food detective
Here's the second post on my sensational trip to Portugal with my daughter. Previously I touched on the wineries we toured in the Bairrada, Douro Valley, and Alentejo wine regions. This time I’ll write of our incredible meals. Not only is the wine world on an exciting trajectory, the food scene is literally on fire. While many flock to Portugal
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food detective
This summer while my youngest was hiking through Norway she face-timed me to say, “Mom, why don’t you come over to Europe so the two of us can do a trip together.” I thought- how can I drop everything to fly over to Europe to be with her. Then I thought- how can I not drop everything to go on a one-on-one adventure with my baby girl. In the coming
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Last week I was the guest chef at Moraine Country Club. We decided on a tasting menu to showcase all the season had to offer. It was such fun working with the staff and being back in a professional kitchen. As I uniformly chopped crates of vegetables for my gazpacho for sixty and wrestled the massive Hobart mixer the memories came flooding back.
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
One of the most fun aspects of entertaining can sometimes be one of the most challenging- the reason to throw a party. Some are obvious such as birthdays, showers, and graduations. But where can you draw inspiration when an event seems elusive? I found myself with just this challenge. My husband and I wanted to have a certain group over for dinner
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perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
What a fun evening at DLM’s Culinary Center. I hosted a Girl’s Night Out cooking class with Dorothy Lane Market’s wine expert Teresa Kearney. The topic was holiday canapés. And the point was to learn how to make an array of nibbles that would impress without any stress. Have to say the night was a success. We had a full house and while Teresa
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food detective
My daughters and I were now halfway through our tracking safari in Sabi Sand. Our stay at Londolozi’s secluded Pioneer camp exceeded any and all expectation. At each turn our understanding of this incredible eco-structure deepened as did our appreciation and love for the amazing people we encountered. This had truly become our home in the bush.
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food detective
Just returned from the trip of a lifetime. My daughters and I traveled to South Africa. Not only did we learn to how to track animals in the wild, we also hunted down some incredible fare along the way. Here is our journey.
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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
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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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! read more →