The Holiday Table - Baltimore Style

Baltimore Magazine recently featured this blog as a part of their 2013 Holiday Entertaining Guide.

I am both honored and humbled to have been a part of the feature, so a big thank you is in order for everyone at BMag!

To make a long story short, I was asked to put together a holiday inspired menu as well as entertaining ‘tips and tricks’ to be featured on a thematic tablescape designed by the magazine's stylists.

 

Needless to say I was instantly channeling my inner gay, teutonic, Giada DiLaurentiis and whipping myself into an Ina Garten style domestic frenzy, but I had to answer a few questions first… 

I’m including my responses here because I think it gives good insight into why I’m writing this blog and explains the persistent afterglow having cooked for this piece.

What is your background in?

• I work in finance, however, I spent 10 years in various roles in the hospitality industry from marketing to floor management. It was during this time, under some inspiring talents, that I developed my interest in and appreciation for food and wine. I was also fortunate to do several stints studying abroad, during which I acquired my love for travel and the exploration of diverse locales and cultures. These experiences combined to give me an insatiable curiosity centered on the food, wine, and culinary traditions around the world, and it’s through my own cooking and travel that I get to satisfy those urges, this is my creative and sensory outlet in my 9 to 5 world.

What brings you to Baltimore?

• I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, most of my childhood and adolescence spent as a figure skater. After my career as an athlete ended, I was drawn to Baltimore for college at Loyola University where I studied International Business. My father's family is quite large and has been in Baltimore for a many years and I had spent a good deal of time here growing up, so therefore, I felt at home right away. Through the years I forged a deeper connection with the city and the people in it, falling in love with so many things, and decided to stay after graduating. Here I am now, enjoying life in Upper Fells Point.

How would you describe your blog?

• This blog is my way to share my experience; cooking, dining, living my day-to-day as a member of the 'Aspirational Proletariat' to which so many of us belong. It’s a personal account, a real-life version of the high-gloss images and scintillating tales of transcendent meals and cultural adventures that inspire me in print, television, and daily life, all experienced within the confines of my 9 to 5 reality.

How long have you been blogging?

• I started blogging at the beginning of 2013, but I have to admit I’ve been writing amateur restaurant reviews and travel stories since I was 10, I hope no one ever reads those…

What do you love about holiday cooking?

• I love that the holidays are a chance to go over the top with everything you do. Whether it’s décor, the variety of your spread, or even the richness of the dishes you prepare. No one will fault you for a little excess during the holidays. It is a perfect chance to try new things and really indulge your guests, family, friends, and ultimately yourself.

What’s your favorite holiday and why?

• Thanksgiving, hands down. For me, it’s the perfect holiday, family and friends gathering around food, what could be better.? I also happen to love cooking during this season, fall flavors and produce like sage, chestnuts, pumpkin, and cauliflower are some of my favorites with which to work. I guess it doesn’t hurt that my absolute favorite wines, Amarone and Valpolicella Ripasso, are arguably some of the best to pair with turkey!

The Menu

My favorite culinary traditions are those of Italy and southern Germany, perhaps because of my travel experience and my personal heritage. Therefore, this is instantly where my mind goes when I think of a holiday menu. Glühwein, rich savory Casunsei (Ravioli), an abundance of seafood, decadent Pork roasts with root vegetables, and sweet delicate desserts like vanillekipferl or pfeffernuss are those items that make this type of cooking the highlight of the year.

For the purposes of the article I focused my menu on side dishes that capture iconic flavors and items I knew would be vibrant in photographs. 

My choices of the spiced wine, vibrant nutty salad, sweet and spicy carrots, simple grilled fish, and the savory and sweet custard are all nods to these traditions in some way but also come from my personal taste. Chilies from New Mexico, piquant blue cheese, and rich caramel are all some of my favorite flavors and things that I look forward to during the holidays and all year long. These recipes are simple and can easily be modified to fit any occasion.

Menu 

 Beverages:

·         Spiced Wine – Glühwein – I make mine with typical mulling spices of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves, adding cardamom and black peppercorns for a deeper flavor and aromatics, finishing off with orange rind and brandy, then cooking on very low heat for an hour before serving. I serve in a large glass punch bowl and garnish each glass or mug with a cinnamon stick.

Food:

·         Finger Foods:

o    Fennel ‘Fries’

·         Sides:

o    Warm Radicchio, Cayenne-Candied Walnut, and Gorgonzola Piccante Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

o    Roasted Red Chili Glazed Rainbow Carrots with Toasted Pine Nuts

o    Harissa Grilled Makerels on Grilled Bread

·         Dessert

o    Salted Carmel & Spiced Rum Custard with Fresh Whipped Cream

Recipes can be found online by clicking HERE

Holiday Entertaining Strategies

Entertaining on any scale, whether I host a friend for dinner or throw a neighborhood cocktail party, is my absolute favorite thing to do. Cooking and hosting have become my creative outlets and I live for the chance to welcome people into my home and share this part of my world. I take much of my inspiration from what I see in print and on TV, and I try to make it my own whether it be a recipe or a decorating idea. It’s my way of living those dreamlike images within the confines of my 9 to 5 life.

So as far as the entertaining ‘tips & tricks’ go, I consulted some close, like-minded friends, and really just reflected on the types of things I give myself as ‘to-dos’ whenever I entertain. Whether it's a small dinner party or an all day brunch, these are simple dishes or strategies I have found particularly successful.

·         Make a Savory Statement - Inspired by a designer friend known for her stunning plates, I've always liked to have a beautiful 'statement' charcuterie and cheese platter for guests to enjoy throughout any event. I try to use slightly unexpected items like autumn leaves, fresh flowers, crispy fennel, pickled okra, or even some candied bacon just to keep things visually interesting and to highlight the headlining meats and cheeses.

·         Add Some Flavor to Your Table – Use colorful and unique ramekins for salt, pepper and other seasonings that you want on your table rather than the usual (and often mundane) shakers one might normally find. This adds visual interest to the tablescape in subtle and unexpected ways.

·         Mix & Match – Use vintage and mismatched glassware for pre-dinner cocktails and antique tea cups for dessert or coffee service. Each one can be a conversation starter while the meal begins and ends. I love collecting these pieces whenever I travel and it’s fun to tell friends about the process.

·         Spread the Spread - Placing food and beverage stations in various locations throughout the home or entertaining space rather than all in one central 'buffet & bar' location creates natural flow and allows guests to mingle more freely. This is especially important in smaller homes or compact urban environments (like my Baltimore row home) where one might even consider putting certain items outdoors to expand the entertaining space.

·         Local Color! – When possible, source all flower arrangements locally, the Fells Point Farmers Market or Ellen Frost at Local Color Flowers is my Go-Tos! By doing so, one can naturally lend an authentic seasonality to the table top or display.

·         Start from Scratch – Make at least one item completely from scratch. Whether it is pasta, bread, pickles or even a cocktail infusion, creating something entirely your own puts your personal stamp on the entire event. 

·         Get that Feeling – Choose your menu and decor carefully, giving it a cohesive, consistent, and thematic ‘Feeling’. Plan how you want your guests to think and feel when they enter the home or room, and develop that idea in everything you serve. I try to select a theme that is a nod to the season or a particular cultural culinary tradition, that way the décor and dishes relate naturally to each other and are all relevant to the whole of the experience, i.e  ‘Alpine Christmas’ dinner or ‘A Springtime in Italy’ Brunch.

·         Have Plan and Hire Help – Make sure you have thought through every stage or step of your event so as to avoid unexpected surprises during service. No one likes a harried host, so whether it’s hiring a professional or a begging a good friend, always designate someone to help with the minutia of execution and clean up.

Overall, this was an incredible experience and everyone should go pick up the magazine!

It made very clear to me what I love about food and entertaining, inspired my creativity, distilled my passion, and I am left feeling even more dedicated to building on this part of my life, my pursuit of umami.

Any Given Sunday (50 Shades of Caramel Custard)

This Sunday started like any other… with strong roots in Saturday night. The prior evening I had decided to make my triumphant return to the enigma that is Baltimore’s Gayborhood, Mt. Vernon.  While it was a tame night by most standards, the vigor with which I took to the dance floor and the hour I returned home, had an indelible effect on my energy level on Sunday morning.

I awoke early, determined to track down some of the elusive ingredients I lacked for an important cooking assignment this week, so I forced myself on my bike and headed toward the JFX. I think this initial burst of endorphins was the key to shaking off the exhaustion or at least it helped to sweat out my Saturday. 

I was at the market before 8, and by 8:15 I’d realized my pursuit of heads-on mackerel was going to fail (don’t ask) and decided to make my way home. Not without first buying the inaugural organic cauliflower of the season, something I most certainly didn’t need…it’s the little things.

Somehow I’d agreed to do some work at the office this Sunday - I can’t say I’m totally stable - so I decided to temper this situation with an equally misguided breakfast decision at Jimmy’s in Fells Point. A tomato-bacon omelet, home fries, and slab of scrapple later, I had officially heard the last of Saturday night and was beginning to feel the grumblings of the guilt associated with such caloric indiscretions – I’ll call it a draw…

Work was work, but I’d signed up for a Terrarium Making Class at Local Color Flowers at 11, so I had something to look forward to.

I met my friend Erica at the Charles Village studio that lived up to every charming and rustic expectation I had developed in my years of Facebook and Instagram stalking of LocoFlo, Ellen Frost and co. If you’ve never seen their work, look it up, they use only locally grown flowers and greens to create breathtaking arrangements and displays. They also happen to be an incredibly charming group with which to work and exercise an impeccable aesthetic.

The class was amazing, and definitely appealed to the 12 year old Discovery Channel Nerd that occasionally inhabits my body. We learned about the history of terrariums, got some design tips, and suggestions to care for our subject, succulents. My terrarium was decidedly restrained, with neurotic attention paid to color, contrast, and arrangement. Erica's on the other hand was an example of whimsy and color that had everyone talking. Both clearly made appearances on Instagram.

The entire experience was incredible, and while it didn’t turn out to be the “single and ready to mingle” format I delusionally thought it might, what better than to end up with another embellishment for the home and some new friends with minivans? My only thought is, why not add wine? then again, when am I NOT thinking about adding wine?

Post planting, reality set in and I still needed my mackerel. I texted the only person who I knew wouldn’t react badly to the following message  - “I desperately need whole mackerel! I can’t find them anywhere! I’m facing ruin… I think I need to go to the Asian Supermarket!” – Enter Sage (and yes these names are changed)

Sage, in addition to being “my kind of crazy”, an incredible friend, possessing a ridiculous appreciation and taste for food and wine, has also lived in Bangkok in a past life, often pines for it, so was clearly on board with my mission.

H - Mart is a short drive from Fells, but it’s a whole different world. If the Korean man playing an accordion in a mariachi outfit greeting customers at the front door doesn’t give you the picture, then you need to come see it yourself.

The produce section is a full contact sport where Grandmothers become gladiators and persimmons and star fruit fly with such speed I’ve considered wearing goggles. The meat section looks like an anatomy book, and the noodle selection is as widely varied as the packaging is colored. The whole thing is a cacophonous, overwhelming, and beautiful sensory experience. Needless to say, I found my fish. And Sage found about a million things…I won’t disclose details, a lady never tells….

We decided to celebrate our victory with Pho, as if there is any other way when you’ve braved H-Mart and come out alive. In a bowl so large I could have bathed myself, I found heaven. I don’t need to expound on my love for Pho, anyone who’s had it understands….

Nirvana achieved, we headed home, I had a mountain of prep work to do for the week ahead so I made the difficult decision to skip dinner at Gran’s….It’s that Catholic guilt, gets me every time.

A quick run around Fells with Lady Gaga in my ear, and the requisite stop at Chesapeake Wine Co under my belt, I headed home to get to work in the kitchen, a lovely Riesling from Pfalz in tow…

My main objective that evening, was to re-learn how to make custard.  I had what appeared to be an amazing recipe courtesy of a like minded colleague whose taste I trust implicitly, but I was nervous about the execution. 

This Salted Caramel & Spiced Rum custard was a conundrum, promising to be as be as difficult to make as it is simple to eat…There are temperatures to consider, actual measurements, and generally the whole process feels like a risky gamble. Mind you, I normally wouldn’t stress over dessert, but this was to be the final sweet note, the signature, if you will, I would put on my cooking assignment this coming week, and it HAD to be perfect. 

The present endeavor was to be the dress rehearsal, the dry run of all my dishes, the moment of truth…This kind of high stakes, hot pursuit, adrenaline pumping, make-you-sweat cooking is the perfect way to spend Any Given Sunday… there you go, there’s your sports reference...that felt forced.... Go Ravens!

I prepped many items that evening, but I will focus on 'the custard', because I know that's what everyone really wants to know about.

Now, I’m not a fan of using a hand mixer and this certainly led to some tense moments in texture, but what resulted was truly divine.  I’m not typically a dessert person, but this sweet, savory, creamy and  oh-so-rich pudding just may be the best thing I have ever made. Not that caramel, sea salt, and rum really need any embellishment, but bringing them all together in a heart-stoppingly decadent custard was a transcendent, dare I say orgasmic food experience.

Needless to say, it was a success, the climax of my weekend...I’m still glowing and was honestly tempted to call this post “50 Shades of Custard” – but frankly, it’s better than that!

So for your pleasure, the recipe:

Salted Caramel & Spiced Rum Custard

·    Ingredients

o   3 cups whole milk, divided

o   1/4 cup cornstarch

o   3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

o   3/4 cup water

o   5 large egg yolks

o   3 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temp)

o   2+ teaspoons dark rum

o   1 teaspoon kosher salt

·     

   Preparation

o   Whisk 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch until combined. Set aside.

o   Heat the remaining 2 1/2 cups of milk until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.

o   In a large bowl with a hand mixer, whisk egg yolks on medium speed for about 3 minutes – really, time yourself

o   To make the caramel, stir the brown sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. At that point, increase the heat, and cook without stirring until an instant read thermometer reads 210 – 220 degrees, it will darken and be careful not to scorch. Remove from heat.

o   With mixer at low speed (you may prefer to do this by hand), gradually whisk in the hot milk, then the cornstarch mixture into the eggs. Slowly whisk in the caramel. You will have a foamy mess of sweet hot milk at this point, don’t panic!

o   Return the mixture to the saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat, until the mixture thickens (coats back of a spoon) and a thermometer registers 175 degrees, about 7 to 10 minutes. Honestly, at minute 7, I almost gave up, sure that this foamy mess was my fate and I had failed, but I pressed on, and all of a sudden it came together, so have patience, this will work!

o   Remove from heat; whisk in the butter, rum, and salt

o   Once whipped smooth and allowed to chill slightly, serve with whipped cream and sea salt. I made my own cream and used black sea salt…just because I’m fancy.