Summer, with sunny days and fresh peaches, has always been my favorite season, but I’m especially excited for this summer because in four days I graduate from high school! I can’t wait for what will be the first summer I can remember with almost no obligations, before I head off to New York City for college in the fall! This past week has been a blur of bittersweet moments – graduation from the choir that has been my second family for eight years, going out for one last lunch before my boarding student friends fly home, and handing over the senior class to the juniors at “garden party,” one of my school’s many spring traditions. But in general my mood has been dominated by excitement for graduation and (much more importantly) my grad party.

It seemed only natural that my party would center around food, so besides cleaning and decorating the house, we’ve been busy whipping up bacon-arugula quiches, salmon-puff pastry packets, gallons of sweet tea, and millions of mocha-chip cookies and brownies. Meanwhile, we’re assembling a whimsical candy and cookie bar because, while I may be 18, I’m still very much a kid.
Enjoy a few teaser pictures for now as we prepare… Pictures of the party itself, as well as recipes, will follow soon!