perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
My folks arrive in minutes and of course I had a plan in place. Little did I know that Mother Nature had plans of her own. Yesterday at 3:32 PM after trying to outrun a monster thunderstorm I pulled into the garage when bang the lights went out just as the garage door shut. I carefully set down my bottles of Pouilly Fuisse and Bordeaux and felt for
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food detective
Ever wonder how they made that? Here’s a game I often play with myself. Break down the essential components of a memorable bite. Piece. By. Piece. Recently I was invited to a progressive dinner party where we were transported from house to house in the back of an enormous pickup truck. The dinner (and drinks) were off the chart. I can’t recall when
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Pulling a Friday night party together in a flash. With temps literally off the chart who wants to greet their guests with a blast from the kitchen? Not only is this dinner prepped entirely ahead of time; the grilling is done before the first guests arrive. This light, fresh and super fast meal is the perfect kick-off to the weekend. So beat the
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
With power out for five days my frig and freezer were a complete loss. Needless to say it’s time to restock, and not just with milk and mayo. Entertaining with success means planning ahead. Easy to do with a well-stocked freezer. Nothing beats “bookends” you can pull out of the deep freeze. Time to replenish a couple of those canapés and desserts
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Shrimp roll sliders, a downsized version of that northeastern summer staple- the lobster roll. A perfect accompaniment to chilled watercress soup. While top cut hotdog buns are “wicked good” they are almost impossible to find east of I-91. Simply sub bakery fresh slider buns and split them down the top. Continue inland and swap the lobster for
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
With guests on their way in a day and the heat index expected to reach a staggering 115 degrees in Dayton, it’s time to come up with a refreshing and light menu. Chilled watercress soup is the perfect ticket to escape this oppressive heat. Made a day in advance then served up alongside shrimp roll sliders and a tomato and burrata salad. All will be
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
The party doesn’t stop just because the lights go out. Last Friday we got slammed with an unbelievable storm. Winds over 100 miles an hour and temps in the triple digits. Like many we lost power. Five days later and it’s still out. Weather be damned an invitation still stands and my charge for the Fourth is dessert. Sadly my secret stash that
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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!