SUMMER
SOIRÉE
Apéritifs and amuse-bouches: A perfect mix of easy
‘docktails’ and small-bites for dockside entertaining
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DENNIS MCDANIEL
RECIPES AND STYLING BY DEBORAH JOHNSON
SUMMER 2021 | LAKE OCONEE LIVING 31
STORY BY ANDREA GABLE
When it comes to entertaining
around
the lake during the
summer, the dock becomes a
natural extension of the home.
It’s a place where people gather,
whether they’re guests from out
of town or neighbors who pop
by on their boat.
The dock has become much
more than a parking space for a
boat or a platform for fishing. It’s
an ideal place to entertain. As
such, people like local chef Deborah
Johnson are beginning to
“think outside the cooler” when
it comes serving food and drinks
for a summer soiree.
She says it’s easy to add a
French flair to your entertaining
with simple apéritifs and
amuse-bouches.
“Apéritif” is a French word
derived from the Latin verb
“aperire,” meaning “to open.”
Therefore, an apéritif is the drink
served before a meal to stimulate
the appetite.
Similarly, amuse-bouches are
single, bite-sized hors d’oeuvres
served before a meal to essentially
prepare a guest for a chef’s
style. The term literally means
“mouth amuser.”
These small-bites can be made
ahead and easily served on the
dock or taken along on the boat,
no plates or utensils needed.
The perfect “docktails” are
quick and easy drink mixes that
don’t require a fully-stocked
bar to create. Just bring a few
ingredients and plenty of ice
and guests can enjoy refreshing
apéritifs on hot summer days.
Here, Johnson shares some of
her favorite French apéro ideas
for summer. Take them out on
your next boat ride around Lake
Oconee, and if you close your
eyes, you might just feel like
you’re cruising down the French
Riviera.