But if your style leans more toward tradition, you can layer shatterproof orange and turquoise plates on simple, woven raffia placemats. Target carries flirty, picnic place settings in show-stopper colors.

Tropical fruit makes the perfect centerpiece, (not to mention breakfast the next day). Mix it up with the most exotic produce you can track down and your centerpiece will soon become a conversation piece.

I love nothing more than the look and smell of a gargantuan bouquet of tropical flowers, not as a table centerpiece - nothing kills conversation more than the inability to make eye contact - but as an accent near the front door or bar. You don’t have to waste your money and energy on over-the-top décor when you have a couple stems of fresh ginger releasing their scent. Other stunning stems include birds of paradise, proteas and anthuriums.

But for a tropical tantrum for two, simply sprinkle the table with white orchid petals. (Anyone who has seen Adaptation understands the sensual power of orchids beyond their visual beauty). No hot florist near home? Order exotics online through companies like 1.800.flowers.com and splurge on this party showpiece which will continue to stun for at least a week.

As chef at the Blue Crab in Seine Bight, Belize, Linn learned to adapt her family recipes from Taiwan to incorporate the limited ingredients available on her remote peninsula as well as her interest in healthful cooking. Her Sweet and Sour Pork is a showstopper, made with local hot sauce and hormone free beef. Her oven-baked noodles come out of the oven as crispy as any fried noodles and without all the cholesterol.

When he’s not away at college, it’s Linn’s son Dylan who lords over dessert. Although it’s not so virtuous as Linn’s Chinese/Central American cuisine, it makes for a great ending on a hot summer night.

view the recipes:

Sweet and Sour Pork
Oven “Fried” Sesame Noodles
Dylan’s Coconut Cream Pie