Suzanne Goin and I Chat on the Fine Art of Menu Planning
Planning a well balanced menu is a very specific skill, and vital aspect to catering, and party planning.
Join me, for my recent chat with Suzanne Goin, on the menu selection process.
Important Tips for a Successful Cocktail Party
If you are planning a cocktail party, there are a few essential things to remember. Here are some important tips for ensuring that your cocktail party is a tremendous success.
read moreWelcome to Wedding Season-Celebrate your Engagement with a Spring Cocktail Party
Feature the early produce of Spring at a cocktail party to celebrate your engagement.
read moreA Chocolate Fest for Valentine’s Day
Any Valentine’s Day Chocolate Fest would be happy to include this Chocolate Truffle Torte.
read moreWelcome, Halima- and the Very Best Sour Cream Coffee Cake
When our family met recently for Halima’s christening, I made this ultimate sour cream coffee cake (I had been searching for the “ultimate” recipe for a long time) for the post-baptism brunch.
read moreA Trio of Winter Vegetables- and a Recipe for Cauliflower in Brown Butter
For Christmas dinner this year, I served a big platter of three winter vegetables, each pan roasted with slightly different ingredients- the brussels sprouts with cream, garlic and mixed herbs, the broccoli with olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and rosemary, and this lovely cauliflower in brown butter.
read moreWinter at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market- and a Recipe for Braised Leeks
Preparing winter vegetable dishes may take a little more time and imagination than the quick sauté of summer squash, or tender green beans, or a drizzle of balsamic and olive oil on heirloom tomatoes, but the cooking is often long, slow cooking that can be left on its own, and rewards are just as wonderful.
read moreSweet Potato and Shrimp Cakes- Part 4 in a Series on Sweet Potatoes
These Sweet Potato and Shrimp Cakes feature two favorite ingredients of the American South, and there’s a good chance you’d find them along our Gulf Coast now, where there is a vibrant Vietnamese community.
read moreCandied Yams- Part 3 in a Series on Sweet Potatoes
For years I kept away from candied yams in the kitchen, mostly because my few attempts at making them didn’t produce results anywhere near my Aunt Eura’s, the best I ever had. But with some help from Paul Prudhomme, I’ve now learned to make very acceptable candied yams.
read moreSweet Potato Brioche- Part 2 in a Series on Sweet Potatoes
On a visit to Bayona, a the bread basket containing little rolls of Sweet Potato Brioche appeared. I devoured them immediately, and I never forgot those wonderful little rolls, so was very happy to see that Susan Spicer’s cookbook included the recipe for them.
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