Maybe it’s my upcoming jaunt to Georgia’s barrier islands or that sweater weather has finally descended on Ohio but something has the home fires burning. What could be cozier than some true comfort fare? While no one would ever confuse me for a southern gal (my Nordic roots a definite northern indicator)
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Tonight I am having some new friends who are on the fast track to becoming dear ones. Thought it only appropriate to pull a treasured cookbook off the shelf. Opening one of Marcella Hazan’s invaluable references is like having an Italian great-aunt guiding you in the kitchen. For the American home cook she is the Italian equivalent to Julia Child
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The programmers for the Today show are a sly group. They purposely put a guilty pleasure hook to transfix their 7:30 AM viewers. Many a morning I’ve caught my cute hubby loitering in the kitchen catching the latest tidbit in the ongoing sagas of Charlie Sheen, Casey Anthony, Arnold Schwarzenegger…This morning the hook-du-jour was Michael Jackson’s
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The other night we had some dear friends over for dinner that have some significant dietary restrictions. When I first surveyed the list Billy Preston’s “nothing from nothing” ran through my head. Then I spied this past Sunday’s New York Times Week in Review on the kitchen table. Mark Bittman’s lead article broke my abstraction
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Entertaining you want to take some risks but also hedge a few bets. Old wines are a wild card. You can dust them off, stand them up, but until you uncork them what they hold is an unknown- could be a home run or has-been. Most often there is little in between.
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Saturday night we are going to have a little wine dinner at our house. I have a few oldies and hopefully goodies tucked away (beside some carpet remnants and folding chairs – you’ll find no pictures of my “cellar” on my iPhone.)The fun in having an evening that revolves around wine is in the planning. And plan you must.
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My husband’s oldest arrived in Dayton shortly after my youngest left. Can’t say how much it means having our new house become a home. A challenge and opportunity is heralding the neighboring highlights to our collective brood.
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Maybe it’s because the Wolverines trounced the Fighting Irish in the last two minutes in the Big House or perhaps it’s the snap in the weather but lately I’ve had a hankering for chili. Nothing says fall (or winter) like a steamy, meaty bowl.
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Not to berate mozzarella but who wouldn’t opt for it’s high-end counterpart? Burrata is not new to me but for some reason on my recent trip to LA this wonderful cheese was seemingly everywhere.
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My youngest lands in Dayton before flying back to college. Thought it would be fun to invite a few of our new friends over for a drink so they can meet her. Just because a gathering is small doesn’t mean it’s insignificant. Make a special splash for a petite fete. It will turn your little celebration into a memorable event.
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Wherever I find myself, I’m happiest with a full dining room table. As a former professional chef and caterer I want to share what I’ve learned over the past three decades of entertaining. On this site you’ll find tricks of the trade to help even the most harried of you pull off a seemingly seamless fête. Come join the conversation! read more →