New Old Fashioned

I love a theme for a million reasons. A theme keeps a party creative, detailed and there's a guide to the whole thing for both food & decor. For my friend Kara's birthday last weekend, all she wanted 'good food.' Makes my job a little trickier. Where to start with ideas? I get bored making the same things over and over again so I wanted to mix things up, while finding balance with a few tried and true favorites. Winter is the season with the least amount of inspiration at the markets so I have to go elsewhere for my sources. I devour food magazines and tend to over order at restaurants to taste as many new ideas as possible. Plus I have my go-to cookbooks--Sunday Suppers at Lucques, Wildwood, the Canal series--that I'm always rereading because a previously dismissed recipe, can suddenly seem like the best dish on earth (latest favorite: Off the Menu). Then, when I'm especially unsure of what to make, I start browsing the websites of the best restaurants with rotating, seasonal menus: The Tasting Room, Le Pigeon, Girl and the Goat, Chez Panisse & Olympic Provisions. Here I always find exciting flavor combinations and little twists that make food new again. You don't need to always reinvent the wheel, but keeping it fresh is what keeps me engaged and excited to cook. I thrive on the little rush of, 'how is this going to turn out?' And, then, of course, on the thrill of sharing a newly discovered, tasty bite with happy eaters. Despite all of the chatter about inspiration, I'll admit that Greg's cocktails outshone my spread. Using Fee Brother's cherry bitters, instead of marachinos, in the Old Fashioneds was a delicious game changer. Plus, infusing the tequila with the serranos overnight made for the perfect kick in his herbacious margarita. Good food, good drink & good people made for a happy birthday celebration (250 balloons didn't hurt).

The Menu

cocktails

vodka ginger sour

sobieski vodka, meyer lemon & blood orange house sour, ginger beer

serrano margarita

el jimador silver tequila, lime, basil, serrano pepers

new old fashioned

four roses bourbon, fee brothers cherry bitters, cara cara peel

bites

chevre and blood orange & black pepper marmalade on endive

shitake, leek, ricotta & thyme tart

kale caesar salad cups

teriyaki brussel sprouts skewered with kimchi

curried toasted chickpeas

jalapeno pickled haricot vert

dunked grilled cheese with grafton sharp white cheddar

in roasted red pepper & tomato soup

fig jam, duck prosciutto & mint crostini

apple smoked bacon wrapped dates

pork tenderloin, quacamole, queso fresco & sriracha/lime crema on corn tortilla

lamb meatballs with harissa & tzatziki

rib-eye, horseradish mayo, arugula and crushed salt & pepper potato chips on crostini

sweets

vanilla on vanilla birthday cake

2012 Golden Globes: Bridesmaids Robbed!!

Shouldn't the winner of 'Best Comedy' go to the movie that warranted the most laughs? That being my humble opinion, I'm outraged that Bridesmaids didn't win at last night's Golden Globes. In fact, I themed my whole Golden Globes viewing menu around the sure-to-be classic. I'm saving my ideas for the other films for my favorite party of the year: my Oscar viewing party. But the Globes were the perfect chance to honor the film I fear might not make it on the Oscar's 'Best Picture' nominations list. We started with mini hoagie bites; if you don't remember Melissa McCarthy's use of a hoagie in the closing credits, RENT IT! Next, caipirinhas and a Brazilian plate to honor Kirsten Wig's ill choice in restaurants (which led to the film's infamous gross-out scene). And since Annie owned the bakery Cake Baby, there were plenty of dessert references to recreate. It was just Greg and I, so I stuck to single servings: cream puffs (Office Nathan's favorite), a lone cupcake (I couldn't quite compete with Annie's inspired treat), carrot cake (Annie's attempt to get Nathan's forgiveness) and broken up heart shaped cookies with chocolate fondue (Annie's chocolate fountain breakdown). I can't wait for January 24th when this year's Oscar nominations come out...fingers crossed for Bridesmaids. Should it make the list, I'll need to get my hands on some butterflies for decor!

The Menu

brazilian caipirinha

hoagie bites with salami, ham & cheddar

brazillian plate: sliced rib-eye, collard greens, black beans, plantains & rice with chimichurri sauce

cream puffs

vanilla/vanilla cupcake

carrot cake

broken heart shaped cookies with chocolate fondue

Downton Abbey Viewing Party: A High Tea

Not since Sex and the City, have I been as taken with a show as I am with Downton Abbey. I love the interweavings of the 'upstairs' and 'downstairs', the greatly nuanced characters, and, of course, am obsessed with the elaborateness and care that goes into each of their fancy dinner parties. To celebrate the start of the second season, I hosted a high tea to view last season's finale, so that we were all up to speed (I die for that garden party!). I made a tea sandwich and a dessert to fit the personalities of each Crawley sister. Lady Sybil, the highly spirited, youngest, is the family's forward thinking feminist. For her, I made curried egg salad on wheat--really in homage to her fabulous harem pants from Season 1. Spiced carrot cake followed suit for her spicier ways. Salmon gravlax sandwiches embodied the unlikeable Lady Edith's fishy ways. Similarly, a lemon-almond tea cake is a perfect match for her sour puss attitude. My favorite, Lady Mary, with her gorgeous beaded gowns, got my favorite tea sandwich: the classic watercress & cucumber (she happens to be as cool as one). And since she is the fanciest, imported chocolate--something special cooks of the day would order--fit the bill. Their American mother received a nod with a turkey and cranberry sandwich on mini orange muffins. If you're not on the Downton Abbey train, hop on; it's delicious television. Next time: a downstairs affair.

The Menu

assorted tea & champagne

tea sandwiches

cucumber & watercress on white bread

curried on salad on wheat

gravlax, cream cheese, dill & capers on pumpernickel

turkey, cranberry & arugula on orange muffins

sweets

lemon almond tea cake

spiced carrot cake

dark chocolate

Happy New Year's Brunch: Hair of the Dog

I've always wanted to throw a New Year's Day brunch, but sadly this year will not be my year (Greg has to work and I don't want to bartend without him!). However, I did throw a holiday brunch that featured an eggs benedict bar that would be a festive menu for the first day of 2012. Guests built their ideal egg sandwiches on either english muffins or potato pancakes, topped with honey baked ham, lox or spinach, and, of course, poached eggs. Hollandaise was the favored sauce though creme fraiche and chives are a nice option to pair with the lox! If poaching eggs seems intimidating, fry away or do a big batch of scrambled. I'm not a sweets for breakfast person but overnight baked french toast is easy and a perfect vehicle for warm maple syrup. If anyone asks if they can bring anything (bubbly, of course) get them to bring doughnuts...I can't think of a more delicious way to start 2012.

The Menu

sips. necessary

spicy bloody mary's

50/50 mimosas

splash of pomegranate, splash of orange, sparkling

brunch

eggs benedict bar

potato pancake or english muffin

honey baked ham, salmon gravlax or spinach florentine

poached eggs (or scrambled)

hollandaise or chive creme fraiche

spicy greens with winter's citrus & champagne vinaigrette

maple glazed bacon

persimmons, pomegranate seeds & mint

cranberry orange scones with jam & butter

sticky buns

chocolate doughnuts

(ideally, assorted doughnut holes!!)

Swedish Christmas

I may or may not have lost a year of my life this December, engaged fully and solely in the building and decorating of ginger bread houses. I'll admit it: I got obsessed. And it turns out, gingerbread houses can get pretty frustrating. They break often and despite how many glues I tried (8), frosting is always the best adhesive. I worried that my efforts would be deemed 'little kid'; why hadn't I waited for Amy to return from Chicago?!? But, when I laid the remaining five houses down the center of my table, and Courtney and I created rivers and paths between them with cinnamon bears and peppermint sticks, I felt redeemed. I couldn't imagine a more perfect backdrop for my Swedish Christmas dinner party. This menu was a fun one to create and delicious to eat. We started with individual fish and pickle plates and then enjoyed a family style feast of Swedish meatballs. And we played a game that people didn't seem annoyed to play!, guessing who wanted what from Santa. This is my very favorite time of year, and ginger bread houses will most certainly be a new tradition. Next year, I might just stick to one. Happy happy holidays & a merry merry Christmas to all...

The Menu

sips

the st. lucia

lingonberry, thyme simple syrup, house sour, guests' choice: bourbon, vodka or gin

snacks

martha stewart's cheese balls-three ways

hot spinach balls with spicy mustard dip

to start

fish & pickle plate

house pickled green beans, beets, carrots, onion & cauliflower

smoked trout, creme fraiche, caper berry

cold-smoked salmon, cornichon, lemon & dill

rye crisps & pumpernickel toast

to share

swedish meatballs with lingonberry jam

buttered egg noodles with dill

sweet & sour braised red cabbage

winter greens with pomegranate seeds & lemon vinaigrette

sweets

spiced egg nog

cookie platter: raspberry linzer, ginger snaps & gingerbread men sugar cookies