MISS-ISS-I-PP-I

After an amazing vacation in Morocco (which definately inspired another Moroccan themed party!), I arrived back to LA greeted by gorgeous, sweet tomatoes at the farmers markets.  They are the best they've been in years, which means it is BLT season!  We've been back in the throws of massive parties, so this simple dinner for twelve was a real pleasure.  The hostess is from Mississippi and wanted touches of the South to inspire the menu.  With the help of my friends Ahna and Julianna, who know a thing or two about Southern cooking, I came up with pecan crusted halibut, creamy grits & greens.  Greg really nailed the fried pickled request with his tempura battered version, better than anything I've eaten at a State Fair (no offense State Fair, I love you deeply and can't wait!!).  Our hostess picked flowers from her garden (lucky lady!) and served dinner on her collection of mix and match vintage china, which only enhanced the whimsical, easy breezy Southern feel.  I'm so happy it's summer, my favorite time of year, and look forward to lots of corn, bbq, refreshing cocktails and the second best food in the world: the BLT (sorry BLT, the french fry is my one true love).

The Menu

sips

smoky watermelon margaritas

snacks

tempura battered dill pickles with comeback sauce

pimento cheese toasts

salt & pepper shrimp

to start

heirloom tomatoes, lettuces, bacon & creamy chive buttermilk dressing

savory

pecan crusted halibut with caper remoulade

creamy cheddar polenta & braised kale and collard greens

sweet

chocolate pots de creme with bourbon whipped cream

Edible Flower Videos with LEAFtv

When I met Erin Falconer and Geri Hirsch, I was impressed.  These two very smart, very cool ladies have created LEAFtv, which features beautiful how-to videos in the world of Living, Eating and Fashion.  It's going to be huge.  We teamed up to create a series of videos showcasing edible flowers, just in time for a Mother's Day Luncheon.  This "sous-vide" salmon recipe is my and Greg's go-to easy dinner.  It sounds way more complicated than it really is.  You simply marinate your salmon in a ziploc bag, and also cook it in it.  Zero clean-up!!  Check out the video for a step-by-step tutorial.  Stay tuned tomorrow for how to build a grown-up ice cream sundae bar!  Thank you Erin and Geri for including me--looking forward to future collaborations!

The Menu

sips

lavender champagne cocktail

to start

mixed greens salad with shaved vegetables & champagne vinaigrette

to share

"sous-vide" salmon with lemon & dill

roast asparagus & fingerling potatoes

sweet

ice cream sundae bar with lavender, saffron rosewater & ginger rosewater ice cream

Grilled Pizza Baby Shower

Salads are always appropriate for a ladies' luncheon, but they're even better when paired with grilled pizzas!!  For a friend's baby shower, a long table, filled with her amazing collection of crystal, china & flatware, invited guests to share in a leisurely feast, served family style.  We used Gwyneth Paltrow's pizza dough recipe from My Father's Daughter and the result was perfectly crunchy on the outside, doughy on the inside, with plenty of earthy flavor.  This will be my new go-to crust recipe, which I'll use for build your own pizza parties all summer (plus it held up great over night in the fridge).  And the pistachio, strawberry & vanilla bean layered semifreddo is worth the extra steps for a pretty, sweet finish.   Amy added special touches with printed menus, place cards and a baby photo guessing game.  All in all, a fun afternoon of rose & lunch from the grill, made all the more delicious by good friends, great weather and a baby on the way...

The Menu

sips

raspberry & peach bellinis

rose

snacks

burrata, artichoke & pesto crostini

fig jam, prosciutto & mint crostini

to share

grilled pizzas:

margherita: buffalo mozzarella, tomato & basil

wild mushroom, ricotta & arugula

finocchiona, caramelized fennel and onion & mozzarella

grilled caesar salad

california chopped: baby kale, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, avocado, chickpeas & basil vinaigrette

honeydew, cantaloupe & mint

sweet

strawberry, pistachio & vanilla bean semifreddo

chocolate espresso cookies with sea salt

Parisian Bistro Birthday Party

The invitation said "Champagne & Onion Rings, Oysters & Absinthe".  This party was off to a good start!  And though one needs little more for sustenance, we took the Parisian bistro theme and ran with it.  Getting the French jazz band Avalon to perform set the perfect tone for this backyard fete.  While they charmingly sang and played, guest enjoyed plenty of champagne cocktails, sazeracs and mini croque monsieurs.  For dinner, we kept it totally simple and classic--e.g. steak au poivre and frisee with lardons & egg--with more ever-present champagne (and onion rings, of course!).  Bistro lights over small cafe tables made the whole night feel cozy and Amy's use of garden roses throughout the party was stunning and chic.  I'm longing for a trip to Paris and this party with a glimmer of my associations: Hemingway's obsession oysters, my favorite restaurant's profiteroles and a semester abroad filled with boozy love and fun.  Bon Anniversaire Ryan!!  xx

The Menu

sips

French 75

gin, champagne, lemon

lavender champagne cocktail

lavender, champagne, bitters, sugar, lemon

kir royale

cassis, champagne, twist

sazerac

rye, absinthe, sugar, peychaud's bitters, twist

absinthe

burnt sugar, water

snacks

raw bar with oysters on the half shell & mignonette 

mini croque monsieurs

duck confit, pickled cherry & ricotta on endive

french cheese boards, grilled toasts & accoutrement

to share

steak au poivre

onion rings with remoulade

potato & fennel gratin

haricot verts with cherry tomatoes & thyme

frisse salad with lardons & egg

sweet

profiteroles with espresso chocolate sauce

photos by Hana Ardelean 

Easter Egg Hunt

This year my friend Leah went all out with a kid's fantasy Easter: an egg hunt, egg on spoon relays and pin the tail on the bunny.  It was a pleasure to create a menu that lived up to all of the fun.  Bunny and chick shaped finger sandwiches accompanied bunny mac & cheese and bunny snacks (aka carrot sticks).  The kids provided the dessert by sharing treats from their Easter baskets and decorating sugar cookies.  If you've ever wondered who likes Peeps, think no further: kids (they freak out for them!).  There were treats for the adults as well: starting with spicy Bloody Mary's and rhubarb fizzes.  A Greek Easter Luncheon was a great buffet for a day of grazing.  Grilled leg of lamb filled pitas with plenty of dips, sauces, veggies & a big Greek salad.  The whole day got me excited for warmer weather and days filled with good food, good drinks and great friends.  Lots of parties to come...

The Menu

sips

pink lemonade

rhubarb fizzes

spicy bloody mary's

snacks

stuffed grape leaves

spinach & ricotta spanikopita

curried deviled eggs

kids

buttermilk chicken tenders

bunny pb & j's

egg shaped turkey & cheese

bunny mac & cheese

carrot sticks

to share

grilled rosemary leg of lamb

hummus, tzatziki, baba ganoush, tabouli, eggplant caviar, parsley mint sauce, honeyed onions & currants and pita bread

swiss chard with tahini yogurt sauce & pine nuts

smashed fingerling potatoes

little gems with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, french feta, kalamata olives & red wine vinaigrette

sweet

Easter baskets