the hostess with the mostest hotel
The afternoon’s conversations drift from children to jobs and table to lounge chairs. Minted Arnold Palmers give way to Pete’s 22 Ice Cube Margaritas. And if you know my dad, as these girls most certainly do, when he says twenty-two ice cubes he means it. Guac and my food detective’s rendition of Salsa Attack Salsa are the evening’s preamble.
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the hostess with the mostest hotel
One of our house guests observes a gluten free diet. Being out of the gluten loop I decided to go to the source. The Mayo Clinic defines a gluten-free diet as one that excludes the protein gluten found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. The prohibited list went on for three pages. I was pretty sure I didn’t have any Triticale or bulgar
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Time to sing the Italian praises of Marcella Hazan once again. Not only does she hold your hand though each intricate step of Italian prep, she walks you through the entire menu offering suitable sides for each dish. When you have lovingly basted and braised for half a day (as with ossobuco) the last thing you want are complicated accompaniments.
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
With a momentary chill in the air and foodies on the calendar this might be the last possible weekend to serve up ossobuco. Big note- the following is not for the faint of heart. These braised veal shanks take most of the day to prepare. But while you will spend more hours in the kitchen then out the beauty of these tender cuts is that they can
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Nothing beats having a top chef on speed dial. Lucky for me mine is a die-hard Italian with a prowess for texting. When I’m in a Tuscan pinch I can always count on Paul Minnillo to lend me a virtual hand. For a small dinner party it can be fun to reach out of your comfort zone and take a culinary excursion to a different time zone. Tonight we’re
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Weeknight business dinners call for quick thinking and definite pre-prepping. The key is finding something impressive that won’t wreak havoc on your kitchen or midweek schedule. Duck confit is one of my all time favorites. Before we moved it was my go-to comfort food at Fire, our standing Friday night dinner reservation in Cleveland.
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the hostess with the mostest hotel
Can’t believe my baby is turning twenty. To celebrate we are having a houseful in our desert home. Family tradition dictates that the birthday girl picks the meal- or in this case meals. Tonight the request is pistachio pesto with grilled shrimp. One of the challenges of a vacation home is that it isn’t quite equipped like our more permanent one
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what to bring
Seriously who needs another plate of sweets. Next time think outside of the bakery box when it comes to hostess treats. Remember this summer’s bumper crop of basil, and its subsequent marathon session of pesto? Try reaching into your freezer and bring a present that will truly delight. During the holiday season who wouldn’t love the gift of a
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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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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!