We had dinner with friends last night, four couples. My friend Lillian made the two most delicious salads I've eaten all year. They had the perfect balance of crunch, sweetness, acidity, smoothness, softness and texture. There were lots of ingredients - at least 15 - but the sunflower seeds, cranberries, cabbage and red onion were standouts. The overall effect was not simple, but delicious.
Each of the women in these couples are such great entertainers... And here are the lessons I've learned from being hosted at their homes.
The Signature Cocktail: Jay and Lill always have a signature drink when you go to their house, a habit which I've adopted for years now. It is a tremendous perk to the host since that first bit of event chaos can easily be taken up by the first three people that you ask "Would you like something to drink?". Boy, can that question ever catch up with you!
Be careful what you wish for, or offer your guests! At so many parties I have found myself immediately swamped with "I'll have a white wine, with half Perrier and a twist of lemon, if you have it" or "I'll have a Rum and Coke" followed by "What kind of red have you got?". Jay + Lillian's cocktail resolves all of this - at least until those last few items are dealt with AFTER company is already arriving.
A Menu You Know Will Work: A dinner party at Maureen and Don's home is always a treat because Maureen puts together a menu that she knows - exactly. Have you ever seen a movie where a wizard pulls out a magic wand, and suddenly everything appears? Being at Maureen's is like watching a scene from "Bewitched". I have never ever been to a dinner party where everything was so perfectly timed, where the food just magically seemed to float onto the plates, and where the hostess appeared so at ease. This can only be achieved through lots of advance preparation, really solid planning, and a properly timed menu where the cook is comfortable.
The same goes for appetizers. I can not attend a party where I know Maureen will be, and not instantly crave her baked brie with maple, cranberry and walnuts. She is reknowned for this dish, we all love it, and I can only speculate that is why she always looks so flawless at parties, while I barely have makeup on because I lost so much time to running around trying something new....
Enjoy The Company You Invited: At Maria and Ozzy's house, ambiance is everything, and great company is really what it's about. Their entire atmosphere is welcoming - like you've just gotten off a plane and been transported to a beautiful villa for a vacation with your friends. The meal was luxurious (the steaks were perfect) but as a guest, we felt like we had all evening to talk about wine, about each other, and just enjoy getting together.
Have you ever been to a party where you felt sorry for the hostess? She might have been complaining that something wasn't clean enough, that there was no ice, or lemon, that some dish was overcooked, or some other "calamity" that you wouldn't even have noticed if she hadn't pointed it out? The guests feel uncomfortable - like they're intruding, like they were responsible for putting her out, or that she just isn't having any fun. I am sure at some point I've been "that" girl (Thanksgiving 07 ring a bell, familigia?). But I really really really try not to be.
As one french chef used to say "Never apologize".
If you've been the one doing the inviting, remember that the event is supposed to be just that - inviting.
Last but not least, my two friends Alicia and Anne Marie each have a fail-safe recipie that they rely on. It's their go-to "thing" that they know will always go well.
Alicia's Stuffed Mushroom Caps are so good they should require a pleasure permit. I have got to call her for the how-to tonight. I remember simple and delicious creaminess - was it cream cheese, parmesan, onion, garlic? Baked to perfection, it's an absolutely perfect one bite appetizer. Lish, when you read this, can you pass on the recipe in "comments" or email me?
Anne Marie's Frozen Blueberries with Hot White Chocolate Sauce is amazing too. She pours frozen blueberries in a wine glass or other beautiful conversation piece - martini and champagne would probably work wonders as well. In a stovetop pan go some cream and a few cubes of white chocolate until it swoons! I love the simple flavours, the dark blueberries and the white chocolate, and the feeling of both hot and cold, of tart and sweet, and of firmness and liquidity.
I watch a lot of Seinfeld, and my last word on the subject is that there is a difference between a rerun and a classic.
Not that there's anything wrong with that!
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