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
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Last Wednesday I hosted a luncheon for the Garden Club of Dayton’s Executive Board. To mark our final meeting of the year and to show this group of amazing ladies how much I appreciate them I wanted to make it extra special. Serving multiple courses is a sure way to
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Just taught an evening class at Dorothy Lane Market’s Culinary Center. The theme was “spring soiree”. While nature is popping up and showing its face, it’s time for us to shake off our winter hibernation and do the same. Spring is the perfect time to reconnect with friends and feature
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Nothing warms the soul like a hot bowl of homemade soup. You might think making your own, in your home, is beyond your reach. Think again. Making a creamy vegetable soup is as easy as one, two, three. First- begin with a base of sautéed onions. Second- add three to
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Cocktails in the garden- what fun! But for a midweek party do you simply serve a nibble and a drink or do you offer up something a little more substantial? When you’re having a larger group for cocktails it’s sometimes hard to navigate how much food to serve. The answer
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
What’s the secret to staying warm during the winter weather? Dress in layers. The same holds true when making soup. Start with your base- stir and sauté, and another layer of ingredients- stir and sauté, add your liquids- stir and simmer. Something truly magical happens when you compose a soup
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Last Wednesday I invited Carrie Walters, from the DLM Culinary Center, Liz Valenti, from Wheat Penny, and Wiley, from Meadowlark, over for lunch. I knew I wanted to serve something seasonal, but also something with a bit of flair. Let’s be honest how often do these three top Dayton chefs
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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
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Is there anything better than waking up on a summer Saturday, grabbing a big cup of coffee and heading off to the local farmer’s market? That scenario is tops in my book. Second on the list- the cascading menu that tumbles out of my orange collapsible picnic tote. What better
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
How do you pull a party off in a matter of minutes? The answer is by planning and prepping everything weeks, months and hours ahead of time. The secret to successful entering is in the pre-work. There is actually a direct correlation between the amount of time you put into
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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 →