.
First thing I did was make the flower arrangements and set the table.
Time to start cooking... my kitchen turned into a scene from a cooking show—minus the professional skills and my camera crew being my phone and a broken tripod.
The hardest part of the whole meal was definitely shucking the oysters. I know, I should have watched one or two youtube videos, but I suffer from a desease that tells me I can do (and figure out) anything by myself and oh boy was I wrong. I ended up with so many little cuts!
Clams and pasta were simmering, oysters were chilling, and shrimp cocktail was... well, mostly being taste-tested by Theo.
As the champagne cork started popping, the seafood spread took center stage. We kicked things off with shrimp cocktail, avocado shrimp sauce and of course, the oysters which, if I do say so myself, was the perfect balance of zesty and succulent. Watching the boys faces as they slurped them down was pure entertainment.
Finally, the pièce de résistance: Linguine alla Vongole, AKA pasta with clams. It was a hit, despite the fact that I might have been a little heavy-handed with the garlic. (Pro tip: There’s no such thing as too much garlic. Ever. You can get the recipe here.
As the evening wore on, the champagne flowed freely (from one of my hands to the other), and so did the laughter. We toasted to family, to good food, to being together always and to surviving the week without losing our minds (this one on Caleb and I lol). The playlist was a mix of summer hits and classic throwbacks (I've been obsessed with the Ella and Louis album and that was on repeat), with a spontaneous dance-off breaking out in the living room.
By the end of the night, the seafood was devoured, the champagne bottle was empty, and my home looked like a mermaid’s birthday party gone wild. The cleanup was daunting, but worth every delicious, bubbly moment.
Hosting a "Shells & Champagne" dinner party was an absolute blast. It was a reminder that the best moments in life are the ones filled with good food and just the right amount of chaos. So, if you’re considering throwing your own seafood soirée, do it. Cheers!
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