perfecting the “done before they arrive” dinner party- a work in progress
Entertaining can be a bit like dating. One minute you’re happily adjusting to a short dry spell when suddenly you get hit with a deluge. The floodgates open here for the next eight days. Time to grab an umbrella and put the “done before they arrive” plan in high gear. This weekend we are invited to a dinner party at a bed and breakfast
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perfecting the “done before the arrive” dinner party- a work in progress
The other night we had some dear friends over for dinner that have some significant dietary restrictions. When I first surveyed the list Billy Preston’s “nothing from nothing” ran through my head. Then I spied this past Sunday’s New York Times Week in Review on the kitchen table. Mark Bittman’s lead article broke my abstraction
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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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perfecting the “done before the arrive” dinner party- a work in progress
Saturday night we are going to have a little wine dinner at our house. I have a few oldies and hopefully goodies tucked away (beside some carpet remnants and folding chairs – you’ll find no pictures of my “cellar” on my iPhone.)The fun in having an evening that revolves around wine is in the planning. And plan you must.
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resurrecting the cocktail party- i’ll drink to that
My youngest lands in Dayton before flying back to college. Thought it would be fun to invite a few of our new friends over for a drink so they can meet her. Just because a gathering is small doesn’t mean it’s insignificant. Make a special splash for a petite fete. It will turn your little celebration into a memorable event.
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kitchen tenets
A respectable guest offers (dessert/canape/wine)- but what to do when your kind gesture is accepted? Take into account that whatever you bring to your host or hostess’s table should be hassle-free. Keep in mind you want to be part of the solution- not the problem.
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resurrecting the cocktail party- i’ll drink to that
No more Yogi Berra and his deja vu all over again. The deal is done, title transferred, money is in the bank- no small feat considering it was a cash deal from an Italian bank. Time to give thanks. After the big guy upstairs, a shout out needs to go to my real estate agents. Feels like we’ve been on an epic session of speed dating.
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resurrecting the cocktail party- i’ll drink to that
Great news- move is done and my daughter and I are in the Cleveland carriage house apartment for a couple days while I wrap up the house sale. Tonight our besties are coming by to see the new digs and have a quick glass of wine before we head over to fire for dinner. How great that my best bud is the mom of my daughter’s!
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what's for dinner- cooking for the fam
My oldest is flying home today, which is officially now Dayton.A weegie board would have come in handy in booking everyone’s return flights. With home a moving target for the last few months I did my best to guestimate where to pick up my travelers. But with plummeting stocks and falling house values what’s a couple airline tickets.
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food detective
Nothing grounds me like my old stomping grounds. Knowing these next few weeks are going to be crazed with house moves and moving children it was a real treat to be able to get away to New York City for two days. An added bonus was seeing my oldest daughter who is wrapping up her summer internship there. A regular chip off the old block
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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!