I had the most spectacular evening with my friends at Shakespeare in the Park. Every summer Shakespeare Dallas produces two William Shakespeare shows performed at the Samuell-Grand Ampitheater just south east of downtown Dallas. You get to take a picnic and wine and enjoy theater the same way they would have had Shakespeare’s time: under the stars. It’s positively magical! Truly, what could be a more Rose Table event than that?!
Disclaimer: several years after my first article raving about Shakespeare Dallas, the company hired me to do their PR. If you didn’t know, I work as a publicist when I’m not writing about food.
The Wine
I think this might be the prettiest bottle of rosé I’ve ever seen. Sadly, the chilled glass was a little frosty to really capture the beauty of the etched roses in pictures but trust me, it’s gorgeous. I had high hopes for this wine, since it has the perfect soft blush color of all of my favorite rosés and since it’s made in Provence, France – two good signs! This was my first time drinking Danica Rosé and I was quite impressed. It’s a delightful, tart rosé with notes of cantaloupe and peach. I will definitely buy this lovely wine again!
The Food
I wanted a super easy make-ahead picnic because I knew I would have a busy workday on Friday. I made the cookie dough one day, baked the cookies the next, then all I had to do was make pasta salad in the morning and pack it up in my gorgeous custom Rose Table tote by King of Handmade. So easy! I also took blue hydrangeas in a lightweight gold vase and my favorite rose picnic blanket.
Menu
Pimento Cheese and Crackers
Cherries
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Much Ado Cookies
Pimento Cheese and Crackers
If Ina Garten taught me anything, it’s that you don’t have to make every single thing from scratch to be a great entertainer. I purchased this insanely creamy pimento cheese by Bodega Provisions at the farmers market and decided to take it on the picnic with crackers for an easy appetizer. Yum!
Cherries
I’m a sucker for fresh cherries. I gobble them up all summer long!
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
This might just be the best pasta salad I’ve ever made. It just turned out perfectly. With tons of fresh herbs, creamy feta cheese, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, and a lemon zest dressing, it’s a simple but elegant combination and only takes minutes to stir together. Get the recipe here.
Much Ado Cookies
This whimsical twist on my Chocolate Walnut Cookies has pistachios, white chocolate chips, and dark chocolate chips. The result is sweet, salty, serious, fun, and a little chaotic – just like Much Ado About Nothing! The best part? These cookies stay nice and soft all week long. Get the recipe here.
The Show
Shakespeare Dallas never disappoints! This production of Much Ado About Nothing subverted Shakespeare expectations by setting the classic comedy in the 1970s at a Hawaiian resort meaning of course the costumes are fantastic. The show even featured 70’s music and some dance numbers that had the audience tappin’ their toes. It’s an action-packed, high-energy production and the crowd went wild.
It was truly the most spectacular night with my friends under the stars. Go see it! Love theater as much as I do? Be sure to check out my Midsummer Night’s Dream party, Romeo & Juliet dinner, and SIX the Musical party!
Watch the Shakespeare in the Park episode:
What a fun adventure! And cheers to Shakespeare in the park!