Happy Friday, friends!! I've spent the past week in Texas, and I'm having a ball. I started in Waco for a wedding last weekend, spent a few days in Dallas and Austin visiting friends, and now I'm in San Antonio for the weekend to teach a cooking class (and see more friends!). The sunshine, warm weather, insanely good food, and great company have been good for my soul. It finally feels like summer!

[recipe:best-raspberry-financiers-recipe]

Just in time for the weekend, I wanted to share with you all my latest Dinner Party column for Saveur. In lieu of featuring a proper dinner party this month, I decided we should all get outside and have a picnic – with a Provence-themed menu and lots of rosé. I lived in Aix-en-Provence for 6 months after college, and fell head-over-heels with the fresh, Mediterranean flavors (olives and olive oil, garlic, seafood, and loads of fresh herbs and vegetables) and laid-back approach to entertaining. When the weather was nice, we ate our meals outdoors, and often created picnic-style spreads of salads, bread, tapenades, cheeses, and fresh fruit. Pale, dry rosé was the drink of choice, and to this day, there's no other wine I love more (well...besides bubbly!).

For Saveur, I created a Provencal picnic menu (pictured above) that can be made entirely in advance and served either chilled or room temperature. Click on the links below for recipes, and click here to read the full story – with planning tips and picnic essentials – click here.

Crudités with Herbed Crème Fraîche Dip

Roast Chicken Pan Bagnat with Olive Tapenade and Goat Cheese

Quinoa Salad with Sugar Snap Peas, Scallions, and Mint

Haricots Verts with Dijon Vinaigrette

Raspberry Financiers

Maman-3

I worked with Wines of Provence to come up with a selection of fantastic, affordable summery rosé that would pair well with this menu:

Chateau Coussin, CHATEAU COUSSIN Rosé 2014

Chateau de Brigue, SIGNATURE Rosé 2013

Chateau St. Maure, Cru Classe, 2014

Domaine de la Fouquette, ROSEE D'AURORE, Rosé 2014

Domaine Longue Tubi, DOMAINE LONGUE TUBI, Rosé 2013

Domaine Pierre Chavin, PIERRE & PAUL COTES DE PROVENCE BIO, 2014, Rosé

Estandon Vignerons, ESTANDON, Rosé, 2013

Gassier en Provence, SABLES D'AZUR, Rosé, 2013

Saveur-Financiers

(Photo by Matt Taylor-Gross for Saveur.com)

In the meantime, I want to share with you one of my favorite recipes from this picnic story: raspberry financiers, mini butter and almond cakes studded with fresh raspberries. They are the perfect bite-size portable dessert. You can make them in financier tins if you have them, or just use mini muffin pans. They make a bunch, but you can freeze any leftovers (if there are any!). Bon Appetit!

xo, Anna

(Opening picnic photo by Matt Taylor-Gross for Saveur.com)