Taste With The Eyes

Throwing a Holiday Party for the Workplace

Eatalian Cafe

“We came from Ventoso, a village of about 800 in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. We grew up making food from the freshest ingredients available locally, such as our signature Tortelli di Zucca (Fresh Squash Ravioli). At Eatalian Cafe, we strive to keep this “fresh” tradition – our pastas, dough, sauces, gelato, bread, pastries, are all freshly made every morning. Our foods are not only fresh, but also full of passion, memory, tradition, and love.”

It was my pleasure, once again, to plan the employee holiday party for our school. Workplace parties can be challenging to plan, given the wide range in age and interests of the guests. We are fortunate to work with a terrific group of talented wonderful people. And with a little attention to the details below, the party was a huge success.

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Salted Caramel Brown Sugar Pots de Creme

Salted Caramel Brown Sugar Pots de Creme

Our Christmas Table & Fire in the Hearth

Merry Christmas Friends! I brought this petite dessert, Salted Caramel Brown Sugar Pots de Creme, to a holiday party the other night. They travel well and received rave reviews too. It’s amazing how a handful of everyday ingredients can easily be turned into a sublime little treat: sugar, cream, milk, egg, vanilla, salt.

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Wilson The Love Bug

One Eyed Boston Terrier — Wilson The Love Bug

Poor Wilson was brutally attacked by another dog, his eye severely damaged. And then, as if things couldn’t get any worse, his previous owners decided to dump him at a shelter. Boston Buddies (Southern California Boston Terrier Rescue) rescued Wilson, but their veterinarians were unable to save his eye. Yet, in spite of his bad experience, Wilson was a love bug.

After reading about Wilson on their website, I contacted Boston Buddies to say I was interested in him. I was told that he had already found his “forever home” and would be going there the next day. So, please, choose another dog. But I didn’t really have an interest in another dog, so I waited. A couple days later I got a call to say that his “forever home” had fallen through and could I meet him that day? I said that I was going to be out of town for the weekend and could take him on the following Monday. It turned out there was another family that wanted to take him that day, so he was placed with them. When I got home from the trip I received another call saying that Wilson did not get along with the other dogs in the home and did I still want him? YES! I WANT HIM! It sure seemed like we were meant to be together. That was in March of 2006, and he was three years old.

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New Korean Salad: Chrysanthemum Greens, Chestnut, Persimmon

Fresh Chrysanthemum Greens, Roasted Chestnut
Semi-Dried Hachiya Persimmon, Fresh Fuyu Persimmon Wedges
Toasted Sesame Vinaigrette
Pomegranate Arils, Toasted Pine Nuts, Roasted Laver

Inspiration from two separate dining experiences sparked the idea for creation of this delightful salad. First, an outstanding meal at Jun Won in LA, a gem of a restaurant that features regional Korean cooking from the province of Chungcheongnam-do. I was captivated by their salad of chrysanthemum greens (sukgat) with chestnut jelly. A week later we attended an event highlighting the “Tastes of the Korean Forest” including sanchae (wild vegetables grown in the mountains), oak mushroom, chestnut, and persimmon.

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Curried Broccoli Latkes, Preserved Lemon Sour Cream

Curried Broccoli Latkes with Carrot, Scallion & Dried Cranberry
Preserved Meyer Lemon Sour Cream

May you be strengthened by tradition,
Warmed by the Hanukkah lights,
And may your life be touched with miracles.

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.

I make latkes every Hanukkah. And they are always a little different. Almost always the base is potato, but not this year. 5773 is the year of the broccoli latke!

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