FAT HEAD HONEY FARMS · AFTER HOURS JOURNAL

Good company, colorful glassware, and absolutely no requirement that the forks match.

There's something about gathering around a table that I've always loved. Not necessarily for a special occasion, or because everything is perfectly planned, but simply for the pleasure of bringing people together.

Around here, entertaining tends to involve a rather colorful assortment of things collected over the years. Vintage glassware, mismatched silverware, handmade pottery, cloth napkins, a few beeswax candles, and almost certainly a record playing somewhere in the background.

Some things are thrifted. Others have traveled home with us from faraway places. A few were probably purchased simply because I couldn't bear to leave them behind.

And somehow, they all belong together.

Let the Table Tell a Story

I've never been particularly interested in owning a perfectly matched set of everything.

Give me a beautiful piece of old crystal alongside a colorful piece of depression glass. A handmade ceramic mug beside an elegant wineglass. Gold flatware mixed with vintage silver.

I love the unexpected combinations.

Our cupboards are filled with things that caught my eye, pieces that remind me of a particular trip, a favorite afternoon spent wandering antique shops, or a wonderful day out with a girlfriend.

I think that's what makes collecting so enjoyable. When you choose things because you genuinely love them, rather than because they're fashionable, they have a way of staying with you.

And when those pieces find their way onto the dinner table, they bring their stories along.

A Collection of Curious Things

Some of my favorite things aren't necessarily valuable. They're simply interesting.

A pair of vintage silver serving pieces I recently found at Junkstock, still sporting their little price tags. A growing assortment of quirky stirrup cups. Handmade pottery. Colorful glassware that looks especially beautiful when the light catches it.

I'm drawn to things with personality. Sometimes there's a wonderful story behind an object. Sometimes it's the memory of where I found it. And sometimes it's simply that little feeling of oh, I love that.

Not everything needs to match. And certainly not everything needs to be expensive.

A collection should feel like the person who collected it.

Set the Mood, Not the Rules

For me, the atmosphere is just as much a part of entertaining as the food.

A few candles flickering among the glassware. Music drifting through the room. Something good to drink while everyone settles in.

I'm especially fond of beeswax candles, vintage candlesticks, and the warm glow they bring to a room.

And music? There's almost always something spinning on the record player.

Frank Sinatra is a dinner-party favorite around here. There's something wonderfully timeless about putting on an old record, pouring a drink, and letting the evening unfold.

No elaborate decorating scheme required.

Just a few thoughtful details that make an ordinary evening feel a little more special.

Something Sweet, Something Savory

When it comes to entertaining, I'm a big believer that good food doesn't have to be complicated.

A beautiful cheese, a little charcuterie, something salty, something crunchy, and a generous piece of honeycomb can make a pretty wonderful beginning to an evening.

Add some fresh fruit, a handful of olives, perhaps a warm loaf of bread, and suddenly there's plenty for everyone to nibble on while the conversation gets going.

Of course, honey tends to make an appearance around here. Occupational hazard, I suppose.

The trick is to put out things you genuinely enjoy eating and let everyone help themselves.

FOR THE RECORD: A LITTLE DINNER PARTY MUSIC

Every good gathering deserves a soundtrack.

Around here, there's usually a record spinning before the first guest arrives. Sinatra is a longtime favorite, but we love mixing the old classics with a few unexpected favorites.

We've put together a little listening inspiration for your next gathering. Something to play while you're lighting the candles, pouring the drinks, and waiting for everyone to arrive.

🎶 Listen to our AFTER HOURS: The Art of Gathering playlist →

Good music. Good company. Stay awhile.

THE POUR: A Honeyed Old Fashioned

A little bourbon, a little honey, and a good piece of vintage glassware. Nothing complicated, just a classic with a Fat Head twist.

You'll need:

2 oz bourbon
½ oz honey syrup (equal parts Fat Head Honey and warm water)
2 dashes aromatic bitters
Orange peel
Ice

To make: Stir the bourbon, honey syrup, and bitters with ice until chilled. Strain over fresh ice into your favorite rocks glass. Express an orange peel over the top and drop it in.

A little extra: Try our Bourbon Barrel Aged Honey for a deeper, richer flavor, or Salted Honey for a subtle butterscotch-like twist.

And by all means, serve it in the good glassware.

The Best Part Is the Company

Because after all the glassware has been arranged, the candles have been lit, and the music has started, the very best part is still the people who gather around the table.

The conversations that wander. The stories that get told. The laughter that carries on long after everyone has finished eating.

Some of my favorite evenings have been the ones that weren't particularly planned. Just good company, something delicious, and absolutely no reason to hurry.

The table doesn't have to be perfect.

It just has to make people feel welcome.

And if the forks don't match? Well, I happen to think that's half the fun.

AFTER HOURS: ISSUE 03: The Art of Gathering