perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Nothing thaws the February blues like a cozy dinner party. The key to making an intimate dinner a success is being out with your guests not locked in the kitchen. Easy to do when your entire meal is planned and prepped ahead of time. Think of yourself as a caterer- catering a party for you! When entertaining a small group it’s easy to splurge.
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food detective
Back to the desert from a whirlwind tour of Los Angeles. Moved my recent college grad into her West Hollywood apartment. Had an incredible Peruvian meal at Picca. Sat on a plush couch while Elvis Costello played a mere feet away. Paid seven dollars for twenty minutes to run in and have a cup of coffee with my UCLA daughter. And an unexpected
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Super Bowl Sunday- time to pull out the stops for some touchdown apps. I hope all the foodies out there cut me some slack for this one and not hit me with a penalty. Here’s a family favorite that is the antithesis to vegan; paleos might even pale when see the ingredients. But I gotta tell you- bring a platter of these hotties to your next gathering
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food detective
Last summer a group of friends watched the documentary “Forks over Knives”. The film boldly investigated the claim that almost all degenerative diseases can be controlled and even reversed by adopting an animal-free based diet. Certainly food for thought. Recently one of those dear friends faced a huge health crisis. Thankfully she came through
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food detective
New year, new resolutions. Who doesn’t have lightening up on their docket? The trick to making it stick is to load up on flavor and texture. Santa brought my girls a slow extraction juicer. We’ve been whirling and pulverizing spinach, kale, turnips, carrots and the like. It certainly tastes healthy- I’ll give you that. But I decided to use my own
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Santa thought my hubby could use diversion so he brought him a backgammon board down our desert chimney. While my husband didn’t seem overly amused with the prospects the big guy in red was confident he’d be up to the challenge. And as luck would have it the hostess from our game night just shared her recipe for those unexpectedly light and
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
As for many with adult children our holidays are looking more like a sprawl. This year we must divide and conquer. All this entertaining demands that memorable meals come together with a minimum of last minute effort. For selfishly I want to be with those I love, not tied to my overused stove. Here’s the first of our three “Christmas” dinners.
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what to bring
Some nights are sure to sparkle and last weekend my husband and I were fortunate to be included in such an evening. Our host and hostess had coolers of oysters shipped in and as these pearly beauties lay open in their newly shucked half shells flights of champagne were passed in a myriad of flutes. A truly special time where the company rivaled the
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food detective
Good friends invited us over for “game night”. I squashed my inner reluctance, being a party game novice, and said we’d love to. When my husband asked what were doing Friday night he was thrilled with where we were going but baulked at the evening’s scheduled activities. I tried to sound optimistic when he put down his foot, literally. I was a bit
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Saturday I turned the big five-oh. And what better way to herald this milestone then a cozy dinner for twelve the night before. One of the best presents this girl could ask for is a table full of dear friends laughing, toasting and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Want to know a truism I’ve learned over the past half century? Guests only have as
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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!