Category: Stylish Entertaining

Cheese Fondue

Cheese Fondue – the National Dish of Switzerland

So… we were snowbound in New Jersey (not Switzerland) on a cold blustery winter night. But we were not lacking provisions. Susan held her fabulous annual Holiday Party the night before, and there were leftovers galore, including lots of fine cheeses and French bread…and it turned out she had a fondue set in the pantry just waiting to be broken in.
Fondue – it’s easy, social, delicious, cheesy, fun, unique, and oh so 60’s. We went online to find a fondue recipe, the one by Tyler Florence sounded good, but alas, we did not have all the ingredients. So we improvised, and it turned out great! Don’t be afraid of fondue…melt cheese in wine, eat with bread. Instant party success.

Our recipe:

  • 1 pound of mixed cheeses including Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 2 T. flour
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 c. dry white wine, we used our favorite, Grüner Veltliner
  • 1 T. lemon juice
  • 1 T. Rémy Martin (Cognac)
  • 1 T. Grand Marnier (Orange-flavored Liqueur)
  • 1 t. Dijon mustard
  • nutmeg
Grate the cheeses and toss with flour, set aside. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic clove. Then add wine and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Gradually stir in the cheese, adding more as the cheese in the pot melts. Traditionally Kirsch, a cherry brandy, is added at this point. We used what we had on hand, Rémy Martin and Grand Marnier. We also added a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a pinch of ground nutmeg. I think it is important to use fine cheeses and high-quality wine for a superior result.
Serve with cubes of French bread and blanched vegetables. Have your guests swirl the bread cubes in a figure-eight motion. Mixing of the cheese by the guests keeps it from separating. And if the fondue starts to clump, just whisk in a tablespoon of lemon juice to smooth it out.
We hope you had a wonderful warm cozy holiday celebration
with your family and friends and pets.

Did you get a Snuggie for Christmas?

Snowbound Brunch & Snowball Fight

Asparagus Frittata

Festive Breakfast Table

Smoked Salmon with Bagels
Onions, Capers, Cream Cheese,
Olives, Lemons, Dill

Fresh Fruit Salad

“Adult” Mac & 4 Cheese
(Stone thought it was too stinky).

Veuve Clicquot Rosé Champagne
Menu
Asparagus Frittata
Smoked Salmon, Bagels and Accompaniments
Fresh Fruit Salad
Adult Mac & 4 Cheese
Veuve Clicquot Rosé
Coffee & Juice

Isn’t that an awesome holiday brunch buffet?
We were guests at the home of our dear dear friend Susan in New Jersey. Just like last year, we thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Susan, family, old friends, and making some new friends as well. Susan, you are truly the warmest and most generous hostess in the world! Thanks again!
Now, perhaps you heard about the blizzard that blanketed the East Coast this past Saturday? We woke up to a winter wonderland.

But we didn’t have snow gear!

Athena and Eric make snow boots for us with trash bags and tape.

Here I am with my nephews, Jett, 5, and Stone, 7, ready to play in the snow!

My brother Don brings out the shovel and we build our forts.


I’m going to get you!

Lisa and Stone are on one team.

Gotcha!

Making snow angels.

May your Christmas be merry and bright!

Savory Hanukkah Latkes

LATKES!
Potato Zucchini Latkes
Non-Fat Yogurt
Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon
Whitefish Caviar

Today is the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, referring to the lights kindled on each of the holiday’s eight nights. We eat foods fried in olive oil to commemorate the ancient miracle that occurred in the second century BCE. A jug of olive oil, which held enough oil to last for one day, burned for eight when the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated.
The word Hanukkah means rededication. Our latkes (potato pancakes) are fried in olive oil and served with yogurt. Dairy products are also a traditional Hanukkah food, in honor of our Jewish heroine, Judith.

2 peeled russet potatoes
1 zucchini
1/2 red onion
fresh dill

Grate the potato, zucchini, and onion in a food processor.
Add a handful of fresh dill.

Remove the potato mixture from the food processor, one handful at a time. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible by hand. Place each handful in a large bowl. Add enough flour to lightly coat the mixture. Add Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Mix well. Lastly add egg whites to bind the mixture.

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. When oil is hot, add mounds of the potato mixture. Turn the heat to medium. When the bottom of each latke is nicely browned, flip and brown the other side.

Cooking latkes over medium heat turns the outside a nice crispy golden brown and gives the interior a chance to cook through. Drain on paper towels.
Since the latkes are fried, non-fat yogurt is a balanced accompaniment while egg whites help keep the cholesterol content down as well. And with the salmon’s heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, could these latkes be considered a guilt-free holiday indulgence?

Smoked salmon rosettes are made by slicing the smoked salmon into strips with one end thicker than the other. Roll the thick end towards the thin end to make a rosette. Top each latke with a small dollop of non-fat yogurt, a salmon rosette, a small scoop of whitefish caviar, and fresh chive garnish. Serve with extra yogurt and fresh dill.
Enjoy the Festival!
Happy Hanukkah!

Unique Almond Pizza

Unique Almond Pizza
Sliced Blanched Raw Almonds, Mozzarella,
Shaved Garlic, Olive Oil, Sea Salt

I buy pizza dough and shredded mozzarella at my local Italian Market, the A-1 Deli.
Roll out the dough and arrange on a pizza screen. Top generously with shredded mozzarella and shaved garlic. Drizzle olive oil on top. Scatter sliced blanched raw almonds about and finish with course sea salt. Bake at 450° until golden.

This pizza is great with a green salad for lunch, or cut into small slices and served as an appetizer at a party.
foodbuzz

And thanks to the folks at Foodbuzz for choosing Unique Almond Pizza as one of the Top 9 photos last week! Please give this unique pizza a try, you won’t be disappointed!
HELP WANTED

My nephew Stone was setting up a “restaurant” in my kitchen. He put out his “Help Wanted” sign and I applied for the job. After I was hired, he crossed out Help Wanted, applications were no longer being accepted.
That is Jett in the left of the photo, he calls himself the “King of Liberty.” The King is an excellent waiter.

The “restaurant” served Cheese Pizza for the kids and Maple Barbecue Smoked Chicken Pizza for the adults.
The pizza screen is such a handy tool. It makes it much easier to spread out the dough, and get the pizza into and out of the oven. The perforated surface allows moisture to escape during baking, resulting in a nice crispy evenly-baked crust.

Those of us who were fortunate to attend the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco received a goodie bag including products from a company called Made in Napa Valley, of which one was this tasty Maple Barbecue Sauce with Horseradish.
Maple Barbecue Smoked Chicken Pizza

Spread a mixture of half pizza sauce and half the barbecue sauce over the pizza dough, top with shredded mozzarella and shredded smoked chicken. If you shop at Whole Foods Market definitely try their fabulous whole smoked whole chicken from the smokehouse.
The restaurant was a huge success, food and service were exceptional. Three Stars. Congratulations Stone & Jett!

Thanksgiving Day

THANKSGIVING DAY
It is one of my greatest pleasures to host
Thanksgiving Dinner
in my home year after year.
Here is my brother Don at the outside bar.
Don, Kristy and the kids travel here to LA from Chicago.

Wendy, Jett, Mom, Stone and Lisa in the backyard.
Wendy is from Scottsdale, Arizona.
Mom lives in Santa Barbara, California.
Lisa is from Germany.

Getting ready to serve dinner, buffet style.
Appetizers are on the counter.

Wendy wrote the menu for me on a platter.
Very artistic!

Lil’ Smokies, because everyone likes ’em, especially the kids.
They disappear every year. Haha.

Steve and his son, Kyle

26 Pounder.
My “Do Nothing” recipe for cooking a turkey:
1. Loosely stuff the cavity with roughly chopped onions, carrots, and celery, lots of butter and salt and pepper.
2. Rub the entire outside of the bird with soft butter and salt and pepper.
3. Put more roughly chopped onions, carrots and celery in the bottom of the roasting pan with enough chicken stock so that the pan does not dry out.
4. Roast at 325° for a total of about 5 hours. Leave the bird alone, don’t baste, don’t cover, just “do nothing” and then marvel at the beautiful bird when it reaches 165 degree internal temperature. Use a remote thermometer to monitor the temperature.
5. Remove from oven and let it rest.
6. Have a Skin Party.

I believe the secret is to start with a great turkey. This is a fresh Diestel Turkey Ranch Premium Range Grown Broad Breasted Young Hen Turkey.

Tom makes canned cranberry sauce look gourmet.
I had an idea to make a cranberry gelée, but ran out of time.
Tom improvised for me.
I love it!

Tom’s Sushi-style (ahi) Cranberry Gelée.

Getting ready for our tradition: THE SKIN PARTY

I guess that skin-lovers will like this ritual, others may cringe. But hey, this is all family and the best of friends. So we can pick the skin together. Nice crispy skin, help yourself! Don’t be shy!

Mom and Chip kick off the Skin Party.

Stone and Don.
I think this is the first time Stone participated in the Skin Party.

Mom, Kyle, Stone, Tom, and Lisa
During the Skin Party, I make the gravy.

Once we finish the Skin Party, Chip carves the turkey. Kyle is stirring the creamed corn and Linda and Tom are heating the mashed potatoes.

Pat’s heavenly popovers (my personal favorite).
They are also great for breakfast the next day, with a cup of coffee.
Right, Mom?

Mushroom, Leek, Sage Stuffing
I make it with Ciabatta Bread.

Chip serves gravy to Mom.

The Feast!
Red roses from my garden.

Stone makes the place cards the day before.

Gratitude Sharing
We put a place card at every seat at the table and scatter some pens about. During the beginning of the meal everyone is encouraged to write on their card the things they are grateful for this year. We save these cards so friends and family that have been coming to Thanksgiving at my home now have several cards at their setting. It is fun and poignant and sometimes sad to read what we were grateful for in past years. We read our current card out loud and some from the past. We also cherish the cards that have been written by those who are no longer with us.

Gratitude Old and New

“I am grateful to have two nephews and the opportunity to cook with them.”

“I am thankful for everything my parents have done for me.”
“I am thankful for all the experiences this year. I thank my family and my best friends for all the support they give me, for spending beautiful days with them and for all the love they give me. And I want to thank Kristy, Don, Stone, and Jett for being part of their family, sharing their American-way-of-life, and for giving me the best year of my life. I love you all. Thank you.”
“Here’s to a healthy 2010.”
“I am thankful for my family and friends. I am also thankful that my college applications are almost done. “
“The freedom we have.”

“Good friends.”

“Good health and old age.”

“Having exciting happy moments, lots of them, with my family.”

“I’m grateful for my family and friends.”

“I am grateful for my lovely daughter-in-law.”

“I’m grateful for my job and my life.”

“We are thankful for fresh air from the ocean, good earth to grow vegetables, clean water for seafood, and friends to share with.”

“I am thankful right now to be sitting among all these lovely people.”

“Great food!”

“Thank you for yesterday, today, and tomorrow.”

“I am thankful for God.”

“I am thankful for this great opportunity to get to know a different country and new people and to be part of a traditional Thanksgiving in America.”

“I am thankful to be able to watch the kids grow.”

“I am thankful for the lives we live and all our loving friends and kin.”

A Thanksgiving Poem

Thanks to all for being so dear
And I hope to see you again next year.

The same faces have again appeared
Along with some new ones which we cheer.
With our friends and family we remain very close
As we celebrate Thanksgiving
With those we love the most.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Later that night, Tom and Jett with Wilson.
Thanksgiving Day Humor: My brother-in-law once shared with us about a year in the past when he was reluctant to eat the Thanksgiving turkey because there were two necks in the cavity. He assumed it was a two-headed bird.