legant Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 When is it a dinner party vs. having dinner with friends? I'm still on my (making the perfect) biscuit kick and have had one too many biscuit and honey/butter/jam meals. Hence, the meal was built around the biscuits. Started off with a selection of Cowgirl Creamery cheeses; Crisp Roasted Chicken (Cook's Illustrated; gawd! I loved stabbing the heck out of that bird); mixed greens (kale and collards) with bacon; cornmeal biscuits; and, raspberry and blackberry cobbler. The biscuits were a disaster. We checked the biscuits halfway through the cooking time... they had flattened during cooking... and they looked like oatmeal cookies. A quick trip to Florida Avenue Grill saved the meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkduggins Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 On Saturday, an exploration of fennel dinner with friends cocktails: fennel julep OR bloody Mary with fennel infused gin apps: braised fennel and leek spread on fresh baguette soup: ricotta, fennel and leek ravioli in fennel broth garnished with micro-fennel main: pan seared pork loin over caramelized onion and fennel with fennel cream sauce side: fennel, asparagus and blue cheese gratin dessert: caramelized fennel and apple compote tart Thanks to all for great food, drinks and conversation! Everything was amazing, and surprisingly not "fennel overload". Though I did call my cat Fennel rather than Flannel more than once after dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 On Saturday, an exploration of fennel dinner with friendscocktails: fennel julep OR bloody Mary with fennel infused gin apps: braised fennel and leek spread on fresh baguette soup: ricotta, fennel and leek ravioli in fennel broth garnished with micro-fennel main: pan seared pork loin over caramelized onion and fennel with fennel cream sauce side: fennel, asparagus and blue cheese gratin dessert: caramelized fennel and apple compote tart Thanks to all for great food, drinks and conversation! Everything was amazing, and surprisingly not "fennel overload". Though I did call my cat Fennel rather than Flannel more than once after dinner. Fresh fennel and fennel seed, I assume. Did you use any fennel pollen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkduggins Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Did you use any fennel pollen? There was fennel pollen, but I forget who used it for what... maybe garnish on the bloody Mary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plunk Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 On Saturday, an exploration of fennel dinner with friendscocktails: fennel julep OR bloody Mary with fennel infused gin apps: braised fennel and leek spread on fresh baguette soup: ricotta, fennel and leek ravioli in fennel broth garnished with micro-fennel main: pan seared pork loin over caramelized onion and fennel with fennel cream sauce side: fennel, asparagus and blue cheese gratin dessert: caramelized fennel and apple compote tart Thanks to all for great food, drinks and conversation! Everything was amazing, and surprisingly not "fennel overload". Though I did call my cat Fennel rather than Flannel more than once after dinner. Would you mind sharing how you made your fennel julep? It sounds interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Would you mind sharing how you made your fennel julep? It sounds interesting. Muddle fennel fronds thoroughly with fine sugar; add bourbon, ice, a drop or two of pastis, stir well, strain into glass. Zora, it was actually powdered fennel seed for the bloody marys, not fennel pollen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Dinner for 20, a surprise birthday party for Mr. P: gin-based beverages lamb rogan josh (a dry curry) channa-chaat masala (spicy chickpeas) shahi paneer (yogurt cheese in tomato-cream sauce) badaam aur khus-khus kae aalu (curried cashew and poppy seed potatoes) carrots and peas rice key lime pie cheesecake squares (tomatoes and potatoes from the home garden) ----------------------------- Cooking five Indian dishes and two Western desserts for 20 people was actually easier to pull off than I imagined. So was surprising Steve when he got home before the guests arrived (he got suspicious after the third "hey, we're free, what're you doing tonight?" phone call; had it figured out when people started showing up without calling). What wasn't easy was hiding the gallons of milk and quarts of yogurt needed for the paneer, and seven pounds of lamb, and assorted other things requiring refrigeration. Set a personal best dishwasher use record: five loads in a single day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted October 5, 2008 Author Share Posted October 5, 2008 Chili, cornbread, chicken fajitas, homemade pinto beans, grilled veggies, rice, flour tortillas. Lots of wine & beer Apple pie, and plum crisp with almonds Waitman's fabulous honey ice cream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted November 8, 2008 Author Share Posted November 8, 2008 Oil cured olives with herbs de Provence Bouillabaise croutons, rouille Green salad, vinaigrette cheese plate: Stilton, Morbier, Robiola Fleur de Sel brownies vanilla ice cream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Fresh mango juice/mezcal/tequila/chile arbol syrup/lime/mint guacamole and chips verduras en escabeche tamales de huitlacoche (with homemade masa and lard) with poached shrimp and mole verde 2006 Don Alegario Albariño barbacoa de cabrito steamed in banana leaf with avocado leaves roasted chile salsa frijoles refritos saffron rice radishes homemade tortillas made with Moctec fresh masa 2006 Hampton Bridge Sonoma zinfandel cheese platter with Everona Blue Ridge sheepmilk blue, chestnut leaf-wrapped goat, a Wisconsin raw milk tomme, St. Andre triple cream, grapes, fresh figs, pears horchata panna cotta with pomegranate seeds Mexican chocolate-chile truffles rolled in Guatemalan cocoa nibs Montenegro amaro Bardouin pastis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Johnston Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Edamane Shrimp Cocktail Dry Sausage Perfect Manhattens Vegan French Onion Soup with Toasted Baguette and Gruyere Cheese Bitter Leaf Salad Pan Seared Scallops Braised Short Ribs in Guinness and Prunes with carrots and parsnips Herbed Rice With Currants in Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Sautee Spinach Marble crown cake with mixed berries and ice cream/ sorbet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Carpano Antica Formula Manhattans with Sazerac rye and home cured cherries Guacamole and chips almonds and chile -spiked olives Amuse-- small serving of roasted winter vegetable soup Iceberg wedge salad with blue cheese dressing and bacon 2007 Tittarelli Torrontes Cedarbrook Farm double-thick pork chops, herb-brined and charcoal roasted with hickory smoke chips, sliced off the bone South Carolina mustard bbq sauce Quince compote Stone ground artisan white grits Braised Kale Cheese platter- Humboldt Fog, Stilton, Spanish sheepmilk, bosc pear, dried figs 2005 Hampton Bridge Sonoma Zinfandel Patisserie Poupon pistachio pithiviers Espresso Amaro Montenegro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Dinner Elderberry liquor and Fever tree tonic water Smoked salmon with lemon pepper cream cheese on black bread topped with salmon roe Olives Sage Derby Cheese (aka moon cheese) Tripple Cream Brie Potatoe pancakes fried in bacon fat topped with caviar Linguini with bacon, escarole (picked the morning we ate it) and parmesean Salad of Freshly picked baby lettuce and enoki mushrooms Roast with caper dijon sauce Pureed cauliflower Homemade raspberry wine Homebrewed ginger beer and dark, sweet beer Homemade asian pear pie Breakfast Cup of Joe (a special treat for me) Homemade scones with clotted cream Soft boiled quail eggs topped with caviar Country fresh air Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Blume Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 ...escarole (picked the morning we ate it) and parmeseanSalad of Freshly picked baby lettuce... Homemade asian pear pie... Country fresh air ORGANIC Asian pears? I think I know your hosts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lackadaisi Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Dinner for 4 Castelveltrano Olives Rosemary Spiced Nuts Ceasar Dip Double Salmon Dip Crostini Parmesan Thyme Crackers Chorizo Salame Marinated Mushrooms Ham Biscuits Fig-Stuffed Oatmeal Cookies Pumpkin Bars Chocolate Chip Cookies Cheesecake Brownies Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies Chocolate Cake You know, what we have laying around the house . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Dinner for 8 Homemade Pate de Campagne (pork, pork liver, pistachio garnish, interior garnish of braised pork tongue), cornichons, homemade mustard Salad: arugula, homemade duck confit, cippolini onions, sherry vinaigrette, poached egg yolk Roast Chicken (brined, pistachio butter underneath skin), shaved brussels sprouts, duck fat fries Little ramekins of foie gras, jelly of brandied sour cherry juice and framboise beer Lemon bars (brought by a guest) Lots of work, but so fun to put together. I must've re-printed my prep list like 5 times as the week went on and the menu/steps evolved. The yolk on the salad didn't really work: the arugula blend I got from WholeFoods wasn't that structurally sound, so the yolk just slipped down to the bottom of the salad instead of being broken over the top like I've seen it done at restaurants. The rest turned out pretty well, nice mild liver flavor on the pate, chicken was pretty tasty, and the fries came out perfectly on the second fry at ~370. Only regret is that I was too busy to take pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legant Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Dinner for 4: Muchies: Homemade pickles (bought/made by a guest) Amuse: Broccoli soup w/ chive-cayenne oil Sauteed cheese polenta squares Mains: Chicken and cremini mushroom ragu Creamy polenta with sharp cheddar cheese Roasted broccoli Wine: 2008 Altos Malbec Dessert: Bittersweet (flourless) roulade, filled with strawberry preserves and chocolate liqueured whipped cream, topped with dusted with cocoa and powdered sugar, raspberries (Alice Medrich) Gluten-free apple pie (Whole Foods, bought by a guest) The only "miss" was the apple pie: the crust didn't hold together and the apple filling was terribly sweet and overpowered the whole thing. Two hits: the roasted broccoli (Cook's Illustrated) and the creamy polenta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Dinner for 11 Grilled salmon and chicken with a roasted tomatillo lovage sauce Grilled veggies tossed Bulgarian style with a balsamic basil vinaigrette Israeli couscous with feta, mint and eggplant Salad with warmish bacon vinaigrette and lots of chopped Cioba bacon Grilled Quail Creek Ovens bread Three types of chocolate cake Creation of a master griller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidsdc Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Dinner for 4 Meal (by request) for my niece's graduation/18th bday made by Mr. S with me as sous chef: Chicken Kiev roasted vegetables popovers (she's never had them before) any kind of pasta dish any dessert made by my husband Chicken Kiev- America's Test Kitchen recipe. When my niece asked for this, we weren't sure where to look for a recipe! But Mr. S. remembered seeing an ATK show recently with this recipe, and Barbara also suggested ATK when I asked for recipes here a bit ago. This dish was amazing. It's too bad it has a bad rep from bad incarnations being served at so many weddings and celebrations in the past. Crunchy outside courtesy of toasted bread crumbs, oven roasted, not fried. Butter, dill and parsley made a moist filling for incredibly moist chicken. If not for the 2Tb of butter per serving of chicken, I would want to eat this much more often! Oven roasted carrots and cauliflower. Nicely browned, sweet and just a bit of crunch. Simplicity at it's best. Pasta aglio e olio-(with olive oil and garlic) Lydia Bastianich's recipe. Due to a last minute problem with the homemade pasta, we had to use boxed Bucatini, but that did not hold back any raves for this dish. Popovers-America's Test Kitchen recipe. What more can one say? Mmmmmmm. Georgia Dream Cake- Mr. S, while having quite the reputation for being a wonderful baker, for a number of reasons hasn't made a cake in quite a few years. This recipe is one he has made several times in the past, and was successful once again; a good way to build back his confidence. From Chocalatier magazine, chocolate and peanut butter mousse surrounded by a brownie type cake and topped with a chocoate ganache. Even with a few mishaps (such as the pasta), the evening was a success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Pasta aglio e olio-(with olive oil and garlic) Lydia Bastianich's recipe. Due to a last minute problem with the homemade pasta, we had to use boxed Bucatini, but that did not hold back any raves for this dish. I seem to recall that you are allergic to garlic... Or am I remembering incorrectly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidsdc Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 I seem to recall that you are allergic to garlic... Or am I remembering incorrectly? Great memory! You do remember correctly...but since it was a dinner for my niece, not for me, the dishes were for her benefit. Mr. S was also pleased since it has been so long since we've had garlic in the house. It doesn't pay to make two separate dishes when cooking for just the two of us. I ate only the popovers and not the pasta--I didn't rave about the pasta, but wanted to impart that everyone else did! It smelled wonderful, though... I try not to call out too often my allergies as they are many. I also skipped the dessert due to the peanut butter, but Mr. S very nicely made some plain brownies that I was able to eat. (I also got to lick the spoon on the chocolate mousse, so I didn't miss out entirely ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I try not to call out too often my allergies as they are many. I know what you mean. I hate having to remind people about my food allergies. But it's looking like I can eat pecans again! I tried a couple of tiny bites of pecan a couple of weeks ago, and nothing happened. So last weekend, I ate a pecan waffle, with lots of pecans in it, and I was fine. This is huge, because I haven't been able to eat them for many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Blume Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Pasta aglio e olio-(with olive oil and garlic) Lydia Bastianich's recipe. Due to a last minute problem with the homemade pasta, we had to use boxed Bucatini, but that did not hold back any raves for this dish.Does Lidia Bastianich call for homemade pasta? Made with eggs? It's traditional to serve (most--there are always exceptions) simple preparations featuring olive oil with dried, egg-free pasta, so your problem might have been serendipity. I've noticed that lots of supermarkets and big chain stores are starting to offer higher-quality, bronze-cut, imported dried pastas. Harris Teeter has one of the respected brands (begins w "Ga") from Naples for not much. Safeway, too; at least the ones made without egg are less than $3. This weekend I discovered "Archer" at Target which looks fantastic (surface of rigatoni studded w dull, white flecks); across the way Marshalls had a bag of even better spaghetti, but at $4 which is less than the pricy, glorious yellow bags of Martelli (?) that Zingerman's imports from Pisa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidsdc Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Does Lidia Bastianich call for homemade pasta? Made with eggs? It's traditional to serve (most--there are always exceptions) simple preparations featuring olive oil with dried, egg-free pasta, so your problem might have been serendipity. I've noticed that lots of supermarkets and big chain stores are starting to offer higher-quality, bronze-cut, imported dried pastas. Harris Teeter has one of the respected brands (begins w "Ga") from Naples for not much. Safeway, too; at least the ones made without egg are less than $3. This weekend I discovered "Archer" at Target which looks fantastic (surface of rigatoni studded w dull, white flecks); across the way Marshalls had a bag of even better spaghetti, but at $4 which is less than the pricy, glorious yellow bags of Martelli (?) that Zingerman's imports from Pisa. Mr. S also tells me that boxed is traditional, and that Lidia's recipe specifies that one can use either boxed OR homemade. He wanted to introduce my niece to real homemade pasta, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. The attachment for the KA broke, the pasta was too dry and broke apart, so tradition won out in the end. As it turns out the pasta may not have rested long enough. He tried again tonight to roll it out and it worked fine. And Zora, I completely understand!!! I'm in the process of testing out a few things myself...the Chicken Kiev actually had shallots in it, and I had no problems with it (baby steps...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 a rare pull-out-all-the-stops dinner for eight: brandade de morue with toasted homemade no-knead bread Jamie Stachowski's duck paté Nathan Anda's finocchione salame chile olives almonds kir royales winter salad of frisee, baby lettuce, fennel, watermelon radishes, cara cara, navel and blood oranges, ruby grapefruit and citrus vinaigrette 2007 Pascal Jolivet pouilly fumé cassoulet: Tarbais beans, homemade pork sausages and duck confit, eco-friendly pork belly, pork shoulder 2007 Dom. Grand Nicolet cotes-du-rhone cheese: homemade chevre with lavender and fennel pollen, Cherry Glen Monocacy Silver chevre, Everona Skyline, Valdeon blue, Pyrenees tomme homemade quince membrillo, homemade fig jambrillo, homemade bread 2006 Stag's Leap petite syrah (guest-provided) meyer lemon puff pastry tart with candied lemon slices and creme chantilly 2005 Pillitteri riesling icewine (guest-provided) Ch. de Laubade XO bas armagnac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 After rescheduling three times, the last time due to snow, we finally succeeded in having friends over for dinner two months late. It started as a "we never did get together over the holidays" meal and ended up as a "hey, you just had a birthday" event. Dinner for four, heavy on appetizers and a bit lighter on the main course than I usually do: Appetizers Fattat hummus (layered pita chips; chickpeas; hummus; Greek yogurt with garlic, lemon, and mint; toasted pine nuts; chickpeas; parsley; and olive oil; additional pita chips for dipping) Cheese platter with fig preserves [Morbier]; honeycomb [Gouda]; tomato-olive marmalade [Chevre]; and harissa [Gruyere] Olives Main course Rustic bread (Marvelous Market) and butter White bean soup with parsley and garlic (Marcella Hazan recipe) Broiled lamb rib chops over couscous (feta, roasted garlic, golden raisins, toasted pistachio nuts, and parsley) Dessert Carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (Barefoot Contessa recipe) To drink: Pellegrino water (throughout) 2005 Simi Landslide Cabernet Sauvignon (appetizers and main course) 2007 Rudolf Müller Eiswein brought by our guests (dessert) Hot Tea (Darjeeling) - postmeal The cheeses worked out wonderfully. I lifted the idea from Zaytinya--heavily. I even looked back at their menu to choose pairings. . I bought all of the condiments but the tomato-olive marmalade. The recipe I cobbled together turned out very well. That was fantastic with the chevre. I'm definitely doing the cheese pairings again sometime. It also gave me the opportunity to use a platter of my mother's that must have been intended for relishes to go with meat. (It has a fairly substantial center portion with four small insets, two on either side of the center.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 New kitchen inaugural last night: a planning meeting dinner for a group of Tifosi: crostini with black olive tapenade; roasted red pepper; eggplant and garlic buffalo mozzarella marcona almonds salumi (provided by one of the ragazzi) fennel with raisins, almonds, orange roasted asparagus with saba linguine with shrimp in garlic sauce ricotta panna cotta with coffee gelee cookie plate: brussels, almond lace, lemon semolina, pistachio bars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanCole42 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Is there like a "guest calculator" anywhere? Plug in the foods you want to make, then the number of guests, to figure out how many pounds of everything you need? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted June 8, 2010 Author Share Posted June 8, 2010 Is there like a "guest calculator" anywhere? Plug in the foods you want to make, then the number of guests, to figure out how many pounds of everything you need? How many guests are you talking about? If it's fewer than 25 or so, scaling your everyday recipes isn't too hard. For larger numbers, something like this page might be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share Posted June 13, 2010 Because they never brag on themselves, I'm going to do it for them. At Waitman & Mrs. B's house last night, an elegant, sophisticated dinner for ten people: Fava bean & feta crostini Olives Mini patatas bravas, with aioli & tomato sauce "Peas & Carrots" Pea & mint sorbet, carrot-ginger sorbet Ceviche (including a vegetarian version made with hearts of palm for the token vegetarian) Grilled lamb kabobs, skewered on rosemary branches Tzatziki Creamy Vegetable & Cashew Curry Sauteed green beans with garlic & shallots Cheeses Salad with walnut/honey vinaigrette Lemon crepe cake with sauteed cherries Chocolates We drank a Bandol rose & Gruet sparkler before dinner, a Falanghina with the first two courses, and an outstanding '03 Hermitage with the lamb. Dessert was accompanied by Banyuls. Ask Waitman for specifics about the wine, I was too busy enjoying it to write anything down. All consumed outside by candlelight, with a delightful breeze blowing through. Cheers once again to the two best hosts and home cooks I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monavano Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Because they never brag on themselves, I'm going to do it for them. At Waitman & Mrs. B's house last night, an elegant, sophisticated dinner for ten people: Fava bean & feta crostini Olives Mini patatas bravas, with aioli & tomato sauce "Peas & Carrots" Pea sorbet, carrot-ginger sorbet Ceviche (including a vegetarian version made with hearts of palm for the token vegetarian) Grilled lamb kabobs, skewered on rosemary branches Creamy Vegetable & Cashew Curry Sauteed green beans with garlic & shallots Cheeses Salad with walnut/honey vinaigrette Lemon crepe cake with sauteed cherries Chocolates We drank a Bandol rose & Gruet sparkler before dinner, a Falanghina with the first two courses, and an outstanding '03 Hermitage with the lamb. Dessert was accompanied by Banyuls. Ask Waitman for specifics about the wine, I was too busy enjoying it to write anything down. All consumed outside by candlelight, with a delightful breeze blowing through. Cheers once again to the two best hosts and home cooks I know. Wow, kudos to the hosts, and lucky you to the guests! Can you tell me more about the sorbets? They sound...interesting. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share Posted June 13, 2010 Wow, kudos to the hosts, and lucky you to the guests! Can you tell me more about the sorbets? They sound...interesting. Thanks! They were Mrs. B's idea, so maybe she'll weigh in later with the recipes. The pea was pretty good & the carrot was outstanding. It was a very different, refreshing start to the meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Wow, kudos to the hosts, and lucky you to the guests! Can you tell me more about the sorbets? They sound...interesting. Thanks! If I'd been in charge, I would have served them mid-meal as a divertissement, rather than as a first course. But it was pretty fun and pretty good. Recipe here, though Mrs. B conceived the idea before she knew there was a recipe on line. Use less sugar than they call for in the carrots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. B Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 If I'd been in charge, I would have served them mid-meal as a divertissement, rather than as a first course. But it was pretty fun and pretty good. Recipe here, though Mrs. B conceived the idea before she knew there was a recipe on line. Use less sugar than they call for in the carrots. Actually I misinformed Waitman, the carrot sorbet was prepared pretty much as directed by the recipe. I used about half as much simple syrup as the pea recipe called for and significantly less mint, mainly because the mint growing in our yard is so pungent but also because I wanted pea sorbet not mint sorbet. I really think this combination of sorbets worked nicely together. I regret only putting the peas through the tamis and not following up with the chinois. Big shout out to Heather who always makes our dinner parties hum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 What a delicious menu. Can you describe the lemon crepe cake, or even provide a recipe? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. B Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 What a delicious menu. Can you describe the lemon crepe cake, or even provide a recipe? Thanks. Try this This was not the recipe I used. I went with Alton Brown for the win with both crepes and curd. I will not repeat. Still all in all it tasted quite good. I think in retrospect that a thin curd or even a juice & sugar based marinade might work better with just made crepes. The already prepared crepes and thicker curd did not really play well together (as in spluging out the sides while trying to plate). I am going to give this another go because the lemon and cherry are great with each other . The cherries were done in a jubilee style with a bit less cornstarch and no booze. These were left on the counter until service. ETA I like Julia's crepe batter better than Alton's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 Thanks for both the recipe and analyiss. crepe cake ETA I like Julia's crepe batter better than Alton's. So do I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legant Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Brunch for 8: Blue cheese deviled eggs Smoked salmon roll-ups w/ cream cheese, radishes and red onion Spinach and cheese strata Homemade applesauce, spiced with ginger and thyme Applewood smoked bacon Store-bought pastries Mimosas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefnchedda Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 dinner for 9: dan dan noodles long beans with oyster mushrooms in oyster sauce garlic eggplant twice-cooked pork chinese sausage and chicken fried rice asian-style boiled peanuts (with star anise and ginger) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StorageLady Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 dinner for 9: dan dan noodles long beans with oyster mushrooms in oyster sauce garlic eggplant twice-cooked pork chinese sausage and chicken fried rice asian-style boiled peanuts (with star anise and ginger) my kind of dinner...drooling... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plunk Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 This might be more appropriately filed under “Help Needed,” or “Barbecue” but I’ll try here first. We’re hosting a casual get-together for about 20 this weekend. No vegetarians (*phew*). For proteins, I was going to smoke a boston butt and some chickens. I’ve since learned that at least 5 guests won’t eat pork. I’m wary about making a dish that over 20% of the guests won’t eat, and feel bad leaving them with chicken as their only option (although my smoked chicken is pretty good, chicken is still…well, chicken, and doesn’t really blow up my skirt, you know?). Strangely, its quite possible that all 20 may be beef-eaters. I’m torn as to what I should do. Do I go with the original plan? Substitute a beef dish for the pork? If so, what? Something more unexpected like lamb? Do I do three proteins? Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 This might be more appropriately filed under “Help Needed,” or “Barbecue” but I’ll try here first. We’re hosting a casual get-together for about 20 this weekend. No vegetarians (*phew*). For proteins, I was going to smoke a boston butt and some chickens. I’ve since learned that at least 5 guests won’t eat pork. I’m wary about making a dish that over 20% of the guests won’t eat, and feel bad leaving them with chicken as their only option (although my smoked chicken is pretty good, chicken is still…well, chicken, and doesn’t really blow up my skirt, you know?). Strangely, its quite possible that all 20 may be beef-eaters. I’m torn as to what I should do. Do I go with the original plan? Substitute a beef dish for the pork? If so, what? Something more unexpected like lamb? Do I do three proteins? Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. It's perfectly legitimate to offer one alternative (chicken) for those who don't eat pork. If you want to change the whole concept of the meal, I'd suggest beef brisket, which will take every bit as long to cook as a pork shoulder. Slow cooked smoked brisket is the favored bbq meat in Texas and much of the Southwest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plunk Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Thanks, Zora. Maybe I'll go ahead and stick with the original plan: pork-haters be damned! I've never done a brisket before (I'm not much of a fan; and I've had some of the best served up at Smittys and Louis Mueller's in Texas), so I'm a little reluctant to make my first attempt prior to 20 people coming over to my house. Though your suggestion has me thinking that maybe I'll do a couple of tri-tips... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Though your suggestion has me thinking that maybe I'll do a couple of tri-tips... Good tri-tips can be a bit of a challenge to find in this area. I haven't been terribly impressed with the vacuum-packed ones that Trader Joe sells. No flavor. The best suggestion I can offer, in terms of quality, is to contact Don at The Organic Butcher of McLean. He lived in California for a number of years, so he knows from tri-tip, unlike many local meat sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xochitl10 Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Sandia Sunsets: Cuervo Silver, lemon juice, Chambord Red chile cheese flat enchiladas Pinto beans Mexican rice Devil's food cupcakes with milk chocolate and cinnamon whipped ganache D'Reyes añejo tequila Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 The fact that the gas wasn't turned on in my building until the night before my Pre-Thanksgiving party meant that I had to scramble to transition from dinner to appetizers, but the mostly no-cook food ended up being a roaring success.* And not serving dinner meant that I was able to open the invite to a lot more people. Muhammara (HUGE hit; no one had ever heard of it, and everyone loved it; great vegan treat if you make it sans eggish bread) Olives marinated in lemon, orange, rosemary, and garlic Mushrooms marinated in lemon, garlic, shallots, thyme, and roasted peppers Pimiento cheese (I've never been a fan, but was desperate for things that didn't require cooking, and people seem to like it; indeed, the entire three cups was devoured) Spinach-artichoke dip (gas got returned at the last moment, so I got to cook it till it was all nice and bubbly-crusty) Salami rolled with horseradish cheese Shrimp and homemade cocktail sauce Crudite and ranch dip Home-baked pita chips Store-bought nuts, bread, crackers Because I was scrambling with suddenly being able to cook food, I didn't make a punch, which I'm sorry about, but which I swear I'm going to try for my next party! *Next time I need to make at least one thing that I like and everyone else hates. All the food was gone! Vultures! Nothing like staying up until 4am and then waking up with NO munchie food left over. Thank goodness a friend brought me a gorgeous pineapple as a housewarming gift, which I devoured when I roused myself around 1pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leleboo Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 Latkextravaganza 2010: Lacy latkes, fried à la minute Pureed latkes, à la DanielK Bite-sized veal meatballs with sage, rosemary, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, S&P, and anchovy Smoked-salmon mousse in filo cups with salmon roe and chive Ginger pea dip w/crudité Crazy good cookies including pfeffernusse à la Banco Peppermint brownies GF peanut butter cookies Some crazy amount of wine and beer, particularly some speciality beers à la durwoodx and some fun party-themed beers à la DanCole42 and his lovely wife I am thankful for holidays and friends, particularly those from the board. Thanks to all for a phenomenal holiday blowout. Two rounds of Bohemian Rhapsody = win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poivrot Farci Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Soirée Germinal Germinal evening. Dinner for 7 celebrating spring and friends' fertility. An elegant commissioned menu, (typos cheerfully overlooked). Gravlax-oology Zen sliced panela cured sockeye salmon, some spears of manicured asparagus and eggs “Evelyn”. Aïgo sau d’iou A clearly spring garlic soup with bits of chicken and a nicely poached egg. Crown rack of lamb “Mazarine” Nestled among artichokes stuffed with spring flavors, fragrant brown rice and a few handsomely fluted mushrooms. Cheese Mt. Tam, Red Hawk, Ossau-Iraty. Frangipane tart With a smattering of pistachios and turbinado sugar. Manicured asparagus. Egg pageantry. Gravlax-oology. Mind the bones. Crowning achievement. Crown jewels. Frangipane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xochitl10 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 My dearest friend from childhood recently moved to the area. Azami and I hosted her and her husband last night for a fantastic evening of dinner and drinking. First round: Cajun Kamikazes (Absolut Peppar, Cointreau, Rose's lime juice, fresh lime juice); chips and salsa Second round: Sandia Sunsets (Cuervo Silver, Chambord, lemon juice); Old Bay steamed shrimp Spinach salad with sliced oranges, dried cranberries, and toasted rough-chopped almonds; olive oil vinaigrette Pan-seared NY strip steaks; grainy mustard/paprika compound butter Nigella Lawson's double potato and halloumi bake (substituted feta for halloumi) Sauteed kale Sourdough bread Altos los Hormigas Malbec Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream (no HFCS, I checked) with warm bourbon/roasted apple compote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 As long as I don't have to start Lent three days early, I will be happy to celebrate Mardi Gras three days early, particularly if said celebration involves Brabara's jambalya and banana's foster, Dame Edna's wit and Nina's olive and orange salad. Inspried dining and great night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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