The natural beauty, beautiful evening sky and abundance of delicious & healthy local products makes throwing a party in the Hamptons almost effortless. Just add a few great friends and a lot of laughter et voilà – you have a perfect night! Cathy Hartman, founder of Farm To Front Door and year round resident of Southampton, says living in the Hamptons makes preparing for a summer party so much fun. Cathy shares here step by step preparation for a Hamptons BBQ in this NEW KDHamptons Party Diary below: 

Before doing any shopping Cathy always checks her backyard for fresh herbs or flowers. All summer long Cathy grows rosemary, dill, basil, mint, thyme and cilantro to accompany her summer dishes. She then heads over to her plot at the local community garden, Bridge Gardens in Bridgehampton to see if anything is ready to be harvested. Spinach, beets, carrots, brussel sprouts, garlic and arugula are just some of the things Cathy is looking forward to bringing home from the garden.

Next, Cathy drives to some of the East End’s best farm stands to pick out local foods. Some of Cathy’s favorites include Country Garden in Bridgehampton, Green Thumb in Water Mill or Halsey Farm in Southampton. Fresh Long Island corn is the first thing Cathy looks for when heading to the local farm stands. “Whether it’s roasted sweet corn from Hank’s Pumpkintown in the fall or grilled corn right off the fire pit at the beach in the summer, Long Island corn never disappoints.”

Cathy says, “Knowing that everything you need is grown and produced locally is what makes the Hamptons so special and unique.” This sentiment is what led Cathy and her friend Lesa Tinker, Co-founder of Farm To Front Door, to establish a fresh local produce delivery service in the Hamptons. “We are an online farmers market that delivers locally grown fresh vegetables, fruit, dairy products, bread, cheese, baked goods, drinks, beer, flowers and much more. We deliver straight from the farm stand right to your door whether it’s a home, a restaurant or even a beach!”

Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack has the best selection of locally produced wine & ciders. You can never go wrong with Wolffer’s new Summer in a Bottle rosé. 

All night long, stand-up comedian, actress and Sag Harbor resident, Marla Schultz kept friends and family entertained with funny stories and jokes. Along with being Cathy’s childhood best friend, Marla has headlined across the world, performing in London and entertaining troops in Japan. Prior to headlining, Marla featured for some of comedy’s hottest acts; Jim Breuer, Chelsea Handler and Gilbert Gottfried. Any party is instantly more fun with Marla around.

The night ended with a spectacular display of fireworks from the North Sea Fire Department’s 4th of July Fireworks that went off right over Cathy’s house. Friends and family all gathered in the backyard after a night filled with delicious food, good friends and another successful Hamptons BBQ.

*To find out more about Cathy’s business, Farm To Front Door visit ecoeastend.com/farm-menu.