You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Many thanks to everyone who helped with recipe ideas & strategy for the wedding this weeekend.
- Thread starter traca
- Start date
Joe, another tip for lableing dishes I just picked up from a new entertaining book
is to write on the side of the dish. The author wrote with magic marker on porcelain. I like the place card approach better, but it's another idea...
For entertaining tips, this was one of the most resourceful books I have in my collection so far. (would love to hear what your favorite books are...)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061493279/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=178HAZR7HWMEFC3KTX0Z&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846
is to write on the side of the dish. The author wrote with magic marker on porcelain. I like the place card approach better, but it's another idea...
For entertaining tips, this was one of the most resourceful books I have in my collection so far. (would love to hear what your favorite books are...)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061493279/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=178HAZR7HWMEFC3KTX0Z&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846
Great tip. I love Miss Manners' Guide to Excrutiatingly Correct Behavior! I read it cover to cover
often and laugh out loud at Judith Martin's dry wit and common sense. It contains the rules, for what they're worth, for formal entertaining. It's nice to know what the gold standard is even if you never intend to go that far.
Otherwise, I don't have any books strictly about entertaining, except "Country Weekends" by Lee Bailey, which Marilyn was kind enough to send me. I mostly draw from my mother, who was a accomplished casual hostess.
BTW, I'm composing cooking class menus and I just put your asparagus recipe into a class on fresh herbs.
often and laugh out loud at Judith Martin's dry wit and common sense. It contains the rules, for what they're worth, for formal entertaining. It's nice to know what the gold standard is even if you never intend to go that far.
Otherwise, I don't have any books strictly about entertaining, except "Country Weekends" by Lee Bailey, which Marilyn was kind enough to send me. I mostly draw from my mother, who was a accomplished casual hostess.
BTW, I'm composing cooking class menus and I just put your asparagus recipe into a class on fresh herbs.
Orchid, this was such a great recipe...I made it the night before and the parents were nibbling off
baking sheets as I pulled them from the oven. "Quality control" comments ensued. Leftovers made their way into breakfast casserole with goat cheese and paninis with proscuito and gruyere. Great dish to have on hand for weekend entertaining.
Many thanks...
baking sheets as I pulled them from the oven. "Quality control" comments ensued. Leftovers made their way into breakfast casserole with goat cheese and paninis with proscuito and gruyere. Great dish to have on hand for weekend entertaining.
Many thanks...
Good for you! My parents rarely had people over. I learned by trial & error, internships & books. RE
RE: the "Spring pesto" for the asparagus, in the book it's called "green sauce." I like "Spring pesto" better. smileys/smile.gif BTW, it makes a lot. I'd say you could easily either a. cut the recipe in half or b. use leftovers over baked white fish...which I think would be fab.
BTW, that recipe comes from a great book called "Cooking for the Weekend." I've made several recipes from it...all are winners. It's available used on Amazon for a penny. (Astonishing actually. If they only knew how good those recipes are...)
http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Weekend-Food-Best-Times/dp/0671725785/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278040438&sr=8-1
RE: the "Spring pesto" for the asparagus, in the book it's called "green sauce." I like "Spring pesto" better. smileys/smile.gif BTW, it makes a lot. I'd say you could easily either a. cut the recipe in half or b. use leftovers over baked white fish...which I think would be fab.
BTW, that recipe comes from a great book called "Cooking for the Weekend." I've made several recipes from it...all are winners. It's available used on Amazon for a penny. (Astonishing actually. If they only knew how good those recipes are...)
http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Weekend-Food-Best-Times/dp/0671725785/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278040438&sr=8-1
In the same vein, I love this book: Puttin' on the Grits: A Southern Guide to Entertaining
Laugh out loud funny, and very astute. I keep a copy in my bathroom. It's the kind of book, if I ever lost it...I'd buy another copy.
http://www.amazon.com/Puttin-Grits-Guide-Southern-Entertaining/dp/B000IOELXU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278040565&sr=1-2
Laugh out loud funny, and very astute. I keep a copy in my bathroom. It's the kind of book, if I ever lost it...I'd buy another copy.
http://www.amazon.com/Puttin-Grits-Guide-Southern-Entertaining/dp/B000IOELXU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278040565&sr=1-2
Wow, I'm impressed U took on 44 guests 4 yr first catering gig. Congrats! Menu sounded yummy.I had
2 smile about your advance warning to the host family that U wouldn't be too chatty while cooking. That is always what people want to do with the chef, and then they plant themselves in the kitchen right in the way.
I distinctly remember one time I was working in a galley kitchen, and to discourage guests from getting underfoot, I set one of my coolers at one end of the kitchen and a 2nd cooler at the other end--thinking to block them out, you know? Well, people actually stepped OVER my coolers!! Didn't take long for both the oven door and the refrigerator door to be blocked so I politely escorted people back OUT of the kitchen, set my coolers back in place and then set an additional cooler on top of each! That actually worked, and nobody tried jumping over my double-stacked roadblocks. ha!
2 smile about your advance warning to the host family that U wouldn't be too chatty while cooking. That is always what people want to do with the chef, and then they plant themselves in the kitchen right in the way.
I distinctly remember one time I was working in a galley kitchen, and to discourage guests from getting underfoot, I set one of my coolers at one end of the kitchen and a 2nd cooler at the other end--thinking to block them out, you know? Well, people actually stepped OVER my coolers!! Didn't take long for both the oven door and the refrigerator door to be blocked so I politely escorted people back OUT of the kitchen, set my coolers back in place and then set an additional cooler on top of each! That actually worked, and nobody tried jumping over my double-stacked roadblocks. ha!
Wigs, it's like having a kiddie gate, eh? I brought that up specifically because
I do a ton of events and usually I'm the one running around providing introductions, welcoming everyone, making sure folks have fresh drinks in hand, telling stories, etc. I'm really quite social and most folks know me in that role. But when I'm a photographer, it takes a ton of concentration and if I end up chatting with folks, my photos turn out like crap. If I'm reporting on the event, I need to approach it from a different angle. Cooking is another thing entirely. Since I'm normally very social, when I am in a different role, some folks seem a little put off. I wanted to warn them in advance that I'll need all my concentration to focus on the food.
Thank goodness I did that. The bride invited nearly everyone 2 hours before the wedding and the house was crazy with activity long before I expected anyone. The family helped make sure everyone--especially the kids, stayed out of the kitchen.
I do a ton of events and usually I'm the one running around providing introductions, welcoming everyone, making sure folks have fresh drinks in hand, telling stories, etc. I'm really quite social and most folks know me in that role. But when I'm a photographer, it takes a ton of concentration and if I end up chatting with folks, my photos turn out like crap. If I'm reporting on the event, I need to approach it from a different angle. Cooking is another thing entirely. Since I'm normally very social, when I am in a different role, some folks seem a little put off. I wanted to warn them in advance that I'll need all my concentration to focus on the food.
Thank goodness I did that. The bride invited nearly everyone 2 hours before the wedding and the house was crazy with activity long before I expected anyone. The family helped make sure everyone--especially the kids, stayed out of the kitchen.