It's A Girl

This food is pretty.  Bite sized.  Quaint.  Charming.  Appropriate for a baby shower, fitting for a tea.  But, if I'm honest, it's these gorgeous serving pieces that really elevate this whole spread.  I mean...assorted crystal cake stands change some wonder bread & cucumbers into a wow.  (Note, wonder bread is THE BEST for tea sandwiches).  So, while most of us can't run out and get dozens of these decorate trays--start collecting!  And for parties, transfer the idea of potlucking food, to potlucking cake stands.  It really makes a difference--especially for teas & showers.  Amy hung these handmade paper poufs above the buffet.  These photos don't do it justice--the quantity of her pink balls jammed together made a dramatic impact.  My menu was traditional tea time with a few highlights: watermelon radish tea sandwiches and lavender short bread.  The key ingredient in both: good butter!

 

 

  

 

The Menu

sips

pink champagne

tea selection: earl grey, english breakfast, ginger & mint

tea

cucumber & watercress tea sandwiches

watermelon radish & chive tea sandwiches

smoked salmon, cream cheese & dill on pumpernickel

prosciutto, fig jam & mint crostini

deviled quail eggs

steamed asparagus

currant scones

strawberry jam, orange marmalade & clotted cream

lemon chocolate tarts

raspberry & pistachio eton messes

earl grey cookies

lemon almond tea cake

carrot cake cookies

fresh strawberries

chocolate ganache bites

the favor

lavender shortbread & earl grey tea

Passover

I'm not Jewish. But, I have been dying to celebrate Jewish holidays for years. Specifically, I've been dying to cook food in theme with Jewish holidays. This year I got my big break: a Passover Seder. As a novice, I wanted to honor tradition (chopped liver) and still add my own twists (e.g. artic char gravlax instead of gefilte fish). Luckily, it wasn't my first time making matzo balls; this recipe for mini chive & leek matzo balls is a must try. Forming the balls with a teaspoon, plus a splash of ginger ale, makes for tiny, tender bites. I'm really not sure why this meal of unleavened bread gets such a bad rap. Flourless chocolate cake & meyer lemon olive oil cake, made with almond flour, are delicious desserts fit for any holiday. This year I spent my Easter weekend learning to make Charoset, and I found it inspiring. Passover is so rich with tradition and experiencing the preparation of the meal made me appreciate it all the more. Since I value my own food traditions so much, I want to continue to learn, and be inspired by, other cultures' culinary rituals. I love hearing about others' traditions so please share holiday & celebration ideas. A comment from a fellow blogger has already encouraged me to throw a Kentucky derby party, so please throw party ideas my way!!

The Menu

snacks

chicken liver pate & cornichons on matzo cracker

minted pea spread & radish on matzo cracker

deviled eggs with chives

fish

artic char gravlax, cucumber dill relish & beet horseradish

soup

mini chive & leek matzo ball soup with dill

main

braised beef short ribs, smashed fingerling potatoes & lemon roasted asparagus with horseradish crema

sweet

flourless chocolate ganache cake

meyer lemon olive oil cake with almond flour

coconut macarons with rhubarb compote & strawberries

Mahjong & Luncheon

I come from a family of card players. Gamblers. My grandparents hosted regular poker games and bridge tournaments (with plenty of cocktails and Chex mix, of course). My mom and her three sisters followed suit and became pretty die-hard black jack players. So it's in my blood to love games. (I've had a few gin rummy benders in my day.) Yesterday a group of ladies gathered for their regular Mahjong game. Though I have yet to learn the rules and strategies of the tiles, based on Chinese symbols and characters, I aspire to. While they fueled their addiction I made a lunch inspired by Mahjong. The menu was simple and light with spicy flavors and subtle Chinese influences. A day amongst friends, with a game between them & delicious eats--seems pretty lucky to me.

The Menu

sips

ginger iced tea

acai mango iced tea

mint green tea

snacks

chinese five spiced almonds

rice crackers

radish crudites

to share

chinese chicken salad with fresh mandarin oranges, scallions, snap peas, persian cucumbers, cilantro & toasted almonds in a lime-rice wine vinaigrette

spicy sesame noodles with red peppers, peas & scallions

steamed asparagus with peanut-hoison dipping sauce

mango, avocado & mint

sweet

coconut macadamia nut shortbread

(with a touch of red...for the year of the dragon)

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose, I would always greet it in a garden. -Ruth Stout

Springtime at the farmers market truly signals the change of the season. As soon as I see fava beans, asparagus and strawberries, I immediately have a new enthusiasm for cooking, as well as living. When the palette at the market brightens, flavors should too--more mint, more lemon, more crunch. For a birthday dinner this weekend, I wanted to celebrate all that is spring, paying attention to color and pretty plates. At the risk of sounding overly sentimental, these new ingredients seem to mirror the new beginnings that come along with a birthday. So there's my theme for the quarter: spring flavors bring with them the anticipation of fresh starts. If only I had baby chicks if my yard...then, I'd really feel amped up for spring!!

The Menu

sips

cucumber lime spritzers

rhubarb sparklers

snacks

swiss chard pancakes with smoked trout, creme fraiche & dill

to start

curried mint pea soup with pea shoots & flowering chives

to share

garlicky lamb meatballs with harissa

farro salad with ricotta salata, toasted walnuts, parsley & dill

grilled asparagus with lemon zest

shaved spring vegetable salad of watermelon radishes, baby carrots, fennel & garden lettuces with a green goddess dressing

sweet

meyer lemon almond cake with rhubarb compote

A Feast for a Leprechaun

For one reason or another, I've had to learn the same lesson over and over again: I get very sad when I don't pause to properly celebrate a holiday. Growing up, my mom did something festive for every occasion, so when these holidays roll around, I crave that same ritual. I can shamefully admit that there was a Thanksgiving a few years back where I thought it would be fine to stay in LA with no plans and do a simple dinner with Greg. Instead, I (to say the least) pouted through the whole day, too depressed to enjoy the sweet little duck Greg had made for us. This weekend Greg was out of town so I was resolved to 'skip' St. Patrick's Day since I wouldn't have my Irish drinking buddy. But inside I felt pouty about it. So Saturday morning I decided to turn it around and invited my neighbors over for some corned beef and cabbage (attire: wear green, of course). I crammed some shamrocks into jars (Trader Joe's is a great save for last minute seasonal centerpieces), bought lottery tickets and spread gold-foiled chocolates & pennies onto the table. This meal is as simple as simple gets, but following The Canal House instructions for corned beef and cabbage (plus buying choice beef) seemed to make the tastiest version yet. I searched for mini Lucky Charms cereal boxes to use as vases to no avail, but bought a big box as a consolation. Unsure of what to do with it, I made treat bars (ala Rice Krispy treats) and they were a pretty big hit. (When in doubt, add butter, bacon or marshmallows.) We have a lot of springtime 'holidays' coming up--April Fool's Day, Easter, May Day, Mother's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Derby Day--and I aim to celebrate them all. Seems like a delicious goal.

The Menu

sips

our favorite cocktails are already green!

jalapeno & lime margaritas

dirty martinis with green olives

snacks

cucumber & herbed cream cheese tea sandwiches

guinness & irish cheddar fondue

broccoli, roast brussel sprouts & green apples

family style

corned beef, cabbage & potatoes

roast carrots with thyme

parsley sauce, mustard sauce & horseradish creme fraiche

irish soda bread with irish butter

sweet

guinness floats with vanilla bean ice cream

lucky charm treat bars