Dana Cowin is an award-winning editor, author, podcast host, and most relevantly, convener. Through her newest venture, the Progressive Hedonist, she’s working to create change through connecting and celebrating people, places, and ideas. Her work takes her across the country, hosting potlucks with community leaders to spur local efforts in the fight against climate change, bringing her guests food, connection, and joy. 

In honor of Earth Month, Dana is taking the mic in this edition of Field Notes as she shares her top tips for creating a low-impact, high-outcome dinner party.

When I entertain, I always want to nourish people and planet, while ramping up joy. Here’s my checklist:

1.  Figure out the Theme: 

I’ve been doing theme parties for 30 years, first at Food & Wine magazine, now as founder of Progressive Hedonist. For PH, the themes underscore a connection to the natural world, like a Polychromatic Potluck, where everyone was invited to bring a single-color food, making a rainbow on the table, and showcasing the magnificent range of ingredients from the Earth.

2. Decorate with Found Objects: 

To dress up the table,I look around my house for things that will go with the theme or guest list. When serving on a buffet, I often use books tied to the theme as stands so platters can be different heights. For a regenerative grain dinner, I pulled stacks of cookbooks like Camilla Marcus’s The Regenerative Kitchen to subtly bring the message home.

3. Forget Foreign Flowers:

The more I learn about the cut flower industry, which ships across the world, the more determined I am to only buy local stems, or clip from my own garden, or use living potted plants as decoration. I’ve also fallen completely in love with dried flowers–ones that are left after a party stay in their vase for weeks, changing color and shape. Sometimes these feel even more magical than recent blooms. 

4. Embrace the Mix-It--Up and Borrow Mentality:

In an effort to avoid all disposables (plates, silverware, glasses, platters, napkins), my cupboards look like a prop house. When setting the table, I use different patterns and styles with abandon. If I’m missing something, say for a really big party, I borrow from friends, and will also happily return the favor and lend from my collection.

5. Shop Smart + Simplify the Food: 

Not an accomplished or confident cook, I use shopping as my super power. I source the best local, seasonal ingredients I can find that are regeneratively grown and then prepare them simply, saving me a ton of effort while not compromising on flavor or deliciousness. At a recent dinner, I tossed four types of greens from Wood Thrush Farm with a Dijon vinaigrette and got multiple emails from one guest saying she had never tasted the difference between greens in a salad before and she couldn’t stop thinking about the peppery, buttery, crunchy, spindly lettuces. 

6. Rethink Drinks: 

Natural wine is nice, but I’m even more excited about N/A and full-proof cocktails to showcase techniques that align with no waste and preservation of the bounty of the season: fermenting as in kombucha or tepache, reducing ingredients into simple syrups, upcycling lemon rinds for rims, using local fruits. 

7. Plan for Leftovers: 

I love to serve a lot of food, to pile the table with platters–I also want to make sure that no food goes to waste. If I’ve gone a little overboard in the cooking, I just pack leftovers in glass containers and keep it in my fridge. If moderately overboard, I’ll send friends home with food in upcycled glass jars. If excessively overboard (usually at big group potlucks), I’ll ask for a volunteer to take the food to a community fridge.