A new playlist for the summer.

I've called it “Ina's Mini Cooper Ride!”

Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here. If you aren’t subscribed, consider keeping in touch. I'll send you great recipes and entertaining ideas twice a month.

Over the holiday, I put together a new playlist I've called “Ina's Mini Cooper Ride,” which you can find on Spotify or Apple Music.

One of my favorite things to do on a gorgeous summer day is to put down the top of my Mini Cooper and go for a ride, whether it's to the beach with a friend (here with the amazing Willie Geist!) or just running errands around town. Singing along with a good playlist always puts me in a great mood. Hope it makes you feel like singing in the car, too!

---

Ask Ina:

“What can I do to make hosting a dinner party more fun for myself? I get so nervous!”

I still get nervous when I’m having a party, and I’ve been doing it for over 30 years!

There are so many things to do and never enough time. (I always think I should vacuum behind the refrigerator before people come over!) So, I sit down and make a list of everything I can do in advance and divide it among the number of days left until the party.

Four days in advance, I’ll decide on the menu, make a shopping list, and plan the cooking schedule. I’m specific: the shopping list will say 2 pints of blueberries and 12 ounces of olive oil. If I’m writing out a long shopping list, I organize it by section—dairy, meat & fish, produce, shelf goods, freezer, and miscellaneous. The schedule will read: 5:00 P.M. boil the potatoes; 5:30 P.M. turn the oven to 350 degrees; 6:00 P.M. put the lamb in the oven.

Three days before, I’ll shop for all of the nonperishables such as flour, butter, sugar, and onions, so on the day of the party, I’ll just need to buy perishables like fish and blueberries.

One or two days before, I’ll set the table—polish silver, iron napkins, and arrange the flowers. If the flower petals are tight when they come from the florist, it gives them a few days to open and look gorgeous for the party.

I also take out all the platters and write Post-its for them that say “lamb” and “orzo.” Just when I’m ready to serve isn’t the time I want to realize that last time I hosted I broke my favorite platter and forgot to replace it!

Whenever I'm planning a dinner menu, I always pick something I can make in advance, something you can put in the oven and forget about it, something that goes on top of the stove, and something that's served at the room temperature, so four things don't have to be hot at the same time.

---

This Week’s Favorites:

• Jeffrey and I had a few friends over for the Fourth of July, and we served Hasselback Kielbasa and Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad. But the Mixed Berry Pavlova stole the show—light, crisp, and topped with fresh berries. It was the perfect summer dessert.

• I rediscovered my copy of Cucina Simpatica, a wonderful cookbook from the restaurant Al Forno in Providence, Rhode Island. They were one of the first to roast Brussels sprouts instead of boiling them, and it completely changed the way I cook vegetables.

• I had the pleasure of interviewing Christine Baranski recently, and part of my homework was watching The Gilded Age. The third season is so much fun, and it’s airing right now!