Everything on this menu can be made up to several hours before serving except the gougeres, which are best fresh out of the oven. Put them out just as your guests arrive along with cocktails and the beets with walnuts and cheese.

Each dish on this menu is best enjoyed in small portions on its own: Serve the soup as the first course, followed by the Brussels sprouts and kale salad, then the risotto.

To add subtle sweetness to the farro risotto, try using corn stock in place of the vegetable stock.

After cocktails, switch to wine for dinner. The brightness of a New World Sauvignon Blanc, such as Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc (2011), complements the earthiness and deep the vegetal flavors of the meal.