When Life Gives You Cabbage...A St. Paddy's Day Tale - Irish - Sides 3

ISt. Paddy's Day is apparently a big deal here in Baltimore, but as one who really doesn't drink beer (green, Guinness or otherwise) and fares very poorly when day drinking, it's never been a major holiday in my book. I turn up my nose at the idea of raucous bar crowds, because you know, I am too old for that and well we're not actually IN Ireland, and up until this year rather loathed the day.

My fiance, while better at day drinking, is similarly aligned on his opinion of the traditional form of celebration. However, growing up in a 50% Irish Catholic household, he has a much stronger association with the holiday. He spent his youth in Syracuse NY, and all of his family members at one point or another, worked at Coleman's - at one point dubbed "Most Authentic Irish Bar in America" and an iconic Syracuse institution ubiquitous to the Irish Americans of the city. Located in the predominantly Irish-American community of Tipperary Hill, replete with upside down stoplight (explained here), Coleman's is home to a large and exuberant St. Paddy's Day parade and played host to many community events about which Mark and his family share countless hilarious and heartwarming stories. So, it's no surprise that Mark has developed his own tradition, having moved away from Syracuse, to mark the day and conjure up those fond memories. Each year he prepares the traditional Irish feast of Corned Beef & Cabbage and shares it with those with whom he lives. 2015 was my first experience, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. So when March began and the shamrocks started to appear in Baltimore bar windows, I was excited for the return of Mark's yearly culinary event.

It must be said, while I am the main cook in the house, Mark is not merely a culinary side kick, in fact he has a broad repertoire, good instincts and I should note, brought at least 25 cooks books to our newly combined household. If you know me, however, the idea of standing by and letting another person take the lead on a meal in my house...well that's a recipe for disaster (pun intended)...

We decided to shop together, bad idea. Had I been the chef, I would have researched best cuts, creative alternatives and fancy spins on staple ingredients, essentially bucking tradition in favor of making it all my own. So naturally, as we strolled the aisles of Harris Teeter one Saturday afternoon, I let my creative juices flow, and to my chagrin my ideas were shot down left and right. Potential moments of culinary brilliance reduced short lived flights of fancy, I was stewing.

It all came to a head at the butcher case. The mere mention of preseasoned beef elicited an awful sneer that I had difficulty removing from my face. That, combined with the condescension that came over my entire being proved to be the tipping point. I was sternly reprimanded, and definitely removed from the project, fired from St. Paddy's Day dinner. I trolled the store in dramatic forlorn fashion for the remainder of the shopping list, clearly moping in my relegation to lowly guest. Fortunately, my resolve or perhaps attention faltered, and dismay was forgotten as soon as we departed for home.

Over the weekend prior, we'd decided to invite our neighbors with whom we have GFD (Gay Family Dinner) as well as another close friend who doesn't live far, and title it as such in honor of our weekly tradition. I could have allowed the naming to add insult to the injury of my non-producing role, but I was honestly happy to be taking a back seat, or really no seat at all. On Thursday morning, while I ironed our shirts, Mark kicked off his process of chopping the various ingredients. He quickly learned our eyes had been bigger than our Crockpot, and we needed to go to the basement for back up. By 8am we had two crock pots full of pickling spice, brisket, cabbage, carrots, the works... And I was only asked my advice a smattering of times (I obviously obliged with the most genuine sweetness).

The beef cooked for 8 hours, and I came home to a house that smelled like..well..St. Paddy's Day, we'll leave it at that. When we pulled the meat out, the last vestiges of bitterness faded, as I could see we were going to be in for a treat. The meat was perfectly cooked, just on the edge of completely falling apart. The vegetables mysteriously treading the line between firm and too tender, and the cabbage, just right. Mark engaged me to do the cutting and I took the liberty of heading up the plating, he knew better than to trust himself with my Instagram subject.

The meal featured Uveja Blanca, a delicious dry Muscat from central Spain with Gewurztraminer traits, that stood up beautifully to the salt and fat that both punctuates and premeates this meal. It was followed by what I think was a Rioja (the label is blurry in my memory) and then to a Bota box, if we're being honest (might explain why I can't remember the name of the other red). In typical GFD fashion we laughed a lot, told questionable stories, and recounted memories from dinners and holidays of the past, all of the things that make GFD such an important part of our lives. I managed to stay awake to see our guests out the door (a challenge for me occasionally) and apparently to promise to do ALL the clean-up, at least that is what Mark tells me...

Ultimately I realized this dinner had been yet another of what will be many undocumented tests in the journey of our relationship, and in its success we had passed a coupledom threshold with flying colors. Despite my near meltdown in HT, and my initial dismay at giving up the dinner reigns, I ended up enjoying observing Mark's pride in his process and in his ability to year over year deliver his own tradition and honor memories of the St. Paddy's days of his youth. I may never don a green tuxedo or down a pint of Guinness in the morning, toasting the most famous of Irish saints, but I am happy to have this new tradition to look forward to for many years to come.

I am not going to share a recipe, it belongs to Mark. While I am happy to partake in this tradition as his partner, it is still his to share not mine to appropriate. I'll simply say he did a wonderful job, and honestly elevated what is typically a very basic dish to new heights of richness and flavor. The process, the preparation, the buttery tender result, they were all his own, traditional yet unique in their own right. He deserves all the credit for making the dinner a mouthwatering success.

Don't worry, there is still a recipe coming... As I mentioned, our eyes were bigger than our crock pot, and even after expanding to employing two such appliances in the cooking process, we were left with a (huge) half a head of cabbage. Normally, I'll admit, something like this would sit in the back of my fridge for weeks, I'd glance at it and pretend to be thinking of a good recipe for which to use it, until it started to turn rancid and then I would dispose of it as soon as it started to smell. Food waste at it's worst.

Fortunately, Mark is what I would term a cole slaw aficionado. Without exception, if there is even a chance a restaurant we visit serves cole slaw, Mark is going to ask, and if available will order it as a side. He LOVES cole slaw about as much as he HATES bacon, so you know it's serious. This fondness offered the perfect to solution to the cabbage food waste dilemma, and I decided to make a slaw from the leftovers. I was even able to incorporate the remnants from several other ingredients from St. Paddy's Day dinner to compound my food utilization success. Inspired by a Saveur.com posting in September of 2015 (the original recipe is actually from 2011) on cookout favorites like baked beans and slaw, I decided to heighten the typical mayonnaise base with the addition of cider vinegar and whole grain mustard (apparently a technique with roots in Tennessee cooking). I added shaved radishes for bite and color, and then grated carrots for their sweetness and ability to mellow the more bracing preceding ingredients. It was delicious fresh and just mixed, but even better the following morning once the dressing had been able to break down the cabbage and the flavors had married. Next time you have left over cabbage, or are in the mood for a delicious slaw, I hope you enjoy!

Tennessee Style Mustardy Cole Slaw:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of Green Cabbage - Sliced very thin (or to your slaw texture preference)
• 4 Medium Carrots - grated on the large side of a cheese grater
• 4 Large Red Radishes - halved and then sliced very thin
• 1/4 cup Whole Grain Mustard
• 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Honey

Preparation:

Combine all vegetables in a large bowl, toss until evenly distributed. Add the vinegar first and toss. Combine mayo, mustard and honey in a small bowl, whisk together. Add to the vegetable and vinegar mix and toss well until evenly coated. Add more mayo or mustard to your taste. Cover with plastic and chill overnight before serving.

Obligatory Traditions

This last weekend, Mark and I went home to PA to visit with my family and honor some autumn traditions. For a few years now, my siblings and I have ritualized the practice of heading to the local (Bucks County, PA) orchard, sneaking in some cider or whisky, geting a slight midday buzz, and take high fashion editorial style Instagram photos of our apple picking adventures which we review over a family feast that follows in my parents' home. Yes, we have a sibling fall editorial tradition centering around the fall harvest, but what incredibly generic suburban family doesn't?

So I love the fall family photoshoot tradition, but the truth is, I don't love apples and to be honest, they make me insanely bloated and uncomfortable. I always end up eating cider doughnuts, drinking cider, and taking home a dozen apples I end up throwing away. Faced with the desire to introduce Mark to this family tradition and somehow not perpetuate the tradition of waste or bloat, I questioned the value of the orchard trip in its entirety. 3 of my brothers would not be present, the weather had taken a gloomy turn, and Mark is averse to most anything sweet (except me...), was this even worth it? Despite my doubts, I convinced Mark to get in the car at 7:30am on a Saturday and head up 95 to enjoy a day of fall activities with my family.

After a pit stop at the local pizzeria, and an oh so necessary nap in my parent's home, we embarked on the task of locating my father who had gone out on one of his seemingly unending bike rides. Having confirmed my sister Rosemary's departure from work, through a series of dropped pins and GPS creativity, I picked up my father at a remote trail head and we were on our way.

We arrived at Solebury Orchards to gray skies, gusty winds, with my father in biking tights and a go-pro on his helmet, not the vision of fall chicness of years past that I had been looking for. Rosemary showed up just in time to assist in creating the human wall to allow my father to change our of his biking tights in the parking lot and avoid being charged with a lewd act in front of children, welcome to the family Mark...

We first approached the farmhouse and bought some hot cider, my dad bought the doughnuts and did not share, and I desperately looked around for the perfect autumnal setting for the initial apple picking selfie. Then we headed to the orchard... As we arrived amongst the trees, and the guide explained the difference between the good baking and the great eating apples, and then the great baking apples and the good eating apples, we erupted in laughter at the absurdity of it all. Rose and I had heard this same spiel a millions times before, and even in his first time hearing it, Mark could tell that each and every apple had inconsequential sweet, sour, eating and baking qualities...they are all F-ing apples after all.

Once we reached the ripe row I promptly added the Jack Daniel's to my hot apple cider, instantly livening the mood, it had severely lacking due to the weather. We made our way down the rows of Staymen-winesap (great for baking), stopping amid verdant branches and deep red fruit to take quintessential boyfriend and awkward sibling portraits. We moved on to Suncrisp, some golden-green colored hybrid and grabbed a few of the most "eatable "apples we had ever seen (can you taste the sarcasm?). A few more awkward Dad photos, some "hiking" in off limit orchards, and we had enough of the cold and headed home.

We left with what I knew was going to be more apples than we would ever use, once again our annual tradition resulting in waste...As you might imagine I was feeling less than fulfilled and suddenly slightly under the weather.

That night, my mother, and brother Nathaniel had planned a special "bring you boyfriend home for dinner" autumn meal. This is where things began to turn around. We sat down to delicious cheese, courtesy of my sister the cheesemonger for Whole Foods. Dinner consisted of glazed and grilled chickens, roasted vegetables and mushrooms, prosciutto wrapped sweet potatoes with walnut-gorgonzola spread and a delicious Texas pecan pie. Side note: my mother has become an award winning pie maker unbeknownst to me, taking second prize recently at a local country fair, who knew...

Now, Mark has already been to a half dozen family dinners at my Grandmother's house in Baltimore, but this was different. He was in my childhood home, a place I rarely venture, mush less bring love interests. Within minutes of sitting down we were deeply engaged in (dorky) discussions with my Dad, laughing along with my brother and sister (albiet at the dorkiness of my Dad). I'm gushing, but as I looked around at their faces, it felt perfect. We missed my absent brothers, but they were there in spirit, and would certainly have perpetuated all the jokes we kicked off at that table. It was my sister's Birthday that Monday prior, so we concluded the meal with a delicious cake that was nearly enough to make it impossible for us to to stand up and hit the road.

I went home with 4 pounds of apples, determined to bookend this orchard tradition by making good use of the fruits of our labor. Conveniently, we arrived home with tremendous head colds and were resolute in our decision to spend Sunday in the house. I putzed around for a few hours pondering what I could do with the apples.... What do you with apples when you don't bake, don't eat gluten and most importantly, don't like dessert?

I started tearing apart my pantry looking for anything that might put me on a path to using these apples...Amid corn meal from 2012 or flour from 2013 (I am my Grandmother's child #foodhoarder) I encountered a box of gluten free flour purchased (relatively) recently. Ok, this was a start, now what to make with it... I started looking at pie pans and baking sheets and was delighted to rediscovered the set of 4 insanely cute cast iron baking ramekins I had received from my friend Erin last Christmas. They are rustic-chic-baking vessel perfection, a gay food blog goldmine in their simplicity and photogenic properties.

This was the sign I needed! I googled a few recipes for inspiration and was off! I was going to make a gluten free apple crisp with my spin on spice and flavor. As making a dessert was inevitable, I decided to look at it as a challenge. A challenge to achieve a result the elevated the ho-hum "Apple Pie" to new heights of complexity and richness....

The aforementioned head cold meant leaving the house was not an option, which in turn meant pulling together ingredients from I already had only heightened the challenge. So while Mark watched hours of Harry Potter and toiled away on his laptop, I tore apart my kitchen looking for potential components for the perfect crisp topping. Fortunately, I must have had some kind of aneurysm in the bulk goods aisle at Whole Foods at some point because I had a inexplicably huge bag of walnuts in the freezer. I have no idea what my original intentions had been for this purchase, so I had no qualms about using them for my attempt at autumnal baking.

I decided I wanted the crust and the apples to be co-stars in the dish, neither one overshadowing the other. Since apples are inherently sweet, I decided I needed the crust to be more savory leaning, more umami if you will... I decided that using generous amounts of sea salt and exotic cardamom would lend a salty and luxurious aspect to the rich walnut base. I pulsed the walnuts in the blender, combined with 3/4 cups of GF flour, 7 tablespoons butter and added my seasoning...it still wasn't right...salty, fragrant, nutty indeed, but just not right. I thought about what I love about crumb topping; the buttery, caramelized, molassasy (is that a word?) richness with a crunch. In my attempt to avoid overwhelming sweetness I had forgotten the key ingredient to that crumb topping goodness, brown sugar. So I added a generous amount to the mix knowing it would achieve the depth that my prior concoction would not, yet avoid competing with the sweet apple foundation.

With the crust out of the way it was time to figure out how to make the apple more than an apple. Raisins, dried fruit would have been easy ways to begin, but who really likes those shriveled fiber bombs anyway? I tossed the apples with the requisite cinnamon, nutmeg, a bit of cardamom and granulated sugar to get to get the base flavors down. Then I started in my spice cabinet. Could I do a little heat with cayenne? No, I ruled that out since I had the savory crust down. My thoughts then went to all-spice, no, that would be too pumpkin-pie like for this effort, so basic, if you will... Then I remembered I had star anise and cloves from my various mulled wine endeavors over past holidays. I love these flavors, but they can be overwhelming so in the interest of maintaining apple and crust flavor equilibrium, I decided I needed to temper their presence in the dish. I pulled out the mortar and pestal and ground up a few of each. I steeped the crushed spices for 30 mins in hot lemon juice, while I joined Mark on the sofa and feigned interest in the goings-on at Hogwart's (he is going to kill me). I strained out the solids and took a big whiff of the final ingredient. It was perfect; fragrant, acidic, fresh, all of the delicacy of the anise and clove and none of the weight. I added this to the apple mix just prior to baking. This is important. Citrus is often added to apple desserts to brighten the flavor, but all too often the fruit is exposed to the acid far to early in the process. This means the fruit can begin to breakdown, and by the time you are done prepping and making you have a mushy filling with none of the appealing original texture of the fruit. So, I added at the end, took a final taste assuring myself of my imminent success, and prepared the ramekins.

I could barely contain my excitement as I overfilled the adorable cast iron crocks, I must have looked like an idiot grinning ear to ear in domesticated self satisfaction. Prior to placing them in the oven I took the requisite bakers dozen photos, in hope of the perfect "before" Instagram post. As they went in, I gave Mark a dramatic account of the culinary process described int this point, hoping to pique his interest in the victory I was about to achieve. He muttered something back in support, but it was clear there was something grave happening with Snape, and he might even have been holding back tears...

30 mins later, the crocks were bubbling and the house smelled incredible. I removed the crisps gingerly from the oven, and immediately drizzled them with some of the delicious Cajeta (dulce de leche) I had brought home from Mexico. Then my neuroses kicked in, and as he is quite used to it by now, Mark didn't even bat an eye as I frantically moved the crocks all around the house in various setting trying to find the perfect light for the finished product postable picture. If he ever videoed me during this part of meal prep, he would have embarrassing social media fodder for days...I hope he isn't reading this...

Once I had my pic, and I posted it with the perfect (#superfluous) amount of culinary hash tags, timed it right across Instagram, Twitter and finally Facebook...I took a break and let them cool so I could eventually do what dessert is meant for... to eat it.

It was delicious! I don't mean to brag, but for someone who admittedly can not bake, I did a bang up job on this dessert. The crisp tasted like a grown-up version of the ubiquitous Entemann's crumb cake topping, it was texturally perfect, and the caramel and cardamom shown through, complemented by the nutty walnuts and punctuated by subtle presence of sea salt. The apple foundation was equally successful, and co-stardom was achieved. The apples played perfectly with their usual counterparts in nutmeg and cinnamon, but it was the barely detectable hint of citrus and the unctuous yet subtle notes of anise and clove that kept me coming back for more. Simultaneously this both embodied "american as apple pie" and yet was something completely different, almost exotic. It was simple and yet complex. It tasted like something I knew, but was having for the first time. I took a tradition, and made something new of it.

In writing this post I realized this crisp was kind of a metaphor. Traditions are traditions for a reason., they are customs or rituals that honor or invoke positive memory and experience. But there can tend to be so many throughout the year, and in our daily lives that they lose significane and begin to feel obligatory. Whether it's arduous holiday travel, mandatory gift exchanges, or coercive turkey consumption, traditions get stale and lose their lustre. And then there is the hype factor. I often find myself getting so caught up in minutia of recreating holiday traditions, satisfying all the environmental conditions and replicating the events and emotions, that I am overcome by anxiety, crippled by disappointment, and in the end it all loses it's meaning.

This Fall-Family Weekend is one such tradition vulnerable to fatigue. It is one that has happened so many times, in so many iterations; from haunted hayrides at Kohler Farms as toddlers, to backyard pumpkin patches in elementary school, pumpkin carving parties as teens, and the orchard libations as young adults, we have always gotten together to celebrate autumn. The cast of characters have changed over the years, the activities have varied but the heart of it has never changed, enjoying this time together. Fall food has always played a big part in these traditions, bringing siblings and partners scattered near and far to the same table, yet it too has seen changes. As my sister and I started developing epicurean interest we began to take the lead, often collaborating on meal planning and execution. Now my brother Nathaniel has the culinary the bug, and this past family dinner was all his creation; roasted baby bok choy and fig glazed chickens were both new to the table. Maybe this is being too cerebral, but in honoring our fall traditions this weekend, and bringing new roles, activities, dishes, and Mark into it, we did what I did with the crisp, made an old tradition new again. I have to admit, getting up early on a Saturday, driving 2+ hours up 95 and coordinating all family members originally felt like it was going to be a chore. But on Sunday, when it was all said and done, and I was sitting there eating my nouveau apple crisp, leaning up against Mark coughing and blowing our noses, laughing over my family's idiosyncrasies and weekend antics, I realized that it what it was all about. Honoring and reliving memories by making new ones, keeping traditions alive by making them our own.

I'm looking forward to the holidays and making many more....

Spiced Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

Crumb:

• 3/4 cup Gluten Free Flour
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (finely)
• 7 table spoons salted butter - softened
• 1 tablespoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce

Apples:

• 2 lbs apples - sliced to 1/8" thick pieces
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 5 cloves
• 2 star anise
• 2 table spoons cold butter - cut into small pieces

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
• Place a small piece of cold butter in the bottom of each baking ramekin, or several in the bottom of your pie pan.
• Heat lemon juice, do not boil.
• Grind clove and anise and add to hot lemon juice - allow to steep for 30 minutes
• In a large bowl combine "Crumb" ingredients, mixing using a pastry knife, until there are pea size pieces and it is slightly sticky (not wet) - add more butter if needed
• In a large bowl combine apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• Once lemon juice is steeped, strain it, and toss with apple mixture just prior to baking
• Fill ramekins or pie pans, placing apples in even layers, and top generously with Crumb
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until you being to see bubbling and the topping browns
• Remove from oven and drizzle immediately with caramel sauce
• Top with Ice cream and serve immediately OR allow to cool 30 mins and serve with whipped cream

Enjoy!

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.