Tucked into the rhythm of the Catskills, chef and cookbook author Alexis deBoschnek hosts with ease and abundance—from cocktail hour garden strolls to tables dressed in Balsam and good company. Here’s how she brings people together, one martini and pavlova at a time.
What inspired you to choose Balsam as the color for this collection?
When I moved back to my childhood home in the Catskills after living in Los Angeles, I felt overwhelmed by how green it was here. For half the year it feels like you’re swimming in a sea of green. It felt like a natural choice to channel this amazing nature all around me for this collection.
How do you imagine people using these pieces in their everyday life?
What I love about Balsam is that you can really dress it up–or down. I love that it makes whatever you put on it pop, whether that’s an easy pasta on a weeknight or something a little bit more involved when you have friends over.
What’s your favorite way to style a table with Balsam?
I love mixing in vintage serveware, Moroccan glasses, and fun textiles.
What do you hope people feel when they use this collection? The joy of Balsam is that it’s so effortlessly chic. I hope Balsam helps people take some self imposed pressure off when they’re setting the table!
What does a perfect day at home look like for you?
The morning is spent in the garden with my dog nearby. For lunch I’m eating some type of salad with smoked fish. Then, my husband and I are going to some body of water for the afternoon–our pond, a nearby lake, or river–to swim, nap, and read. Somehow in this time I’ve also managed to put an entire dinner party together and at 6 pm 12 of our closest friends come over. There’s a lot of snacks, riebeyes on the grill, martinis, and a pavlova to end the night.
What do you love most about hosting in the Catskills?
We’re unbelievably lucky to live where we do. I love starting the night with a walk around our garden–cocktail in hand–to show off the latest dahlias in bloom and let friends pick whatever fruit is ripe–black, golden, and red raspberries, currants, blueberries, apples…the list goes on. It feels like a fun way to get people to relax into the space.
Any favorite spots or traditions up there that keep you grounded?
We live on a 100 acre farm. There’s an outlook on the top of our mountain which looks out over the Catskills and makes me feel grounded every time I’m up there.
What are three things you always have on hand for an impromptu dinner?
Living in the country it’s imperative that I keep a well-stocked pantry at all times. There’s always crackers and tinned fish in the pantry and olives and some type of cheese in the fridge so that snacks can come together quickly. Pasta, canned tomatoes, and store-bought ice cream are all staples too. That’s more than three but with those ingredients you can make a totally impressive dinner on the fly!
What’s one dish that never fails to impress but is deceptively simple?
My husband’s grandmother has an incredible recipe for hot fudge sauce, which I’ve slightly adapted. Serve that with store-bought ice cream and whatever toppings you have and I promise you your friends will be talking about it for the next year.
How do you want your guests to feel when they leave your table?
I want them to feel like they’ve been completely taken care of for the few hours they were over.
What’s your favorite season to cook in the Catskills?
Like so many parts of the country, June through October is truly brimming with produce here. I try to savor every season as best I can but I find those months hard to beat.
Do you have a go-to comfort meal you make just for yourself?
If left to my own devices I’m making pasta with a quick ragu and a lot of grated Parmesan.
