In my family we celebrate birthdays BIG. Sometimes big is even x2, like Sunday when we celebrated both Cassie’s 17th and Aurora’s 21+.
‘Big’ is the operative word because (a) we’re a lot of people and (b) we always make big menus for our BIG appetites. Generally, the meal revolves around a food request from the birthday person. And then the family cooks get cooking!
I know most people who read blogs like FOODalogue or create boards on pinterest are really into entertaining and generally on the troll for new tips to make the effort stress-free so I thought I’d tell you about 2 dinner parties I hosted recently.
Last week I hosted a dinner party to celebrate 2 family members’ birthdays. It was joyous, over-the-top loud and a wee bit chaotic. That’s what happens when four generations of family (18 people) get together. Continue Reading
Mary + Nick’s Tree, Boat Parade Party 2012
I’ve enjoyed seeing everyone’s postings on facebook the last few days with photos of families beside gaily decorated trees and enjoying holiday meals. It’s such a happy time of year. Full of traditions and memory-making moments.
Our season starts with the Boat Parade Party the first weekend in December and the festivities don’t end until my birthday early January. A month long of family celebrations … 6 weeks if you count Thanksgiving! And I do. Continue Reading
I was challenged to bring an ‘avant-garde side dish’ to the foodie potluck I wrote about earlier this week. And it had to serve 40 people! I knew I wanted to create something that would make a nice presentation, be easily portable, serve everyone individually…and, of course, be delicious. Greens + Beans came to mind because of the rhythmic sound. I envisioned a cupcake made of greens, the frosting would be white bean puree and the cherry on top — spicy tomato bacon jam. Layers of flavor! Continue Reading
Not quite a revolt of the masses so to speak but Leila, a/k/a @flyingpigfoodie, started this sub-group of So FL Foodies after attending several wine tasting events where diverting attention from the wine, even to pair it with food(!), was frowned upon, seriously poo poo-ed 
. I wasn’t there but I can just picture the group mantra came about with this lighthearted chant.
I’ve got a real treat for you. We’re having dinner in a private home on this stop of the Culinary Tour. As you may know, I’ve spent a lot of time in Puerto Rico. It was definitely my playground when I lived in New York. Less so now that I live in FL, but I still manage an annual trip and a reunion with my friends. I was actually in Puerto Rico for a few days during the period between the Argentina and Brazil stops on the Culinary Tour. It was a very food-centric experience from the highs of the trendy El San Juan Hotel restaurants…to road stands in the mountains…to a dinner party in a private home which I present here.
When we moved to Florida from New York 15 years ago, we quickly learned that cold weather and snow are not really the criteria for the holiday season…and we happily dropped that notion! Goodbye boots, hello flip-flops.
Now, it’s Christmas trees and palm trees, house lights and boat lights, and sandmen instead of a snowmen; but, most importantly, it’s family, friends, good wine…and great menus! It’s a joyous time of year wherever you are.
In celebration of the holiday season, various cities in FL that border the Intracoastal Waterway host boat parades. Led by a fireworks barge, festively-decorated boats make their way up or down the canal and residents line the docks and cheer the parade…and some, like us, use it as an excuse to party! Who doesn’t love a party? Continue Reading
This is titled “another” because I posted A Colorful Brunch about 6 weeks ago, with totally different items.
This time, brunch was served the morning after a big party…so I made Virgin Mojitos. I’m not a big believer in “the hair of the dog that bit you.”
I muddled lime, mint and simple syrup and then mixed it with chilled water. It was refreshing and everyone liked it.
Come check out the menu.
This post is more about concept than specific recipes. No surprise there, right? I tend to shy from telling you how much salt (or whatever) to put in your food. I don’t know how many people you’re cooking for, what their likes and dislikes are — and, based on the comments I receive, most of my readers are pretty damn good cooks. So, if you’ve been following FOODalogue for a while, you know I tend to tell you the ingredients and technique and let you do the math based on your palate.
Perhaps this post will give you some ideas for your next cocktail party. Continue Reading
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