In her book, A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus: Menus and Stories, chef Renee Erickson writes that she’s always harbored a fondness for rosé, ever since it first started gaining popularity in the United States, and has long appreciated its ability to pair with foods that “other wines can’t.” One such food is lamb. Because a leg of lamb was too time-consuming to offer as a regular menu dish, Erickson and her colleagues at Boat Street Cafe conceived a joyful, family-style dinner party of lamb and rosé for a special feast. And the tradition stuck. The dinner takes place every July, usually on a night that Erickson describes as “the kind of warm summer evening that brings a whisper of salt air in from Puget Sound.” This year’s festivities will feature applewood-roasted lamb cooked in the Whale Wins’ wood-fired oven, and, as always, dancing and a never-ending flow of pale pink wine. by Julianne Bell