A Little Planning Pays Off When Entertaining

One of the joys of summer is entertaining outside, and the Fourth of July is the perfect time for a party. When I was a caterer, I organized parties for hundreds of people, and now I regularly entertain smaller groups of close friends.

Whatever the size of the party, entertaining is simply a matter of making your guests feel comfortable in your home - or in the garden, on the patio or under a canopy on the lawn.

Over the years I’ve developed a “party philosophy” - a list of tips for entertaining successfully and stylishly outdoors:

Make sure you have enough table linens, flatware, glassware, china and serving pieces.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors and styles. If you begin collecting attractive, inexpensive dishes, linens and glasses, you’ll be able to choose what’s appropriate for each occasion - such as red, white and blue tumblers and dishes for Independence Day.

At an informal gathering, dishtowels - new or vintage - make wonderful napkins.

Be prepared for all kinds of weather. Have a supply of umbrellas, hats and sweaters or jackets on hand, as well as sunscreen.

Don’t place a table or buffet too close to heavily scented trees or shrubs, as they attract insects. Citronella candles help keep bugs away, but make sure you have some insect repellent too.

Lighting an outdoor party can be done in many different ways - without electricity. Always have a fire extinguisher within reach, just in case.

Bamboo torches are inexpensive and add instant style. They’re available at garden centers, hardware stores and housewares stores. Strings of battery-operated white lights can be draped across tables or through branches for a soft glow.

Glass hurricane shades keep taper candles from blowing out. Votive candles in high-sided holders can be clustered on tabletops or lined up along the bar.

Luminarias - paper bags with about two inches of sand and a votive candle inside - are one of my favorite kinds of outdoor lighting. Small brown bags (such as lunch sacks) look beautiful as do white, solid-colored or cellophane bags.

Try different looks for different kinds of gatherings. Lined up on either side of your home’s front walkway, luminarias will welcome your guests beautifully.

Food at an outdoor party shouldn’t be fussy. Chilled soups and salads can be made in advance.

Barbecued dishes can also be started ahead of time. Marinate chicken or meat the night before the party, then cook and serve it straight off the grill.

Grill vegetables as well, such as onions, portobello mushrooms, peppers, yellow squash and zucchini. Just brush the sliced vegetables with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill over a medium-hot fire until tender. They make elegant appetizers or side dishes - and they’re also good on sandwiches.

For an Independence Day celebration, serve classic American dishes. What could be more appropriate than blueberry pie for dessert? A star cutout in the crust makes it even more festive.

Old-fashioned blueberry pie

(Makes 2 pies)

Pate Brisee (recipe follows)

6 pints fresh blueberries

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for glaze

On a lightly floured board, roll out two pieces of Pate Brisee dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch; use these to line two 9-inch pie tins. Chill thoroughly.

Roll out remaining two pieces of dough to form circles at least 10 inches in diameter; chill on a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl combine berries, 2 cups sugar, flour, and lemon zest and juice.

Fill chilled pie shells with berry mixture. Lay pastry circles on a lightly floured board and cut a star out of each center. (Do this by hand or with a cookie cutter.)

Brush edges of bottom shells lightly with glaze, and top with pastry circles, centering stars. Trim overhanging pastry to within 3/4 inch and crimp edges together. Chill pies for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush pies with remaining glaze and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until juices are bubbling and crust is golden brown. Let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.

(Prep time: 30 minutes plus 30 minutes chilling time. Baking and cooling time: 1 hour, 20 minutes.)

Pate brisee

5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup vegetable shortening, chilled

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled

3/4 to 1 cup ice water

In a large bowl combine flour, salt and sugar. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Slowly add ice water while stirring with a fork. As soon as pastry holds together when squeezed, stop adding liquid.

Divide dough in half, shape into flat rounds and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour or overnight.

Divide each piece of dough in half before rolling out.

(Prep time: 20 to 30 minutes. Chilling time: 1 hour.)

MEMO: Questions should be addressed to Martha Stewart, care of The New York Times Syndication Sales Corp., 122 E. 42nd St., New York, NY 10168. Questions may also be sent to Stewart by electronic mail. Her address is: mstewart@msl.timeinc.com.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Martha Stewart New York Times Syndicate