food detective
When entertaining one of my favorite things to do is to greet a guest with their favorite libation. I like to think of it as personal serial signature cocktails. Let’s be honest, most folks like to drink what they like to drink. This week I am having a small group over for dinner and it turns out lemon drop martinis are one of my guests’ darlings.
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cookng for one... or two
Life is definitely ramping up. Languishing hours and days on end seem to be evaporating. I certainly welcome this change, but it’s making me realize that I need to step up my efficient dinner game. Thank goodness for Ina Garten’s shrimp scampi with linguini! It is a classic for good reason. Once prepped the entire dish cooks in the time it takes
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Many welcome the new year with self-improvement. For some its dry-anuary (not this girl) or a new fitness program (I already have a good one in place). For me, I decided I’d embrace forward-thinking-February leading into mindful-March. I’ve been working on the power of positive thought and the laws of attraction for some time, but this year, in a
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cooking for one... or two
Who thought we would be back here to ring in the new year? With holidays and flights cancelled and tempers rising, it might just be time to whip up a teeny indulgence for one or two. This recipe from Melissa Clark is the bomb. A fresh sour cream and onion dip decadently dressed with fresh salmon roe, served up with crunchy potato chips. Every
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food detective
You know when you see people on social media, and they seem like they have it all together? I have to confess I was feeling a little high on my holiday horse and thought I’d flaunt my newly acquired baking skills for my next post. I was inspired earlier this month by the NYT’s interactive article on the 24 Days of Cookies. Being a crunchy salty
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food detective
Having five adult children, all with partners, most with dogs and two with children, coordinating the holidays could make one feel as if they were running traffic control over O’Hare. Early on my husband and I began a new tradition. If any of our children wanted to come visit, all they needed to do was pick a date and let us know what holiday they
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cooking for one... or two
I’m always on lookout for a standout meal that comes together in minutes. The prep for this one is done in about the time it takes to preheat the oven. You’ll find this crisp cheesy gratin unexpectedly light. Its array of bright ingredients delivers depth and refreshing complexity. The combination of seafood and cheese might surprise some. But on
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
What fun to keep the party going. When my daughter made the tough decision to downsize her wedding she asked if I would host a party for her Chicago friends later in the fall. My answer was a resounding yes! As the date approached my daughter reminded me that this was actually going to be a small wedding not simply a cocktail reception. Which
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
The upside to having our refrigerator go on the fritz was that a new and improved one took its place. The previous was a stainless counter depth model. The outside was sleek and streamlined, inside it was beyond shallow, the freezer almost nonexistent. You could barely squeeze a plastic container of greens into one of the two miniscule drawers.
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
I take joy in setting a beautiful table. I love my bone china, sterling and crystal. Creating a place for my guests to sit infused with grace is a simple pleasure. Many keep their finest tucked away and out of reach. I believe our beautiful things are there to be enjoyed. And with the exception of my silver, I put almost all of it in the
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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 →