Volume 01 — Sasha Mei

On a hot July evening, a group of my favourite people gathered in the backyard of my family home for a special pasta night. There was nothing specific to celebrate other than good people getting together to enjoy our favourite food and good wine. Planning for such a serendipitous and delicious evening was truly such a pleasure on my end - I had the privilege of working with some of my absolute favourite brands and companies to make this whole thing come to life. A note: recipes, affiliate links/discount codes will be at the end of this article.

My mother likes to tease me about having all the “fluff” in order for any event - I seem to visualize how events will look and get carried away. She’s quick to remind me that you can’t have a dinner party without DINNER, so it seems fitting to start there. Any Italian nonna (please note that I am not one, nor do I have one, unless you’d like to count my aunt - great aunt? Once removed? - Maria, who is related only by marriage, though I truly wish I had an ounce of Italian in me) will tell you that the key to good food is good ingredients. Most of the time I believe that the North American food industry is trying to kill us (shoutout processed foods), but then there are gems like Muddy Crops that will change my mind. About four years ago, I worked at a little fruit and veg stand in Toronto’s Leaside neighbourhood, and it was truly the best job I ever had. This little berry stand evolved to what is now known as Muddy Crops, an independent farm-to-table small business that drives to all the best local farms so that you can get the best and freshest rare, hard to find, highest quality fruit, veg, eggs, and meat to your table. Looking for caraflex (an adorable cabbage)? Hakurei turnips? Cucamelons? Steve’s your guy. He’s also passionate about every farm he goes to - most of the veg for this pasta night came from Ohme farms in the Niagara region, one of the best according to Steve.

Having food is important and all, but it’s nothing without a surface on which to consume it. In my own kitchen I use Fable crockery. All of my plates and bowls and glasses and cutlery are Fable. I love Fable. I have yet to find another brand that makes such simple, timeless, and quality designs that are so practical. There’s no separation between “everyday” and “occasion” plates for me - Fable is suitable for every occasion (though I think every meal is an occasion). We share the same philosophy that joy comes from moments shared over good food and good company, so what better brand to inaugurate these little gatherings? For this evening I experimented with a little something called COLOUR, which compliments a break from the #neutralaesthetic wave I’ve been riding for so many years. I think it’s nice to mix and match, so we went with the pale pink plates as a base (also an unconventionally large dessert plate, but when you have multiple desserts…more on that later), and the midnight blue pasta bowls. Since the pasta served was light in colour, the blue provided an elegant contrast. Flatware was entirely matte black, because how could it not be? It looked so understated and sophisticated next to our punchy plate arrangement. Plus I love breaking rules and paring navy and black together. Sue! Me!

I cannot forget to mention glassware. I am the world’s biggest klutz, and have broken numerous glasses on numerous dates (there are other occasions as well, I just thought I’d share the most embarrassing). Stemmed wine glasses? Scary. I decided I wanted to do things Italian style and went with Fable’s Short Glasses, which are scratch-resistant, lightweight, and durable. Personally I wouldn’t experiment with this at home, but there are Fable ads circulating that test the durability of their soda-lime glassware by dropping it, which I had to watch (and couldn’t stop watching) with my eyes mostly closed. Nevertheless, the glass persisted and survived, sans casualties.

To fill those glasses, we were so generously provided prosecco by FIOL, and non-alcoholic bevvies by Toronto-native brand Barbet. FIOL is one of my favourites for a simple yet elegant crowd pleaser - founded by Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, husband to Jessica Chastain (and Italian nobility?), this sparkling wine was one I’ve brought to dinners and parties for years. It’s delightfully easy to drink, and there are even rumours that something about the bubbles in here results in fewer (read: more bearable) hangovers. Their rosé prosecco changed my mind about how I feel about rosé (read: good), and is definitely worth trying at your next summer soirée. Serve chilled!

Barbet is a newcomer to the table - many of my guests were familiar with FIOL, but few had sampled the unlikely and scintillating flavours Barbet had to offer. The drink emerged from the mere fact that there are very few (read: none) 0% ABV brands that look good and taste good (read: allow you to seamlessly fit in aesthetically at a party where everyone is drinking). Whether you were dry or looking to hydrate in between coups of prosecco, Barbet was enjoyed by all. My favourite flavour is “Light Wave” - described as “a crunchy cucumber and sun-soaked pineapple with a smooch of lavender.” Beguiling, I know.

Let’s talk ambiance. I’m a longtime fan of 2PEONIES, a Toronto-based floral company. Julia is a talented, self-taught florist that began her company as a flower circuit, noting that flowers have the ability to immerse a “passive wellness” into our everyday lives simply by adding to a space. She began a flower circuit that quickly gained momentum in the city, and she really brought the creative vision of this dinner party to life. The goal was to have multiple floral instalments on the farm tables and beverage tables that would provide a beautiful compliment to the dishes, but not take away from the company sitting across the table. Again, this speaks to the idea of passive wellness - Julia’s arrangements enhanced conversations rather than deterred from them. She played with a mix of wildflowers such as chamomile, and dinner table favourites like anemones and roses, creating a texture and soft colour play that exuded a relaxing and enticing summer evening.

Amongst Julia’s floral arrangements were several candles from SIDIA, my current favourite candle. I wanted the dinner to feel homey and cozy, even though the decor was so elevated. Fragrance is one of my favourite ways to do that - our brains distinctly connect memory with fragrance, so I wanted to bring in a scent that would feel positive and uplifting to associate with the events of the evening. SIDIA’s vision is that we “come home to ourselves”, which really ties in the cozy and intimate element. On the farm tables we went with the Wired candles, a delicious fusion of ash-spiced tobacco, tonka, and tea leaves, with soothing ginger for a calming effect. In the bathroom we placed Braless candles (a musky, woody, and sensual scent that I love for more intimate and relaxed spaces) as well as a little preview of SIDIA’s new handcare system. Their exfoliating handwash is more luxurious than any of us deserve, and the soothing cactus flower extract, avocado and shea butters, and prickly pear within the hand serum hydrate the skin while absorbing so quickly that there is no sticky or greasy sensation. You won’t want to miss this handwashing duo, which launches on August 16. It’s bound to go quickly, so I’ve included a link below to pre-order.

And now for the finer details.