My mother's menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it. ~ Buddy Hackett

A southern themed picnic menu complimented a beautiful table in a magical garden for Mother's Day. The afternoon was created for a loving group of guests with generations of mothers gathered at one long table. Amy's thoughtful and, as always, incredible decor took people's breaths away. Each place setting featured a different quote on mothers--some sentimental and others dry with wit--ironed onto white linen napkins. Watching the guests wander around the table enjoying each quote made all of the hard work rewarding. Each of these little touches added up to a truly special celebration of mothers. And the entire party is a tribute to Amy and my moms who happen to be close friends! Betsey instilled Amy with her love of crafts and my 'Min' inspired me to cook and taught me the importance of entertaining for the guest. So thank you moms for helping us find our paths to doing something that we really love!

the menu

passed h'ors deuvres

bbq peanuts

bloody mary soup shots with cumin seed bay shrimp skewers

curried deviled eggs with diced ginger pickles

grit cakes with roasted zucchini, peppers, pimentos and thyme

crab cakes with meyer lemon dressing

mini pulled pork sliders on brioche with pickled fennel

alligator corn dog bites

buffet

baby back ribs with espresso bbq sauce

mixed sausages with sauerkraut and mustards

bbq shrimp

five cheese mac and cheese

stewed collard greens

sweet and sour baked beans

tomato, corn, basil salad

coleslaw with cilantro buttermilk dressing

spicy greens with honeyed pecans

corn spoon bread

sweet cherries and strawberries

dessert bar

mint chip ice cream sandwiches

'peanut butter and jelly' strawberry buttermilk ice cream sandwiches

root beer floats with brown sugar vanilla bean ice cream and abita root beer

strawberry short cakes

krispy kreme bread pudding

coconut layer cake

old fashioned chocolate birthday cake

A Mossy Affair

I've been a bit homesick for Oregon so I created an evening themed around the Pacific Northwest. All of the greens, pine cones and moss created the cozy setting for the flavors of home: berries, hazelnuts, blue cheese, salmon, trout and pinot noir.

My mom shipped me pine cones from Oregon which served as place cards with muslin tags

Moss from Tillamock, OR was an amazing find at the flower market

I asked Amy to write out menus to put at each place setting as I have rather challenged handwriting. I almost died when she suggested taking it to another level. She used iron-ons to print the menu on muslin which then doubled as our napkins. She giggles each time she recounts my jaw drop and delighted face. Better than any Christmas!

Making gravlax at home couldn't be easier and it's fun to play with different herbs and spices. I wrapped one wild salmon fillet up with salt, brown sugar, paprika and dill and the other with salt, white sugar, fennel seeds and fennel fronds. Always a crowd pleaser.

The LA Fungi stall at the Calabasas Saturday farmer's market was well worth the drive. I really wanted to buy everything but I limited myself to a trio of mushrooms. Morels are just coming into season and such a spring luxury. The Frenchman at the stand suggested I fill the hollows of the mushrooms with a salmon mousse. I already had salmon curing at home so I opted for a soft sheep's milk cheese with fresh chervil and set the morels on a salad of shaved white asparagus. I then sauteed the hen of the woods mushrooms with blackberries and thyme and served on grilled brioche, brushed with truffle oil. Rounding out the plate, a shot glass of shitake mushroom soup.Sampling Oregon blues at the Artisinal Cheese Gallery on Ventura was heaven. I'm a bit of a sample glutton. I selected Echo Mountain blue and paired it with smoked trout and hazelnuts on a bed of wilted arugula and spinach in a warm hazelnut sherry vinaigrette.

I braised the duck legs in pinot noir while Greg smoked the breasts on my new smoker. The cherry-port compote pulled it all together. And swiss chard has become to me what corn was last summer: the thing I want to eat at every meal!

And finally, the party favors. Last weekend I canned jars of agave sweetened, meyer lemon-strawberry compote sweetly labeled to take home.

the menu

house cured spiced wild salmon gravlax on pumpernickel with dill mustard sauce

house cured herbed wild salmon gravlax on cucumber rounds with cream cheese and capers

house pickled spicy dill fennel and cucumber

trio of mushrooms

morels stuffed with fresh sheep's milk cheese and served on a shaved white asparagus and chervil salad

hen of the woods mushrooms sauteed with blackberries, thyme and truffle oil on grilled brioche

shitake mushroom soup

wilted greens with smoked trout, echo mountain blue cheese, hazelnuts

duo of duck

legs braised in pinot noir, smoked breast, parsnip puree, swiss chard with a cherry port sauce

spiced buttermilk cake with pinot noir berry sauce and whipped cream

three chocolate hazelnut tart

dark and stormy cocktail

oregon's king estate pinot grigio and argyle pinot noir

deschutes brewery seasonal ipa

inspired by the Wildwood cookbook...a must buy for any lover of food

Idol Moment

This week I got to cater a dinner for thirty for the most amazing couple ever! Making and serving food in their beautiful home was a real treat. I was beyond intimidated when I found out that Suzanne Goin (my favorite LA chef) had sent over chicken and salmon to put out on the buffet alongside my food. Would anyone bother with my spread? It was the thrill of my life that people enjoyed my food and came back for more. For my food to be in the company of Suzanne Goin's was a real life moment for me.

The Menu

wild mushroom crostini with thyme

smoked trout on toasts with creme fraiche, beet horseradish and dill

braised beef short ribs with horseradish creme

pork tenderloin with ginger chutney and mustard

fennel salad with blood oranges, olive, mint

asparagus and snap pea salad with basil, walnuts, parmesan and vinaigrette

roasted carrots with lime and parsley

rosemary corn muffins

cookie platter:

strawberry shortcake, double chocolate espresso, lemon ricotta

TGIF with Jamie

Another Friday night with Jamie. This curry recipe was kind of ridiculous! Amy and David came over last minute so I threw together some Indian dishes that were way easier than leaving the house for takeout. I almost didn't have them because I had already planned on crab curry and David (though he tries to deny it) is crazy allergic to crab! Luckily I hadn't stirred the crab into the curry yet and portioned out David's separately. Though I wanted more Alice in the episode, my crush on Jamie prevails!

The Menu

Potato and Pea Cakes with cucumber and yogurt raiti

Lentils and Garbonzo Beans in spicy tomato sauce

Jamie's South Indian Curry with crab (pork for David)

Couscous with pine nuts

Garlic Chive Toasts

Sunday Supper

I'm not one to mess with tradition but growing up our Easter menu was less strict than other holidays. The only musts were deviled eggs and lamb. Since we had a smaller Easter gathering this year, I wanted to have a cozy menu to match. My solution: lamb meatloaf and fresh spring vegetables. It was the right call as dinner was delayed to watch the opening game...Go Red Sox!

The Menu

Mojitos

Easter radishes with butter and salt

Green crudites, garlic cheese curd and minted yogurt dip

Deviled quail eggs

Mario Batali's Lamb Meatloaf

Shaved asparagus salad with creamy parmesan dressing

Roasted purple, orange and yellow carrots with parsley

Roasted garlic parsnip puree

Lemon trifle with limoncello soaked pound cake, lemon cured, whipped cream and fresh strawberries