perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Thankfully Thanksgiving was a smashing success. The “oven ready” turkey I pre-ordered from Jensen’s that came cleaned, brined, seasoned, already in a bag, and in a pan, was seriously one of the best birds any of us had ever eaten. Not only did my daughter’s cute beau make a trifecta of scratch pies- sweet potato, pecan and buttermilk, he
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something in a snap
Can’t believe Thanksgiving is just days away. I am so excited to have a full house in the desert. But with that full house brings a lot of opinions. I’m being holiday- shamed into cooking an authentic entirely by scratch multi-dished meal. Really. Must we… Obviously “we” (meaning me) must. While I was sulking and pushing my cart up and down the
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Last summer the Dorothy Lane Market School of Cooking asked me if I would teach a few classes on holiday entertaining. One of the things I’m well known for are my amazing hors d'oeuvres that seem to come together with relatively little effort, so a November class on make ahead canapés seemed perfect. I sent off nine recipes that could either be
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
When entertaining you agree to do three things: provide you guests with something to eat, something to drink, and the opportunity to be merry. The easiest part of planning a party should be the beverages. Most folks make this step complicated by thinking they need to come up with some snazzy signature cocktail. Few will be happy with your frozen
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Fast, fresh and full of color and flavor. One of the best parts of living in Ohio during the summer is the abundance of home grown tomatoes. I can’t get enough of caprese salad. Thick slices of juicy tomatoes, creamy burratta cheese, slivered freshly picked basil, a pinch of kosher salt and a big grind of pepper. Heaven. So when putting my menu
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Entertaining is all about planning an event ahead of time. So when life throws you a curveball or even a cannon ball what’s a hostess to do? The answer often lies in the reason you were having folks over in the first place. If tragedy hits there’s no shame in canceling, your guests will certainly understand. But most of the time we entertain so we
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
My buddy Rick came in from San Francisco to call on his Midwest clients. I jumped at the chance for him to visit our new home in Dayton. It’s not often we get coastal company, or for that matter any houseguests at all. Southwestern Ohio doesn’t have much destination appeal. Ironically everyone who has ventured to our place has fallen in love with
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something in a snap
There is something sublime about mortadella, the Italian cold cut made from heat-cured pork often studded with pistachios. I’ve heard it’s a staple in Bologna but in that pass of a name ends the comparison. If you have never had mortadella I invite you to venture into an Italian deli or high-end butcher and have them slice you a quarter pound
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something in a snap
How many times have you needed an appetizer only to find that all your spare time has evaporated into thin air? Lately I’ve been on the run leaving me very little time to cook, let alone photograph and post. But rather than stressing out about it I decided I would share some tricks I keep up my sleeve when I’m faced with an actual entertaining need
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Just taught my first class at DLM’s Cooking School. What a blast! The theme was a “vertical dinner party”. Many of the students arrived wondering what that term actually meant. Truth is I made it up, but it’s my go-to version of a pumped up cocktail party. When you want to entertain a crowd but are pinched for space, time or money instead of a
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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 →