What’s Old Is New Again

What’s Old Is New Again

I was contemplating all the new trends you see and hear about this time of year. It seems things change now faster than ever. In all things really. Fashion, home décor and design, relationships, raising children, restaurants, and food…

Now that’s a subject I can talk about some.

I’ve been around over 60 years now. In and around food most of my life. I’ve seen so many trends in restaurants, events and party food over the years. Big portions, small portions, tiny portions, fresh farm food, processed food such as TV dinners, convenient foods, microwaveable, fancy food, homestyle food, international food. I’ve traveled the world and I don’t think food has changed so much in any other country than the good ole US of A. I suppose it is because we have such a diverse culture of people living here. Old traditions seem to die faster here. We’ve just past another Holiday season and at our home the old family traditions are still there. Along with some new ones. It’s funny how a forty year old Christmas sweater is still the hit of the party. A good strong eggnog still hits the spot. A roasted turkey, a baked ham, mashed potatoes will never go out of food fashion. At least not at my house.

If you can ride it out, and hold on to some of the traditions that are dear to you they will come back around. They might skip past the next generation but surface with the grands. Just don’t give up, keep

telling those stories you heard as a kid, keep cooking that food your parents and grand parents did. Save that old ornament or Xmas sweater, just so you can bring it out one day and talk about it. What’s old will be new again!

Spring Is The Happiest Time of The Year

Spring Is The Happiest Time of The Year

Forget what the Christmas song says, Spring is the happiest and also the most beautiful time of year. No season dances in as gracefully as Spring. It arrives with a flourish and an agenda as it sweeps away the dim murk of winter. Spring rattles the earth softly. Trees erupt in sudden greenery with leaves, lacy and damp, unfurling like tiny umbrellas. Scores of wildflowers emerge. Flocks of butterflies beat back the breeze with delicate wings. Each day brings a symphony of birdsong. Spring invites open windows, bare feet, and scurrying lizards. It is a season full of hope and promise. Don’t let any of these precious days slip by uncelebrated. Head outdoors and embrace it all. Make this a Spring to remember

For Spring says tea parties and picnics.
Either goes perfectly with the abundance of wildflowers around the state. Enjoy the outdoors before the heat comes rolling in.

Traditional tea parties with little scones accompanied with Devonshire cream, lemon curd and jam. Little sandwiches
At least four or five different kinds. Decadent petite sweets and of course tea.
Perhaps a chilled champagne too!

A lovely blanket picnic for a few friends, grandkids or even as and event for a crowd. How much fun would it be to have a party with chilled lemonade cold beer and ice cold Rose’ first then send your guest to the grass with a blanket and a picnic basket filled with cold fried chicken, mason jar salads, fresh fruit, homemade cookies and brownies.

Life is beautiful especially in the spring. Get outside and enjoy it.

What Do You Have to Give?

What Do You Have to Give?

I was talking to an Airbnb guest of mine this morning about love and relationships. Not that I am an expert by any means…I am on my third husband. But we have been together over 30 years and still living life. I am still In touch and friends with my first two husbands. Kindness feels better to me than bitterness and anger.

This woman I was talking to was 33 single very pretty and seemed to be discouraged . Her mother is also single. My sister, older than me by five years never remarried but has certainly tried to find a partner. She is also discouraged. There are other friends and family members in the same boat.

You’re probably wondering what does this have to do with the culinary corner….

Well, when I started my business it came from my passion to please others. When I cook a meal, or bake something to share I do it with love and an intention to please. Nothing warms my heart more than hearing the satisfied mmmm as you take a bite. My father always said his favorite sandwich was one made for him. I never stopped doing that and my business is still going strong all these years later.

So back to the discouraged single people…

If instead of focusing on all that you want or need from a mate start thinking about what you have to give! What you have to offer. It’s really amazing how our needs are met when we are giving rather than seeking fulfillment. Next time you write that profile for your internet dating site talk about the things you have to offer and like to do for your partner. The things you like to share, the places you’d like to experience with them. On that next date find out what really pleases that person instead of telling them what you want. You will be able to determine if you are the one that can fulfill those desires.

I think you will really be surprised how your needs are met if you don’t think about or talk about yourself so much. Now I’m not saying you should be a doormat, you do need to find the balance. I’m just saying, make someone a sandwich and see how it makes you both feel. You might be surprised.

Big Bash Small Space

Big Bash Small Space

My daughter is turning forty! I never feel old on my birthdays but having a forty-year-old daughter sure hits home. The story is not about her age but rather her well-deserved Big Bash.

There is nothing like a party at home. At least that’s what she says. Especially one hosted by her legendary party planning mother (her words).

So I’m going to share it with you. 

My home is small but open.

I have great neighbors and I have a fabulous front yard. Level, canopied with gorgeous trees, and Astro turf. The party starts out front around 6:00 as guest start to arrive. We will move all the outdoor lounge furniture to the front yard. I have enough for two or three seating areas. Add a few heaters a fire pit and most important a welcome bar cart in the driveway. I for one always head to the bar when I go to a party so why make people look for one. Greet them with a beverage. There will only be two drinks offered out front and water of course. Champagne and smoked old fashions. Bourbon is quite the thing these days. The rocks glasses of bourbon all lined up in the barrel smoker getting a good cold smoke. First the smell of applewood fills the air

Then out comes the glass, drop a ball of ice in and voila!

Before you head towards the house you will be approached with a hand passed fancy tray of something yummy.

The double doors will be wide open as you head into the house, another crackling fire and the music bellowing from the backyard. Soon to be approached with more food offered from a tray.

There will be another bar inside fully stocked when you’re ready. A menu with suggestions. Mock-tails included of course.

More hand passed food…

The backyard glistens with candlelight, standing height tables and small tables with a few chairs. More heaters another crackling fire.

Here comes more food, this time three bite short plates of hearty items, grilled Shrimp over risotto, boneless short ribs with a cherry Demi glaze over roasted corn mashed potatoes, and so on. Food you can eat sitting or standing.

The band is playing from the upper deck. It’s so pretty with the lights, the music, everyone in their finest cocktail attire.

Mingle, dance, talk, drink and eat and eat! All the food comes to you.

You will eventually have to say “no more!”

Around 8:00 everyone gathers in the back yard for a speech from the guest of honor. Out comes the little cakes, each with a single candle. Two bites maybe. The candles are lit, the birthday song is sung and everyone will make a wish for the birthday lady before blowing out their own candle.

More music, more dancing, visiting, coffees and more drinks.

As the band winds down around 10:00 guest start to leave, lots of hugs, big smiles, thank you’d, and a tasty departure gift for later.

Then the HEC crew will tear it all down clean it all up and take it away while I put my feet up and enjoy the fire. A very happy daughter with her head on my shoulder beaming with happiness.

You can have a party anywhere. This party was for 100 or so guests.  The key is to keep people moving, comfortable and well fed.

My garage becomes a kitchen for the HEC staff. Chefs to plate food, there’s three of them, four servers constantly bringing out food, two bussers picking up glassware and dishes, three insured Bartenders. You never want your guest to stand long in a bar line. And an Event manager to oversee it all. And keep the fires going.

The rental equipment all came from HEC. Tables, linens, centerpieces, dishes, glassware,

Heaters and all the service ware.

I did prepare a great deal of the food (being a retired chef and all) but much of it came from HEC.

Do what you love, what you’re good at, but make sure you are a guest at your own party. Enjoy it.

Kindness

Kindness

We all endured trials and tribulations over the roller coaster of the year and a half that it’s been: physically, mentally, emotionally, the list goes on farther for that for some. As a mother of four school aged children, getting the kids back into “normal” school this year, has been the HUGEST blessing that our family could have asked for…little did we know until it happened! It was, by far, the most symbolic for my family – and I can presume many of yours – thus far.

Some of us have returned to our offices, gotten haircuts for the first time in a year, dressed up for an occasion, attended a party, flown on a plane, attended sporting events or other mass gatherings…we’re each returning to whatever “normal” we have missed so fondly over this time.

With all these “returns” that we’re experiencing to normalcy, I felt it appropriate to remind us ALL to do so with KINDNESS. We’ve had such a tumultuous year, between the pandemic with mixed opinions and judgement throughout, a horrific election year filled with hate and violence. As human beings, it is imperative to proceed with KINDNESS and GRACE that some of us lost over the past 18 months. Remember when your neighbor brought over a fresh loaf of baked bread, or seeing a young man helping an elderly man load his groceries, or just the simple touch of holding a door open for someone…? All these things CAN come back, and should. But it’s up to US, kind humans, to ‘pay it forward’ and return it all back to how it “was”.

Leave this small reading, and do ONE THING kind for a stranger today. They maybe one thing tomorrow. If we all do it, IT WILL COME!