Savoring Simply

By Melissa Rubalcaba Riske

courtesy of Chicuterie and Farmhouse School

Edible flowers frozen in ice cubes to delicious trays of meats, cheeses and fruits, when it comes to summer entertaining, it can be the small touches that make a big difference to your guests.

For those looking to improve their home entertainment game, a few of the area’s entrepreneurs can lead the way.

Geneva resident Michelle Parker’s love for hosting is the inspiration behind Chi-cuterie in downtown Geneva.

“I just love, love gathering people and making people feel loved,” Parker.

She was passionate about hosting guests at her home and when she decided it was time for a career change, she got creative. Chi-cuterie offers shoppers online and in-store everything they need to build the perfect food tray. Book an appointment for a tasting and take time to explore the different meats and cheeses as a guest in the dining rooms at Chi-cuterie where Parker still gets to enjoy entertaining guests.

From the cozy Bourbon room on the second floor to the outdoor patio, guests can sip and savor different flavors. Take a break from entertaining and catch live music on the outdoor patio, a wheelchair accessible area with yard games for visitors of all ages to enjoy.

“We’ve created this amazing space,” Parker said.

Parker, her husband Robert and her staff work hard to build their menu from local businesses, from those in the Tri-Cities to those in the Midwest.

“We get our honey from Geneva, and we support a local bakery as well as other local businesses,” Parker said. “I had a vision for what I wanted to create.”

She said when it comes to serving guests, the food should look beautiful and taste amazing.

And she loves surprise touches like vanilla popcorn, chocolate covered potato chips and even helping guests find the perfect wine to pair with items on their charcuterie board.

“Our wine and beer selection is very small, but is curated to go with our meats and cheeses,” Parker said.

Parker helps others passionate about entertaining continue to be successful. Chicuterie helps create customized charcuterie boards, in varying sizes and themes. One can even order a custom board, a perfect gift for a host or newlyweds.

Planning a romantic picnic or attending an outdoor concert?

Parker has rentable picnic baskets. Select meals and bites and enjoy a borrowed basket.

“This is so popular,” Parker said. “People don’t have the space to store a basket, so borrow one of ours.”

Country Village Meats

countryvillagemeats.com

715 E. State St., Suite 100, Geneva (630) 345-6900

Using vintage methods to prepare quality artisanal products, Country Village Meats provides a selection of beef, pork, poultry, seasonings, sausages and more to complete the perfect backyard barbeque.

Vintage 53

vintage53.com

162 S. 1st St., St. Charles (630) 549-0423

Indulge your guests with one of their exquisite to-go trays featuring an array of meats, cheeses and more for up to 15 people. They can also create grazing tables for groups of 20 or more guests.

The Wine Exchange

thewineexchangestc.com

1 Illinois St., #140, St. Charles (630) 513-5577

Find your next favorite wine to enjoy with dinner on the back patio, taking in the sunset. The Wine Exchange features fine wines from California as well as international varieties. Don’t forget to check out their brunch and catering menu to make hosting a snap.

Wurst Kitchen

wurstkitchen.com

638 Second Ave., #4418, Aurora (630) 898-9242

Here you’ll find an impressive selection of handcrafted sausages and other specialty meats. Throughout each year, they serve about 80 different choices of gourmet proteins for folks to enjoy.

Several miles west in Campton Hills Leslie Meredith enjoys teaching people the art of outdoor entertaining at her home business, Farmhouse School.

Meredith grew up in the small town of Gilberts. After graduation, she left for college and traveled abroad. In her fast-paced corporate career, she found gardening a small patch in her suburban home a relaxing hobby and in 2021, when the perfect property came on the market, she decided to make the leap from a corporate lifestyle to a profession sharing her cooking and gardening skills with others.

Today, from her 2.5 acres of land that includes a barn built in the 1830s, she hosts cooking classes for all ages and advocates the benefits of growing fresh produce right in one’s backyard.

“If you can get stuff fresh and local it’s going to taste better,” Meredith said.

Each spring she starts with plants that are able to tolerate the cold, including peas, spinach and kale. As the weather warms, she plants tomatoes, peppers, and delicate herbs like basil.

“I think you should grow what you love to eat,” Meredith said.

When it comes to entertaining, she loves to keep it simple: enjoy the outdoors and think about some fun touches, like serving guests cocktails and mocktails with herbs and wildflowers frozen in ice cubes. Pluck a few flowers and arrange them in a mason jar on the table for a simple centerpiece. Her go-to dessert in the summer is a lemon basil cake and when the peaches are ready, she loves to grill up a few and serve them in a bowl with her best vanilla ice cream.

“Eat outside, just put a long table out there and enjoy time with guests,” she said. “You want to have fun as the host, so try to keep it simple. And when you pick produce fresh from your garden, it’s simple and it’s the best.”