Party Season
In a Time of Recovery
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DISH: Party with(out) a Plan
When party planning, there are two different ways to learn. By reading or by doing. For experiential students, there’s nothing like trial by fire. That’s how it can feel when you’re getting ready for company after a pandemic-forced hiatus. Luckily, we have done it together as sisters off and on for a lifetime. Although we live many states apart, we have had the great fortune to cook together both virtually and for some of life’s happiest events in person. Three of our young adult children graduated college during the pandemic. But only one was offered a diploma in real time. Now vaccinated, we at last were able to plan a gathering, with both friends and family in the backyard as safe and socially distant as possible. (Thank you, smiling weather gods of Ohio – you’re forgiven the winter, and possibly the rough start to Memorial Day!) Jen and her husband Jon were able to fly in to join the celebration. And, of course, to help – which was really the motive (insert evil laugh). But daily cooking is different than party planning. The muscle memory needed a little recovery this time. We assembled side-by-side for a few hours last weekend, racing from the graduation ceremony until the moment company arrived. To her credit, one of us said she never felt stressed or rushed. Then again, her child graduated virtually. But all joking aside, both of us were grateful to be together doing what we love for who we love. Here are a few things we’ve learned over time that may be valuable as the first “normal” holiday weekend unfolds. 1. Frozen pigs in a blanket are delicious. Almost everyone (aside from vegans/vegetarians) eats them. Sprinkled with everything seasoning or unadulterated, they are a perfect party food indoors or out. Serve with condiments. Skip heating up the grill. 2. Proteins can be prepped ahead of time and served at room temperature. If you’re hell-bent on offering everything homemade, grill or bake it the day before. However, we have learned that most guests do not ask or care how the food originates. For one of our first catering events – a long-ago surprise birthday party for our mom – we grilled flank steak for 50 people on an apartment window ledge in Hoboken. It was Betsy’s first apartment. It was also 97 degrees, with no AC, and had tin ceilings. Add it up, Seth. See the photo of that great-looking fried chicken below? Almost every well-respected supermarket chain makes a good or even terrific version. Thank you, Acme.
3. Provide napkins, cocktail or otherwise. Comments courtesy from our beloved Aunt Cilla. (Related: When it's a dinner party, always provide bread and salad. Just in case everything else is, well, ruined.) 4. Enlist early-arriving friends and family for prep and pickups. See: Bags of ice, extra wine, graduation cake. 5. Plan the menu in advance and KISS (keep it simple stupid). A few friends are still talking about the mini tomato, mozzarella, and basil sandwiches, dressed with olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Made on long baguettes and then sliced, those took us about 10 minutes.
6. Focus on crowd-pleasers and offer a self-help limited bar. Do the same with desserts. We skipped a signature cocktail and added s’mores at the fire pit. 7. Forget a few things? No one will be the wiser unless you tell them. For instance, don’t ask how those brownies tasted. But hey, how about that yummy graduation cake?
BK / JK
DISH: Recipes
Not-Hummus
I love canned beans. If I remember a day in advance to soak them, I love dried beans, too. But I rarely remember. This pantry-friendly, gluten free, super-healthy vegan dip has saved my last-minute party prep on many occasions. Feel free to riff with the ingredients. Hand-stirring in chopped olives and parsley with lemon zest and juice can take it to a whole new level. It’s great with chips but also as a spread. Could it be any more useful?! 1 15-ounce can cannelloni or northern white beans, drained and rinsed 1 garlic clove Small handful celery leaves or stalks 3-4 sprigs rosemary 2 plus tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt Pepper Optional pinch of cayenne Cover the beans, garlic, celery and rosemary in a small pot with water. Cook 15-20 minutes to soften the garlic. Drain but save the water. Blend ingredients in a food processor with olive oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and several grates of black pepper. Add more salt to taste and a pinch or two of cayenne if you’re feeling frisky. Can be served immediately but it helps to set in the fridge for an hour or two. Serve at room temperature drizzled with olive oil.
BK
Green Goddess Dip
Ranch, green goddess, and blue cheese never dressed any of our childhood salads. And I’m not sure why. But this lack of familiarity carried into early adulthood. Then came the great revelation of deliciousness, both on top and beneath veggies. It could not be easier to mix herbs and ricotta. Literally use as much fresh green as you’d like. Save the woody herbs for another purpose. Pair with crackers, bread, or veg.
16 ounces of ricotta (low-fat or not)
2-3 small handfuls of cilantro, parsley, and/or basil
6-8 chives or 1 clove garlic
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper
Blend the herbs in food processor or chop by hand. Combine with ricotta, zest, and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
NOTE: Even easier app. Toast bread. Top with fresh ricotta, fruit, herbs, and a drizzle of balsamic. Or for the truly lazy – add chutney or pepper-onion relish like the leftovers from one of my Alice’s Table culinary classes. App, done!BK
TILL: The Heat Loves the Heat
It’s Memorial Day weekend and the heat has been almost unbearable for several weeks already. It feels like the hottest May I can recall in a long time – and I’m not alone. In fact, Miami-Dade County has recognized how deadly it’s become and appointed the first-ever Chief Heat Officer, who will clock heat waves, which kill both people and wildlife. In fact, they literally boil the fish in the bay. Currently we get about 40 of those days that feel like more than 100 degrees, but that’s expected to increase to about 134 by 2050 if nothing is done to decrease emissions. All this to say that while the corn has died, tassel-less and immature, on its stalks, and the eggplant never grew beyond the size of golf balls, the garden is… flourishing? Well, not exactly. I wasn’t expecting to still be harvesting tomatoes, but I am. I moved the potted heirlooms into partial shade and while the leaves are withering and some fruit is splitting on the vine, we’re still picking a good handful every week. The herbs are taking over the beds and thriving, with the exception of the basil, which is flowering and going to seed. I’m bringing that in this weekend to make pesto ice cubes in one of my many silicone molds. (See my cookbook, Ice Cube Tray Recipes: 75 Easy and Creative Kitchen Hacks for Freezing, Cooking, and Baking with Ice Cube Trays, for more fun summer ideas.) But what’s really doing well are the chile peppers. We have finger-length yellow aji and orange and red biquinho peppers that just won’t stop blooming and growing. The hotter it gets, the more we have. I’ve been pickling them, adding them to my "Fridge Party Giardiniera" (see recipe coming in "Tidbit" this June), and steeping them in my husband’s tequila, a slow burn that he adores. It doesn’t look like the peppers give one fig about how humid is the air. It also looks like hot pepper jam is next on my list. That’ll be sure to drive everyone out of the kitchen but me – which is just the way I like it. Next fall, I’m doubling down on the chiles. That’ll also teach the pesky raccoons and iguanas a thing or two as well (and if you don't believe how big those are, I have some videos to show you).
JK
DISH: Recap and Coming Soon
Betsy has been in the digital world teaching food, drink, and flower skills. Fully vaccinated, she's also back to planning events. You can hire her for both by contacting her at betsy@theportablegarden.com.
Jen’s article about batch-cooking for health appeared in HuffPost; a reported piece on CPAP machines in the bedroom and another about marriage and divorce posted on the health and reproductive resource Giddy; and a survey on Tampa hotels came out on Insider. Her poems appeared in Book of Matches and Cider Press Review. Coming Soon: Jen's piece on celebrity chef Lorena Garcia and CHICA Miami is in the hands of her HuffPost editor, as is her piece on food allergies for The Counter. Updates on the best hotels in Miami, the best boutique hotels in South Beach, and the best hotels in Key West are forthcoming in Insider. Poems will appear in DIALOGIST, Fatal Flaw, The Shore, Sweet: Lit (the contest issue), Under a Warm Green Linden, and a journal she's not allowed to mention yet. Oh, the intrigue! You can hire her for writing by contacting her at kavetchnik@gmail.com. Visit her website at jkaretnick.com.
DISH: Poetry
The Betsy-South Beach is Jen’s favorite hotel in Miami. It has nothing to do with the name, coincidental though it is(!), and everything to do with its signature popovers and overall vibe. Dedicated to the arts, The Betsy is back open for business. If you’re in town, stop by for exhibits, live music, poetry readings, and some of those awesome popovers.
Popover Haiku They rise, and we fall: Invitations for visits. We should stay awhile. You can find this and other food poems in Brie Season (Kelsay Books, 2014).
JK
