Spontaneous ¡Salud! Gathering

Since I now live practically next door to my mom, grandparents, and aunt and uncle, we find ourselves switching off hosting dinner at least once a week. I know I can’t be alone when I say, I’m always in need of some fresh weeknight dinner inspiration when it’s my turn to host! One style of cuisine that I’ve found is a fool-proof crowd pleaser is Mexican.  
 
Enter our latest curated gathering: Spontaneous ¡Salud!, inspired by such a circumstance, and the perfect go-to solution for any night of the week, or even to set the scene for a festive Cinco De Mayo celebration. 

 

 

The Gathering 

A Spontaneous ¡Salud! is a laid-back and simple-to-execute gathering that is perfect for spicing up a weeknight dinner or can even be enhanced to become a larger celebration... Cinco de Mayo anyone?  

Having a themed menu as the main event made for the details to come together with ease. A set table with fresh florals and a bar ready for everyone to serve themselves set the tone for a laid-back setting where we could still gather to watch our grandparents’ favorite shows before sitting down to enjoy the meal. 

 

The Table & Serving Spread  

Sitting around the table over a shared meal is something we love to do, and our weeknight meals are no exception, although sometimes we’ll opt for perching around the kitchen island or in front of the TV to watch my grandparents’ favorite – Jeopardy. It’s tradition! 
 
A simple placemat, dinner plate, key platters, and bowls for family-style serving are all you need for this gathering. I love the laid-back feel of the dinnerware pieces from our Fundamentals Collection for my Spontaneous ¡Salud! gathering, and then added in a few of my favorite blue hues from Iris Blue to bring a purposeful look to life.

I’ve discovered over the years that simply setting the table can instantly enhance the mood for even a casual weeknight dinner. 

 

The Bar 

Since this was a Mexican-inspired gathering, a few fresh cocktails simply had to be in attendance as well! I arranged the bar area to be a self-serve-station for everyone to make their own Classic Margaritas or refreshing Ranch Waters. 

 

The Menu 

For this Spontaneous ¡Salud! gathering, I wanted the Mexican cuisine inspired menu to feature tacos as the main event, but for the rest to be simple enough to execute for a weeknight dinner.  
 
Tacos are always a crowd-pleaser and can be fun for a family style serving so everyone can build their own tacos based on their preference. I opted for chicken tacos with a side of Mexican rice. Something light but still satisfying!  

 

The Menu Included: 

• Chicken Tacos & All the Toppings 

• Mexican-style Rice 

• Fried Ice Cream for Dessert – A little something special! 

• Classic Margarita   

 

If you wanted to amp up the menu a bit for a more festive occasion like Cinco De Mayo, you could add more options to each course like: 

 

The Décor 

Since the intent is to be easy to execute and casual, you can let the food speak for itself, but if you wanted to enhance the décor, you could always lean into festive décor pieces like interesting lights, candles, or potted cacti to fit the theme! 

Spice up your weeknight with a casual gathering with a menu inspired by an all-Mexican cuisine and host your own Spontaneous ¡Salud! Gathering.