Après Fête: tomatoes

September 4, 2014

B.L.T.'s & Games

I love a game. If you've seen the movie Anniversary Party you are familiar with the type of person who has a tendency to get a little too intense during a game. A bit overly competitive. I may be that type of person. But I'm working on it (otherwise Greg would refuse to ever play with me!). So, I love games and I also love B.L.T.'s (a perfect food): hence, a B.L.T. & Games dinner party. My friend Jenni Kayne, who is doing an entertaining series featuring fellow entertainers, shot the dinner for her blog Rip Plus Tan; all of the recipe & details can be found there. It was a really simple night inspired by tomatoes and the guests (namely my friend Molly who is an enthusiast, like myself, and her enthusiasm for things like homemade pickles and vinegary drinks makes me happy to make them!). I love the shrub based cocktails at Baco Mercat and have been meaning to make them at home. It turns out that if one mixes blackberries with sugar, lets them macerate for a couple of days and adds vinegar, they have a very delicious base for a cocktail (recipe on Rip Plus Tan!). Cocktails led to a family style dinner which led to the main event: the game. On this particular night we played the latest crowd favorite Cards Against Humanity. While controversial to some, it is def designed as a social game, perfect for a dinner party. I was on my best behavior, if anything, it was Cass who owes everyone an apology. For dessert, I highly recommend a bourbon spiked root beer float (I've been enjoying them all week!). So as not to waste, guests took home the tomatoes from the centerpiece along with jars of homemade basil pesto in canvas farmers market totes. Goodbye Summer - I'm so, so ready for Fall.

The Menu

Sips

blackberry thyme shrub cocktail

belgian beers

Snacks

homemade pickles

charred padron peppers & cherry tomatoes with aioli

To Share

b.l.t.'s with heirloom tomatoes, black forest bacon & basil mayonnaise

arugula salad with grilled corn & shallot viniagrette

roast potato salad with celery & dill

honeydew & cantaloupe melon with macron almonds & mint

Sweet

bourbon spiked root beer floats

To Take

basil pesto, farmers market bags & tomatoes

September 9, 2012

Goodbye Summer

My past few weeks have been spent mainly in the kitchen, almost always forgetting to use my camera (bad blogger!!). But cooking for pleasure, with no distractions, led to some discoveries. 1. Fresh shelling beans are most certainly not overrated. All of my favorite cookbooks gush about the amazingness of summer cranberry, limas & cannellinis when sourced right from the market. I've never gotten the big deal. But with a little shallot & thyme, I tasted the special creaminess that comes from these lightly cooked beans. I'm already looking forward to them next summer. 2. Greg is wrong! Homemade ice cream sandwiches are totally worth it!! I can drive him crazy with my messes and big projects, so he officially banned me from ever making these time consuming labors of love. But, in a moment of complete obsessiveness, I broke the rule and made nine varieties of ice cream sandwiches for a huge party (sugar cookies with vanilla bean, peanut butter with chocolate, malt chocolate with coffee, chocolate chip with cookie dough, and more). Each round of baking cookies, and each sampling of the finished product, made me so, so happy. In the end, even Greg agreed: worth it. 3. Everyone loves hamburgers and hot dogs! For Labor Day, we did a super traditional bbq and it was just right. You're not always going to reinvent the wheel with a meal. That's not the point. The point is to make tasty food that people will enjoy eating. Which brings me to last night's dinner. I've prepared this exact same menu before but that doesn't change the fact that it's delicious. Traditional is good. It can be just perfect.