I began the summer as an entertaining enthusiast and I can finally say I've become an entertaining artist! My Party for Six was the best casual dinner party yet. The menu came together effortlessly and my friends all had a wonderful time. I don't think that I would have felt so calm and at ease if I hadn't gone through this summer of learning. Here are some of the memories from our night!
The above pic is of the amazing tomato, mozzarella and basil appetizers. These lasted about 30 seconds! Luckily my guests had a six-course meal ahead of them.
A light, refreshing first course.
My mouth is watering just looking at this picture. The slight anise taste of fennel and the delightful crunch combined with the pecorino and pine nuts...amazing. I added some green apple and pomegranate to the salad to make it even more complexity.
There's the dill from my garden! It paired gorgeously with the salmon and my secret mayonnaise trick turned out perfectly.
Simply divine. These ribs fell off the bone with no effort.
I used a high-quality dark chocolate. Very sophisticated. Very addictive.
What's better than a pot of chocolate? Absolutely nothing!
There's a specialty shop in my area that carries a vast array of salts. While it may seem silly to spend more than $3.99 on salt, it really is worth it! Especially when it comes to entertaining. My favorite specialty salt is Fleur de Sel, which is a type of sea salt that is collected off the coast of Brittany in France. It has a slightly gray color due to mineral deposits and when used to season food, you can taste the difference. It has a milder flavor that really brings to mind the sea. There is another salt, however, that I have wanted to try for quite awhile that I think I'm going to splurge on for my upcoming dinner party. And that is Himalayan pink salt. It actually looks like rose quartz to me because of its exotic color, which comes from iron deposits. This salt is very unique because it is harvested from ancient sea salt deposits found in the foothills of the Himalayas. Just the story of this salt is enough to get a conversation going, not to mention the beautiful addition it makes to any table!
I've been meaning to post about my kitchen herb garden for some time now. At the start of the summer, I bought a few potted herbs; mainly because they smelled so fragrant and also because I felt that I would be using so many fresh herbs for entertaining that it would be more cost-efficient to buy growing plants rather than cut herbs. I began with basil and parsley, and eventually added mint, dill and oregano. To my surprise, they have all thrived, which says a lot for someone whose thumb is as green as a cherry tomato! I've loved being able to just snip off a few leaves here and there to add to various dishes. It really has saved me quite a bundle. If you've never really used fresh herbs, they can do wonders to adding freshness and flavor (and color) to your dishes. While dried herbs definitely have their place in heartier foods like stews and soups, the aromatics of fresh herbs just bring a nice lightness and balance to summer dishes. They also add to presentation. To top off almost any dish, I like to finely chop herbs to sprinkle atop or at the very least add a sprig as garnish. I highly recommend starting your own kitchen herb garden! You'll love it!
I'm going to start dinner somewhat late at around 8pm, so I'm planning on offering my guests some pre-dinner nibblers that I will lay out on the coffee table. Since elegance is essential, here's what I'm thinking:
Mozzarella and Basil on Pita Chips
Fresh mozzarella balls, basil and tomato slices atop Stacy's Pita Chips are a chic and tasty bite-sized starter.
Wild Mushroom Crostini
Don't be intimidated by the fancy name. Basically, crostini is just the Italian word for little toasts. For better flavor and nicer presentation, rather than using a toaster, you just slice the bread and brush it with olive oil, then place it on a grill for a few seconds. This recipe is just divine. I like to add a clove of chopped garlic.
Original Shrimp Salad
This unique shrimp salad is certainly original! It calls for fresh pineapple, which gives it a nice, tropical feel. It's amazing with Stacy's Hot & Spicy Pita Chips.
As an alternative to wine and cocktails, I'm going to be serving some refreshing homemade spritzers. By combining juice with seltzer water, you can save a lot of money...not to mention calories! I like the ratio of juice to seltzer water to be 60% juice, 40% seltzer but you can really use whatever ratio you like. To make these more special, I like to choose unique juices or fruit nectars like mango or cherry juice. They look great when poured into a champagne glass or highball and garnished with a piece of fruit.
In my last post, I promised to explain the secret of mayonnaise on salmon. I discovered awhile back that spreading a thin layer of mayo prior to baking yields the most amazing results. All you do is preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Then, cover a baking sheet with foil. Brush some olive oil on the foil and place salmon fillets (rinsed, then patted dry) skin-side down. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Then, finely chop one or two cloves of garlic and a tablespoon of your favorite fresh herb — I like dill or rosemary. Next, sprinkle these on fleshy side of the salmon. Finally, spread a thin layer of your favorite mayo over the exposed side of the salmon fillet, making sure to cover it evenly and completely. Bake for about 20 minutes for 1-inch thick fillets, checking after 10 minutes. I've never had salmon end up as moist and delicious!
I can't believe it's already August. Summer will be wrapping up in just a few weeks. I've come a long way and feel that I'm ready to throw my final soiree of the season, what I'm calling "Party of Six" — a six course dinner for six. I'll be pulling out the stops and employing the skills I've picked up over the last couple of months. I'll even do a seating chart for our lovely meal. Here's the menu under consideration:
1st Course: Chilled Zucchini Soup
To start, I'm going to make this refreshing, chilled soup with summer squash. I don't want people to fill up on it though so I will be serving it in tiny shot glasses. This will make for an elegant appearance.
2nd Course: Parsley, Fennel and Celery Root Salad
Next up will be a delicious fennel and celery root salad. I like to add shaved pecorino and toasted pine nuts to this recipe.
3rd Course: Roasted Salmon with Dill
To this recipe, I'll add some fresh dill and one clove of chopped garlic. I'm also going to replace the crème fraiche with mayonnaise. More on this amazing salmon secret in the next post!
4th Course: Braised Short Ribs
Braised meat is very Autumnal in my opinion. This will be my nod to the coming season! I like that these ribs cook slowly and all-day so I can start them early and save time later for my other courses.
5th Course: Trio of Cheeses
I'm going to choose some nice dessert cheeses to close out the meal. I'm thinking maybe a nice Saga Blue, Chevres and a Cream Havarti. I will serve these with some delicious Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips
6th Course: Pots de Crème with Candied Orange Rinds and Chocolate-Dipped Pita Chips
Okay, so there are two desserts, making it seven courses, but I figure they go so well together, we can just call it one course! I have never made Pots de Crème before, but how can you go wrong with chocolate and whipping cream. And the thought of the Grand Marnier in it — just stunning. The Chocolate-Dipped Pita Chips will just add a nice bit of crunch on the side.
The Desserts Party couldn't have been more fun. I've never seen my guests more excited!
Simply A-MAZING. These just melted in your mouth.
Went a little overboard on the strawberries, but boy did these taste GREAT!
My friends are hooked! Olé!
The Peanut Butter Parfait Dip was soooo good. We had it with these gorgeous berries.
And finally, the crowd favorite! I can still taste that ooey gooey goodness.
I was perusing the fruit selection at my local grocer this morning and to my delight there was an abundance of fragrant peaches and nectarines. I couldn't decide which to get, so I got both. It got me thinking though, what is the difference between these two fruits other than their skin? It turns out, there really is no difference other than the fact that peaches have fuzzy exteriors and nectarines have smooth skins. They may have slightly different flavors, but that is based on the grower, rather than a genetic difference. Who knew? So when a recipe calls for peaches and you can only find nectarines, you don't need to fret!
You've probably heard numerous times how important it is to be accurate with your measurements when baking. But how is this done? Here are some tips:
- Dry versus wet: Nested cups are for measuring dry ingredients and glass or plastic containers with spouts are for measuring liquids. Measuring spoons can be used for either wet or dry ingredients.
- Do not pack flour: Flour tends to settle quite a bit when in a jar or bag. To measure, mix the flour around and then spoon it into the measuring cup without packing.
- Do pack brown sugar: Interestingly, brown sugar is one of the things you pack to get the most accurate amount.
- Level with a knife, not your finger: It's most accurate to use a knife to ensure the correct amount is in your measuring cup or spoon.
- Eye level for wet ingredients: Get down and view wet ingredients from the side when pouring them into the measuring cup. If you try to view from the top, your measurement will not be accurate.
Copyright ©2009 Stacy’s Pita Chip Company
My name is Emily (or Em). I'm a food fanatic and entertaining junkie. I've been playing host since before I can remember,
but lately I've realized
my party formula needs
some tinkering.
"An Entertaining Summer" is a blog about my quest to become a better entertainer -- not just for the big holiday blow-outs, but for everyday occasions too. It's the place where I'll be posting thoughts, ideas, menus, recipes, and pics documenting my progress. The hope is that by the end of the summer, I'll be able to call myself an Entertaining Artist!
