perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Savvy hostesses need a few secrets up their sleeves. I always like to impress without the stress. That means I am constantly on the hunt for things that look complicated but are practically effortless. Take my take on mushroom cheese puffs. Not sure if you’ve ever made a pate au choux, but in my former life as a professional chef and caterer I can
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food detective
The other morning I was walking by the TV in my bedroom and caught a snippet of Giada de Laurentiis attempting to show Savanna Guthrie how to devein a shrimp. It was an amusing although futile clip, what really held my attention was the recipe that followed- buffalo grilled shrimp with a goat cheese dipping sauce. Secretly I love wings though
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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 way to mark the summer solstice than with a cool gazpacho highlighting
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food detective
A few weeks ago my husband and I were invited to dinner. I knew it would be a special night and I wanted to bring something equally exceptional. As I filed through my extensive repertoire of hors d'oeuvres I found myself reaching further back into my culinary recall. Maybe my vegus nerve was subliminally triggered by the start of golf season
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entertaining with style- making it work for you
This spring I have been traveling non-stop judging flower shows for the Garden Club of America. While my expertise is in the photography division I delight in seeing how the national floral arrangers interpret and execute their themes. I marvel at their creativity and expertise because for me a centerpiece needs to be as simple as one-two-three
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food detective
In our family the birthday girl dictates the celebratory meal. Most often the menu features bacon wrapped grilled fillets, asparagus or broccoli tossed with lemon and the ever-present twice-baked potato. But as the girls have grown so have their palettes. On a recent trip to Whole Foods in Palm Desert they were offering samples of crispy
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entertaining with style- making it work for you
Many people don’t entertain because they don’t feel they have what they need to entertain properly. So when it comes to setting the stage what exactly do you need? Well that depends on what type of party you want to have and how many guests you want over. Let’s start with a dinner party for eight. First of all you need to make sure your table will
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food detective
My step-daughter and her chef boyfriend gave me the best cookbook for Christmas, Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton. I love the way the book appears to be a copy of her cooking manifest for her restaurant, complete with hand written notes in the margins. Personally I read cookbooks like others read novels. I have a stack of cookbooks on my bedside table.
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Want to make your next dinner party a bit exceptional? Consider serving multiple courses. Contrary to common belief it’s easier than you think. The trick is in choosing the right dishes. You always want your first course to complement your entrée. So let’s say you are serving beef as your main you might want to feature fish first. If serving fish
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entertaining with style- making it work for you
Maybe it’s because I’m an early riser, but I always look forward to the morning we set our clocks ahead. Instead of the sun setting before six o’clock we’ll force the situation so it will begin to stay light well past seven. This year particularly all vernal aspects seem to need a bit of a push. There is no better way to force the season than to
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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 →