what's for dinner- cooking for two
The last thing you might want to do after hosting a large party is make dinner. But the day-after often offers up the most alluring ingredients, making it a shame not to cook up something special. How often do the components for beef tenderloin bourguignon so willingly present themselves?
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perfecting the “done before they arrive” dinner party- a work in progress
When faced with a big event it’s best to break it down into manageable pieces. Hosting a large party can be daunting, if it’s for business the stakes can feel higher. There are certain expectations for a work-related affair such as a prompt schedule, accommodating a range of diets, and providing a format that is conducive to the business at hand.
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perfecting the “done before they arrive” dinner party- a work in progress
Blue jeans, a roaring fire and just one other couple. Now that’s my kind of Friday night. After a flurry of business it’s great to be able to let down your hair and soak in your company. It’s also a perfect opportunity to do a test run on any key components for next week’s dinner for twelve.
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perfecting the “done before they arrive” dinner party- a work in progress
The old saying a stitch in time saves nine holds true when entertaining multiple gatherings. Tonight’s dinner is the first of four. I’ve been strategically stocking the freezer with key components. These designated hitters when brought in from the cold will hit a homer each time they come up to a new plate. Desserts can be a real stumbling block.
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perfecting the “done before they arrive” dinner party- a work in progress
Entertaining can be a bit like dating. One minute you’re happily adjusting to a short dry spell when suddenly you get hit with a deluge. The floodgates open here for the next eight days. Time to grab an umbrella and put the “done before they arrive” plan in high gear. This weekend we are invited to a dinner party at a bed and breakfast
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what's for dinner- cooking for the fam
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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perfecting the “done before they arrive” dinner party- a work in progress
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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what’s for dinner- cooking for two
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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perfecting the “done before the arrive” dinner party- a work in progress
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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perfecting the “done before the arrive” dinner party- a work in progress
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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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!