Category: Stylish Entertaining

HoLiDaY PaRtY TiMe!

Happy Holidays!

It’s holiday party time!
Are you planning a gathering for your work or business?
Perhaps some of these ideas will be useful…

For the second year in a row, we held our party at The Depot Restaurant in Torrance, California. The banquet room is a warm space with red walls decorated with kimonos. Just the right size for 75 – 100 guests, the lighting is flattering and the acoustics generate good energy in the room yet allow for conversation.

Full bar, great wine by the glass, festive non-alcoholic drinks.

Live Music
Barry Anthony Jazz Band playing Christmas favorites as well as snappy jazz tunes.

Jalapeño Cheese Wontons
Reception with passed appetizers to encourage mingling among the guests.

Ahi Tuna Tartare
Neat little bucket to place used spoons.

Chicken Empanadas with Thai Chile BBQ Sauce
Global Flavors!
 And Fried Macaroni & Cheese (not shown)

Each place is set with party favors, Holiday Jam and Sugar Plum Jam by Stonewall Kitchen decorated with ribbons and bows and a recipe sheet for the Chef’s cooking demonstration.
Chef Shafer prepares the first course, Smashed Potato Corn Bisque, as a demonstration. Everyone gets a copy of the recipe to recreate at home. We had so much fun at the Depot last year, we came back again this year. Last year Chef Shafer demonstrated a Wilted Baby Spinach Salad with Dates and Bacon, excellent recipe, here.
If you are cooking for A LOT of people, this recipe scale is for you:
Potatoes:
  • 25 Red Skin Potatoes
  • 1/2 c. Canola Oil
  • 2.T. Course Salt
  • 2.T. Course Black Pepper
  • 2 T. Chopped Garlic
  • 1 T. Basil Dried
Soup Preparation:
  • 2 c. Diced Onion
  • 2 c. Diced Carrots
  • 2 c. Corn, Fresh off the Cob
  • 1/4 c. Canola Oil
  • 1/2 gallon Cream
  • 1 gallon Chicken or Vegetable Stock

Toss the potatoes with the list of ingredients above, roast on a baking sheet at 350° F for 35-40 minutes. Let cool then smash the potatoes by hand.

To prepare the soup:
Sauté onions and carrots in oil until soft.
Add cream, heat through.

Add smashed potatoes.

Look at this kitchen equipment, would ya? Oh, I love that pot, and how about that immersion blender!!!

Blend briefly, then add stock and heat through.
Add fresh corn kernels, salt and pepper to taste, then…

Serve
First Course: Smashed Potato Corn Bisque
Wouldn’t it be neat to recreate this demonstration for guests in your home during your next dinner party?

Main Courses:
Curry Roasted Salmon, Cashew Veggies

Roast Sirloin with Mixed Mushrooms and Mashed Potatoes
And Buttermilk Chicken & Fries (not shown)
All Served Family Style

Desserts:
Banana Cream Pie

Berry Cobbler
Pumpkin Trifle

Pumpkin Pie with Strawberries
Some tips I have learned over the years from planning holiday parties for the workplace:
  • Save the Date. Let guests know the date well in advance of the party.
  • Plan business party date early in the holiday season so as not to conflict with personal holiday parties.
  • Choose a convenient location, not too far from place of business.
  • Have clear communication (in writing) with the Chef regarding food and with the Manager regarding expectations for set up and service.
  • Encourage employees to bring a guest whether it be a spouse, significant other, family member, or a friend.
  • A pretty and joyful invitation indicates your intention to throw a special party.
  • Have specific start and end times (not too late).
  • Insure safe transportation.
  • Accommodate special dietary needs.
  • Full bar, good wines, special seasonal non-alcoholic drinks.
  • Live music.
  • Entertainment (We love the cooking demonstration)!
  • Employer to make a brief speech, welcome guests, share good tidings.
  • Have unique party favors to take home. (Since we have a cooking demonstration, we give food related gifts).
  • Festive atmosphere and decorations.
  • Encourage guests to wear holiday attire.
  • Pay attention to detail.
If you have holiday party tips for the workplace to share, we’d love to hear them!

Foie Gravy

UPDATE FEBRUARY 2022:
Seared Albacore, Peppercorn Brandy Cream Flambé now posted here!
♦ ♦ ♦
Want to impress your guests? Flambé !!!
Gravy is a key component to Thanksgiving dinner, no? This year, inspired by the fond memories of foie gras, I thought Foie Gravy would be a nice companion to the traditional style gravy. Kinda like giblet gravy but with liver only, lots of liver. I do not expect everyone to be a fan, I know my mother isn’t! But for those who love liver, this is for you!
Note: I am not able to light food on fire and photograph at the same time. This photo credit goes to Lena, our lovely guest from Germany.
Clean and rinse at least a pound of chicken/turkey livers. Sauté in butter until cooked through, then informedly add about 1/4 cup Cognac.  Do try this at home, but not before reading flambé tips first, linked from the Caramelized Apples Flambéd with Cognac post. Add fried sage leaves, salt and pepper. Coarsely chop.

Make your fabulous gravy as usual. Reserve half of your gravy for non-liver lovers.  Take the other half and add lots o’ liver. Don’t be shy.
If you would like my gravy recipe feel free to email me. And if you have a gravy recipe that rocks, please share!

Meet My Sous Chef

This is my nephew, Stone. He is six and he’s been helping me cook since he was three. Here he’s got a stalk of Brussels Sprouts that we are going to roast and drizzle with a balsamic glaze for today’s Thanksgiving meal.


Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Toss Brussels Sprouts in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast until tender and the outer leaves are brown and crispy. Toss with a balsamic reduction.

We both would like to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving and share with you one of our annual traditions. 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. During dessert, 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 on this planet.
This year Stone is in first grade and his writing skills are excellent, so he made the place cards.


Gratitude from the Past
“I am grateful for big things in life: That my family can come to spend a week with me and we have such a wonderful time together, I am grateful to have two nephews and the opportunity to really spend time with them. I am grateful that my cousin Davida is on the mend and was able to make the trip to join us at Thanksgiving. I appreciate the little things: Pat’s help shucking the oysters, Bill’s excellent turkey carving skills, Linda’s delicious mashed potatoes and creamed corn which she brings year after year and everyone’s help in the kitchen.”
“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 for my family, wife, health and great dinner, and I am finally thankful I am not a Yankee fan.”
“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.”
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!

Chestnut and Mushroom Soup

Chestnut and Mushroom Soup
Truffle Oil and Tamari Drizzle
Yep, we’re in the kitchen today. First dish we completed for tomorrow’s Big Feast is the soup. This is Clotilde Dusoulier’s recipe from her Chocolate & Zucchini Cookbook. Bravo Clotilde! For the past several years I’ve made a Cauliflower Soup with a Vanilla Chestnut Cream Swirl. Thought we’d try something different this time. An excellent soup for Thanksgiving, Chestnut and Mushroom Soup is elegant and unique yet not too much work, as we have lots of other dishes to prep today. The compelling ingredients include chestnut, mushroom, leek, shallot, garlic and Cognac with a vegetable stock. There is no cream, but this vegetarian soup has a wonderful creaminess as well as a lovely Fall earthiness. I added a drizzle of truffle oil and tamari to give it an even deeper umami flavor.

Here’s the Menu for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving meal:

  • Cheese Platter with Accompaniments
  • Barbecued Oysters
  • Chestnut & Mushroom Soup
  • Traditional Turkey & Traditional Gravy
  • Foie Gravy
  • Pat’s Popovers
  • Linda’s Mashed Potatoes
  • Linda’s Creamed Corn
  • Wild Mushroom, Leek, & Sage Dressing
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze
  • Sweet Potato Gratin
  • Cranberry Relish
  • Assorted Homebaked Pies with Ice Cream & Whipped Cream

OK, back to the kitchen. Wishing you all a Glorious Holiday!

Strawberry Margarita Cake

An extremely moist cake reminiscent of a Strawberry Margarita complete with fresh squeezed lime juice, Tequila and Cointreau. The Retro Lemon Jello Cake has another incarnation! This is the perfect recipe for those who were not born with the baking gene (yours truly). And even if you are an accomplished baker, you just might appreciate a fun and easy Bundt cake recipe once in a while, no?

The original recipe and a step by step for Lemon Jello Cake and Mojito Cake can be found here. Follow the Mojito Cake recipe, just substitute strawberry flavored Jello, and for the glaze:
  • 2 c. Powdered Sugar
  • 1 T. Tequila
  • 2 T. Cointreau (orange flavored liqueur)
  • 1/2 c. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
It’s also fun to be creative with the garnish. Some ideas include: Lime wheels or wedges or zest, powdered sugar, and mint. You can also serve the cake with fresh strawberries or a drizzle of strawberry coulis, or strawberry ice cream or whipped cream. I would love to hear your ideas.