I’m not about to spill all my linen beans, but let me tell you this: people really love an ivory linen tablecloth. There is a very good reason for that – ivory linen tablecloths are gorgeous. The very subtle sheen and drape intrinsic to linen give life to the fabric; the touch is soft and comforting; and the clean, crisp off-white is timeless, elegant, sophistication.
The occasion for this outdoor lunch party was to celebrate Easter Sunday (a keen eye will spot the chocolate eggs!) – so we went big on the yellow flowers and complemented the tablecloth with Huddleson Melita Aqua and White linen napkins for a pastel flourish. But another great thing about an ivory linen tablecloth – you can use it all year round because it pairs beautifully with every other color.
I prefer a little wildness to my floral arrangements – nothing too prissy. Here I used all bright sunshine yellow and green which gave a nice dramatic, joyous punch. I arranged tulips and ranunculus low and wide; forsythia blossom for height; and some foliage for volume. The vintage white porcelain vases and oversized green bottle are flea market finds.
So what did we eat? We started with a beet, goats cheese and endive salad. Cut red and yellow beets into cubes and roast for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard and oil. Allow the beets to cool and then add the endives, some walnut pieces and some goats cheese. We didn’t have time to arrange it perfectly, so we tossed some edible flowers on top to prettify.
The main course was slow roasted pork with crackling and apple sauce; roast vegetables and potatoes dauphinoise. Even here in Los Angeles, we found it hard to find a butcher who had a rump joint with the skin on. So we asked the butcher to give us some skin separately and we tied it to the joint. I’m glad we did because the crackling was absolutely delicious and it is a treat that you get to enjoy rarely.
This recipe takes over 6 hours. There are quicker ways of cooking a pork roast, but you do get a wonderfully tender result by cooking it low and slow. Bring the meat up to room temperature and make sure the skin is dry. Score the skin with a very sharp knife and rub salt into it. Season the underside with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes at 425F. Then turn the oven down to 325F, cover the meat with silver foil and cook for 4 1/2 hours more. Take the joint out of the roasting tray. Drain out all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Layer in loosely chopped onions, carrots, zucchini, garlic. Coat the vegetables with the pork juices and I like to add a splash of orange juice too. Put the pork on top of the vegetables and cook for 45 mins more. Serve with fresh gravy and apple sauce (chop up any apples and boil until soft – add a touch of brown sugar, salt and maybe brandy).
I also made potatoes dauphinoise. Set you mandolin to 2mm. Slice peeled potatoes into an oven safe dish. Cover with heavy whipping cream, a generous amount of chopped garlic and some grated gruyere. Bake at 300F until browned (approx 1 hour).
And look how happy everyone was! The perfect Sunday lunch party. Very easy and, as I always ensure, something that can all be put together before your guests arrive so that you can relax and enjoy the moment. 
If you need an ivory linen tablecloth, it is for sale in many sizes here; and the Melita Aqua and White napkins are here. And please let us know if you need a custom size or have any questions!
