Après Fête: winter

February 3, 2013

Winter Dinner. Food that was fun to serve.

For this family-style feast, I started with a food memory: a perfect bite. My mom and I had dinner at Prune in NYC ten plus years ago and ordered an appetizer recommended by our waitress. A plate with boquerones (aka white anchovies), shaved celery, marcona almonds and a drizzle of olive oil. I had never had a marcona almond, nor a cured anchovy, and the combination blew my mind. The plate had texture, acid, surprise and I've never forgotten it. So it was exciting to put the elements together, with a little fennel, atop a grilled piece of bread. Once I figured out the bruschetta, the rest of the menu fell into place. Ribs in the winter felt fun and chocolate pots de creme are always a perfect finish.

The Menu

sips

serrano margaritas

snacks

gherkins & curry pickled carrots

radish & butter tea sandwiches

duck prosciutto, finocchiona & soppressata

to savor & amuse

pacific gold oysters with champagne mignonette

to start

little gems with garlicky lemon vinaigrette

fennel, celery, boquerones & marcona almond bruschetta

fresh ricotta, pickled mushroom & shallot bruschetta

to share

baby back ribs with balsamic espresso bbq sauce

andouille sausage

creamy rosemary polenta

brussel sprouts with kimchi sausage

wilted kale with chili & citrus

sweet

dark chocolate pots de creme

January 22, 2012

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).