An Old Favorite Still Pleases

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 A simple-to-make mushroom pâté, which I first sampled more than 30 years ago, looks and tastes just as good today as it did way back then. I served it twice this past week, once at the graduation party that I wrote about in my last post and again this weekend when we had house guests.
This is my “go to” appetizer because it’s takes only a few minutes to prepare, can be made ahead, and has an incredibly delectable taste. As an added bonus, none of the ingredients are hard to find or costly. You sauté chopped mushrooms, green onions, and garlic in butter, then simmer them

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The Plaza Food Hall, New York, NY

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The Plaza Food Hall 1 West 59th Street, Concourse A (lower level), New York, New York 10019

Recently during a short visit to New York, I went to the Plaza Food Hall, located on the lower level of the Plaza Hotel for lunch. I had read about its opening in June of last year, and wanted to check it out. I confess that I arrived thinking it might just be another food court, but my solo meal there far surpassed my expectations. I only ordered two things, but both were delicious. A watercress salad with an assortment of shaved, pickled radishes, served mounded atop a grilled goat cheese panini was beautifully balanced in flavors. A mere hint of lemon jam spread beneath the sandwich, lent just the right sweet and tart notes to this dish. A whoopee pie cupcake, a rich, tender chocolate little cake, topped with thin layers of cream and chocolate, and then coated in a dark chocolate glaze, was perfection as well. Continue reading →

Graduation Time!

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Following a week of drenching New England rains, this past Saturday arrived with cloudy skies that miraculously changed to sun-filled ones by the afternoon. The good weather was just in time for a celebration my husband and I were hosting to honor six of his students who were graduating from Amherst College.
Each of these young people—four girls and two boys—was receiving their degree with honors so we had plenty of champagne chilled for toasting and a table laden with platters of appetizers for nibbling. I chose some of my all-time favorites for this fete, all of which could be conveniently prepared in advance. Our menu included:
 Mushroom Pâté with Garlic Toasts
Melon Slices Marinated in Pernod and Mint
Savory Mexican Cheesecake with Tomato Salsa and Chips
Smoked Salmon with Lemon Crème Fraîche
Asparagus Topped with Chorizo, Hard Boiled Eggs, and Scallions
Creamy Orzo Flans

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A Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinner

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Deciding what to serve for a weeknight supper is often more challenging than planning a dinner party menu. That’s certainly the case at our house. After working all day, often testing recipes for classes and articles, I am weary by supper time. My husband, not a cook, but an enthusiastic eater, arrives home hungry for a good meal after a day of teaching, while I waver between resorting to “take out” or whipping up something simple.

Linguine with Asparagus, Crab, and Chives definitely falls within my comfort zone of quick, yet delectable choices for such days. Start to finish, this all-in-one main course takes less than 30 minutes and is accented by the fresh flavors of spring. You simply put a pot of water on to boil, cook the pasta until almost done, and then during the last few minutes, add some sliced asparagus. Once drained, the linguine and asparagus are returned to the pot in which they were cooked, and tossed with crème fraîche, Parmesan, lemon zest, and crabmeat. For serving, mounds of this pasta are topped with snipped chives and shaved Parmesan.
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St Germain- A French Liqueur

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St Germain, a delicious French liqueur scented with elderflowers, is a new discovery for me, but I am already a huge fan. I learned about it from friends in Paris who explained that when combined with champagne, St Germain adds an amazing fresh, floral note to a glass of bubbly. St Germain (that’s the brand name) comes in tall, sleek bottles and is available on this side of the Atlantic too. I had no trouble finding it in my local spirits store. My large bottle was about $37, but small nip-size ones are sometimes available and cost less. Since May is definitely a month of celebrations—graduations, Mother’s Day, spring Continue reading →

Dinner and a Play in The Big Apple

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For my birthday last month, my husband planned a short visit to New York for us to have dinner and then to see “War Horse,” a new play at the Vivian Beaumont Lincoln Center.  He took care of the theatre tickets and left me in charge of the dining arrangements.

I chose Bar Boulud since it was close to Lincoln Center, and because I am a fan of several of Daniel Boulud’s other restaurants.
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Romaine, Mint, and Ricotta Salad

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Each time I have served this salad, guests have taken a bite, paused, and tried to figure out what was adding such a refreshing note. Some have guessed that it was mint, others have not, but all have loved this unusual addition. The contrasting textures–the crunch of the romaine leaves paired with the salty creaminess of ricotta– also add to the salad’s appeal. The tomatoes provide some visual pizzazz with their rich crimson hue. It’s great as a garnish to grilled lamb chops or chicken.
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