Spring garden party

Menu

• Lavender Margaritas
• Grilled Grapefruit-Rosemary Shrimp
• Basil Butter Orzo
• Grilled Baby-Potato Salad
• Caesar Salad with Fried Ginger
• Barbecued Lavender Chicken
• Cucumber Salsa
• Apple-Rhubarb Crisp

Although Helene Henderson caters parties for some of Hollywood's biggest names, her recipes are down-to-earth. Her own vegetable patch, in fact, inspired this casual but elegant meal, which she hosted in the garden for family and friends.

Kaleidoscopic tomatoes and potatoes, lanky beans, and fragrant herbs, including her trademark lavender (her company's name is Lavender Farms Catering), give the menu vivid color. Many do-ahead steps make it easy to set out the first tastes of spring.