The Acre Substack Dinner Party | Better At Home Cookbook Feature

A dinner party curation and double recipe feature from Colu Henry's latest book, Better at Home: Recipes for Big Nights In.

May 27, 2026

∙ Paid

I am loving the community on Substack. There are so many brilliant creators, and I am inspired everyday to create, cook or learn something new.

Each month I will pull together my curation of what I am loving into a themed dinner party, with tableware and additional ideas to round it out. This is going to be so fun to see how these evolve over the year. Join me at The Acre February Substack Dinner Party.

This month I have the joy and honor of featuring Colu Henry beautiful book Better at Home: Recipes for Big Nights In. I am a new follower of Colu through her collaboration with Alexis deBoschnek called Double Take. They both take the same ingredients and create totally different recipes–such a fun concept! Across all of Colu’s Substack content, I am so inspired by her recipes and very often find myself saying ‘I need to cook that!’

Colu’s third book is a beauty–the recipes are elegant, yet simple and approachable to make, with a touch of fancy flare. Reading through the index makes me feel like I am scanning the titles of dishes in a must-visit restaurant. The joy is all of the dishes are better enjoyed at home, and Colu makes it possible to create each one.

For Better at Home’s On the Acre feature, I wanted to create a stunning spring dinner party. Honing into a menu was challenging, as Colu’s book is full of so many elevated dinner party fare–Scallop Crudo with Blood Orange and Mint, Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Caviar, Cappelletti in Brodo with Mortadella Meatballs–so many good things. I honed into a simple menu, perfect for the first garden gathering of the year.

Yellow Candle Holders, Plum Bowls, Rosewood Silverware Set, Vintage Napkin, Vintage Floral Plates, Beverage Basket, Vintage Silver Rimmed Coupe Glasses, Juice Jar, Brown Checked Tablecloth, Terracotta Pitcher, Olive Salad Servers, Small Mint Plates, Oval Platter, Blue Edged Platter, Pie Server

Setting the Table

I see this meal being set in the late afternoon in the garden, with a small group of close friends, ready to enjoy the warmest day of spring together over cocktails and brodo.

I love this backyard scene shared by alba maría elena, and feel like it fits the elevated at home vibe of Colu’s book. I especially love the clothes line of vintage linens–it adds height and interest above the table, gently fluttering in the breeze, adding an unexpected stylish element. It is also a fun way to show off family heirloom linens and one-of-a-kind pieces. I loved this vintage napkin and can see it hanging above the table as well as used for each place setting. Tying the table to the garden is a massive bunch of white lilacs, spilling from a terracotta pitcher.

The Aesthetic

Vintage, Picnic, Floral

The cover of Colu’s book evokes a rich and full hutch or built in stacked with heirloom plates, neatly pressed linens and polished silver. Elevated and familiar, the pieces I chose evoke a sense of having been used for many dinner parties, or will become an heirloom piece for years to come. I love the vintage floral plates paired with the Year & Day Big Bowls in Plum, the key elements tying this curation to Colu’s cookbook cover.

With this dinner being set out in the garden, I wanted to include a few cues to a picnic. A checkered tablecloth feels fitting for this meal, bringing in a touch of picnic charm. I love the idea of serving sips from a beverage basket, tying to a picnic in an elevated and fancy way.

The Menu

I selected this menu for it’s spring ingredients and elegant simplicity. I love a brodo, and making that the star of the table felt like the most spring thing to do.

The Pea Shoots and Leaves with Buttermilk and Feta Dressing would be served on the oval platter with the olive salad tongs.

The Cappelletti in Brodo with Mortadella Meatballs would be served in the plum bowls alongside the rosewood silverware set.

The Rye Blueberry Galette would be served on the blue edged platter with the mint pie server, served up on the small mint plates.

The Amaro Spritz would be served from a simple juice jar and poured into vintage silver rimmed coupe glasses.

Below you will find the recipe for Colu’s Cappelletti in Brodo with Mortadella Meatballs and The Amaro Spritz. Purchase Colu’s book for the other three recipes and the rest of her incredible dishes.