perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
My husband and I returned to Ohio on the eve of January 6th. We left 74-degree highs in the California desert for wind chills plunging past 38 below. It was a literal shock walking out of the airport. Thankfully we had someone picking us up. Can’t image the state of the cars left at the open lots of Dayton’s International Airport. The next day
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Last week I taped my first cooking segment on television… live. The folks at Dorothy Lane Market asked me if in two days I would do a piece on holiday entertaining for Living Dayton. I said sure thinking they would be coming to the DLM Cooking School. As it turned out it was at their television studio. I took a deep breath, focused all my nervous
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Thankfully Thanksgiving was a smashing success. The “oven ready” turkey I pre-ordered from Jensen’s that came cleaned, brined, seasoned, already in a bag, and in a pan, was seriously one of the best birds any of us had ever eaten. Not only did my daughter’s cute beau make a trifecta of scratch pies- sweet potato, pecan and buttermilk, he
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something in a snap
Can’t believe Thanksgiving is just days away. I am so excited to have a full house in the desert. But with that full house brings a lot of opinions. I’m being holiday- shamed into cooking an authentic entirely by scratch multi-dished meal. Really. Must we… Obviously “we” (meaning me) must. While I was sulking and pushing my cart up and down the
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Last summer the Dorothy Lane Market School of Cooking asked me if I would teach a few classes on holiday entertaining. One of the things I’m well known for are my amazing hors d'oeuvres that seem to come together with relatively little effort, so a November class on make ahead canapés seemed perfect. I sent off nine recipes that could either be
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
When entertaining you agree to do three things: provide you guests with something to eat, something to drink, and the opportunity to be merry. The easiest part of planning a party should be the beverages. Most folks make this step complicated by thinking they need to come up with some snazzy signature cocktail. Few will be happy with your frozen
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Fast, fresh and full of color and flavor. One of the best parts of living in Ohio during the summer is the abundance of home grown tomatoes. I can’t get enough of caprese salad. Thick slices of juicy tomatoes, creamy burratta cheese, slivered freshly picked basil, a pinch of kosher salt and a big grind of pepper. Heaven. So when putting my menu
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Entertaining is all about planning an event ahead of time. So when life throws you a curveball or even a cannon ball what’s a hostess to do? The answer often lies in the reason you were having folks over in the first place. If tragedy hits there’s no shame in canceling, your guests will certainly understand. But most of the time we entertain so we
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
My buddy Rick came in from San Francisco to call on his Midwest clients. I jumped at the chance for him to visit our new home in Dayton. It’s not often we get coastal company, or for that matter any houseguests at all. Southwestern Ohio doesn’t have much destination appeal. Ironically everyone who has ventured to our place has fallen in love with
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something in a snap
There is something sublime about mortadella, the Italian cold cut made from heat-cured pork often studded with pistachios. I’ve heard it’s a staple in Bologna but in that pass of a name ends the comparison. If you have never had mortadella I invite you to venture into an Italian deli or high-end butcher and have them slice you a quarter pound
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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 →