perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Isn’t it fun going to those upscale gourmet grocers and walking past their cases filled with amazing prepared fare? While tempting, picking up an entire dinner party that way can cost a small fortune. So, what should you do when you want the convenience of having everything made well in advance but you either want to showcase your own cooking and
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food detective
The other night we stopped by my cousin’s in Lincoln Park for a glass of wine before heading out to dinner. She had a wonderful spread of cured meats and the most amazing fresh ricotta. My husband and I couldn’t wait to find out where she got it. Turns out there is an Eataly in Chicago. It’s a 12-minute drive from my apartment. And if you spend
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entertaining with style- making it work for you
You know how you sometimes take some of the best things for granted? They always seem to be there, so you assume they always will. The other day I had a panic attack as I realized I had just signed a lease for an apartment on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Overlooking Belmont Harbor, it has views of Lake Michigan but no personal outdoor space.
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food detective
There's something about Scandinavian men of a certain generation, just with their presence they seem to make those around them feel safe and reassured. My uncle, a stoic man with a slight smile and radiant twinkle in his eye, always made me feel as though he truly saw me. As the youngest in my family by years, I adored spending time with my
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food detective
Happy Chinese New Year- it’s the year of the pig! What perfect timing that I stumbled upon the following recipe. One of my personal new year’s resolutions is to finally go through all my old cooking magazines that have literally been piling up for decades. And while I’ve been feeling some Marie Kondo pressure to simply pitch them all, I’m glad I
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Wouldn’t you rather have cocktails with your guests then be chained to your grill? Caterers and many restaurants often precook their protein then finish it off right before serving. Time to think like a pro and follow suit. My citrus marinated pork tenderloin is exceptionally tender. The trick is marinating it the day before. Turning the Ziploc
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
My last cooking class at Dorothy Lane Marker’s Culinary Center was so much fun. We had a great group, plenty of farm fresh ingredients, and a lineup of recipes that could be done almost entirely ahead of time. Let’s face it- if you’re going to have people over you want to be out with your guests, not stuck in the kitchen. The theme was
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food detective
Each day I discover these fabulous emails in my inbox from Bon Appétit, Martha Stewart, and the New York Times, all alerting me to what I should be cooking that day. It’s great marketing, because I click on every one of them. Last week there was one from a continuing series on how to recreate comfort foods. The recipe was for homemade taco
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food detective
While we all hope for velvet results, sometimes we need an iron hand to get there. Lately I’ve been looking to broaden my horizons. I’ve read some fascinating books- Colson Whitehead’s “Underground Railroad”, Affinity Konar’s “Mischling, and I’m just finishing Yaa Gyasi”s “Homegoing”. Obviously I’m not drawn to the cheeriest of books, rather ones
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Last week I was the guest chef at Moraine Country Club. We decided on a tasting menu to showcase all the season had to offer. It was such fun working with the staff and being back in a professional kitchen. As I uniformly chopped crates of vegetables for my gazpacho for sixty and wrestled the massive Hobart mixer the memories came flooding back.
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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 →