Poulet Roti Madame Mere...Broiled Chicken Thighs With Champagne And Tarragon

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This recipe was not intended for a post, but after Madame Mere declared it the best meal she's had since she arrived, I just had to share it with you.  I am still shocked that after all the meals I have prepared for her, this would be the one to elicit the most praise from her lips.

It all started with a cup of leftover Champagne.  You know how I hate to throw stuff away.  I had shared a bottle with my daughter in law on the occasion of my granddaughter's first birthday on Sunday and was salivating a risotto the next day; but the thought of another rich meal so soon after that was not terribly appealing.  Every recipe I looked into for this iconic dish had cream in it and that was not too enticing,  I wanted something simple.  I was still putting things away from the party the night before and frankly my stomach could not take another heavy meal.   So I decided to go on my own and try something new.  The result was an unexpected hit, especially with MM.  The best part, though, was that it was simple and quick and I had all the ingredients on hand.  Talk about a home run...

There are two ways you can approach this recipe.  You can wait until you have leftover Champagne OR, you can plan ahead.  If you can't wait, and it is an elegant and quick main course for entertaining during the week, buy a bottle of good French Champagne like Veuve Cliquot, open it an hour or two before your guests arrive, save what you need for the marinade and put the bottle back in the fridge. You can recork the bottle with a Champagne cork or, better yet, let it sit unopened. Champagne stays bubbly for quite awhile.  Serve it for cocktails or with this meal. That, my friends, would be over the top!

Whilst I highly recommend you use chicken thighs in this recipe, you can also use breasts and legs or a combination of all three. Adjust the recipe accordingly, but don't use skinless and boneless parts.  The skin helps keep the moisture in and you can always remove it after it is served on your plate.

I did not have fresh shallots, but I always keep a jar of dried ones in the pantry for emergencies like this.  The one thing that must be fresh, though, is the tarragon. Don't chop it up until right before you add it to the chicken.  That is when it releases it's aroma.

If you are wondering why I would use onion and garlic powder instead of the fresh ingredients, it was for aesthetic purposes only.  I wanted to end up with a browned chicken with sauce, no onions or garlic around it.

As I was planning a simple meal of broiled chicken, I prepared mashed potatoes and green beans.  If you want to dress it up, you can always place the chicken on top of wild rice and serve a simple vegetable like green beans or sauteed spinach,  If you must serve a salad, serve it afterwards, a la francaise.  You don't want the vinegar in the dressing to compete with the sauce.

Bon appetit!


Poulet Roti Madame Mere

Ingredients
Serves 3 or 4

4 chicken thighs
1/2 cup of Champagne (leftover will do)
1 orange (the juice of) or 1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup fresh or dried shallots
olive oil
Sea Salt
Pepper

3 TB butter

Directions:

1.  Get a bottle of Champagne and enjoy it with a friend. It doesn't have to be Veuve Cliquot, my one and only.  This recipe was tested with 2 day old Costco Champagne! I highly recommend it over any other cheap Champagne in the market ($20), and you know I know my wines.

2.  Don't be tempted to drink the whole thing.  Control yourself and save at least 1/2 cup.

3.  Marinade 4 chicken thighs in 1/2 cup of Champagne, the juice of one orange or1/4 cup of orange juice, 1 tsp. each garlic and onion powder (sprinkle over the chicken) 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh tarragon leaves, 1/2 cup chopped fresh or dried shallots and olive oil.  Cover and let sit for at least 1 hour.

4.  Take the chicken out of the marinade, carefully pat dry and slip some of the tarragon leaves from the marinade under the chicken skin.

5.  Place chicken in a long Pirex, add sea salt and pepper on top and place 1/2 TB butter on top of each thigh.  the other 1 TB of butter is halved and placed in the middle.  Set the oven to broil.

6.  Broil in the upper part (not the top) of the oven for 15 minutes.

7.  Remove chicken from the oven and add back the marinade

8.  Reduce oven temperature to 375  and continue cooking for 30 minutes or until done. Baste a couple of times.

This was accompanied with mashed potatoes and french cut green beans for a simple week night meal.


If you are en regime, you can omit the butter.

Perfect Poached Salmon In A Bernaise Sauce

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I am rushing around this morning baking like crazy for the week ahead.  Yesterday I made the traditional black beans for the Christmas Day family lunch as well as cocktail cheese biscuits AND this easy poached salmon for dinner.  I bought a piece large enough to use the leftovers for the salmon mousse I will be making tomorrow for Madame Mere's guests from out of town.  Yes, MM is entertaining in her new apartment already! who would have thought...

This recipe was perfect and very easy to make.  The salmon should be cold so plan ahead, but it is also very good at room temperature.  I have to confess that  I simply did not have the time to cool it properly and I made it primarily to have leftovers for the the salmon mousse I will be making today.   One caveat, though...the cooking time in the recipe is different from that in the video.  Bake it for 15 minutes unless you like a  medium rare salmon which is very sophisticated but not to my liking.   It will still be very moist.

I love Alex Hitz but he is a big proponent of using salted butter in his cooking and I am not.  I prefer to control the salt myself and I have been cooking too long to change all my recipes now.  It is silly to buy one pound of salted butter just to make his recipe, so adjust the salt in the Bernaise sauce accordingly if you decide to use unsalted.

The recipe appears in this month's House Beautiful.

Perfect Poached Salmon With A Bernaise Sauce

For the Poached Salmon

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 pounds boneless, skinless salmon

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1½ cups white wine

2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into quarters

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Add 1 tablespoon of shallots to a 9" x 13" baking dish and spread them out evenly.

Season the salmon on each side with the salt and pepper, then place it in the baking dish. Spread the remaining shallots on top. Pour the white wine over the salmon and dot the fish with the butter. Lightly press a sheet of wax paper onto the top of the salmon.

Bake the salmon for 10 to 12 minutes, (notice in the video he says 13-15 mins.) until cooked through but still rare. Remove it from the oven, pour off and discard the liquid, and let the salmon cool. When cooled, cover the fish with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 3 hours or up to 3 days. Serve with the béarnaise sauce.

For the Béarnaise Sauce

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients

¼ cup white wine

¼ cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon minced shallots

1½ teaspoons dried tarragon

⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

⅛ teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter

4 egg yolks

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 pinch ground white pepper

Directions

1. In a large, heavy saucepan over high heat, combine the white wine, vinegar, shallots, tarragon, black pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon salt and boil until the mixture is thick and sticky, like syrup. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Melt the butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan.

3. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the egg yolks, water, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and white pepper. Process until thick, about 2 minutes.

4. When the butter has melted and is bubbling, pour it slowly into the food processor, with the processor running, until an emulsion forms.

5. Remove the sauce to a warm bowl, stir in the tarragon mixture, and serve immediately.

Top photo House Beautiful
other Lindaraxa

The Weekend Hostess...A Guide To Survival

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This post has been adapted from one originally published on my blog My Kitchen By The Lake on May 26, 2011.  

  

So here we are, finally, the first long weekend of the Summer season and the beginning of my summer job as head chef/housekeeper at the lake house. You think I'm kidding?  All of a sudden all your long lost friends and relatives remember there's a house on a lake, with full maid service, and a great chef.  All for free!  Just call and make a reservation...everyone is always welcomed...including dogs!

Whilst I love to entertain and have people over, my life now turns upside down and my weekends are my workdays.  The towels and bed sheets are the worst part, so this year I put my foot down and regulars get to make their own beds and leave the sheets in the laundry room when they leave.  Only first timers and "special" guests get the full treatment. It's called "tough love"!

The bathrooms are stocked with all kinds of goodies, including sun tan lotions and shampoo, but each guest gets ONE beach towel which they must guard with their life. The food is something else.  For this it pays to be organized and from years of entertaining at various places, I have developed a method that is easy for me.  Light breakfasts, light lunches, and great dinners.

Breakfast

We are not big breakfast people.  Once in awhile, we will have brunch on Sundays, particularly in Fall and Winter; but when you come to a lake, the main idea is to go boating or swimming and who wants to do that on a full stomach?

Breakfasts here consist of fresh fruit, orange juice, (great) coffee and English muffins or toast.  Homemade strawberry or peach preserves are a staple of the breakfast table, with cereal and granola also on hand. I usually leave a bowl of cut up cantaloupe and  blueberries or strawberries in the fridge the night before and when guests wake up they serve themselves.   Sometimes I make a coffee cake in advance, freeze it and serve it for breakfast or tea.

Lunch

Lunch is a make your own sandwich event if we are swimming around the dock;  but if we are going on the boat, everyone helps put a picnic together.  Have fresh tomatoes, olives, lettuce, bean sprouts, mayo, different mustards, you get the idea. Make it special by having artisanal breads and interesting cheeses and chutneys.  It is sometimes less expensive to roast a chicken or turkey breast during the week, have it for dinner, and slice the leftovers for sandwiches or salads.  Chicken salad sandwiches are a good alternative and are easy to make.

An antipasto tray of salamis, cheese, olives, and baguette also make a nice alternative for lunch.

Meatloaf sliders anyone? Another make ahead idea that everyone loves.Serve the meatloaf slices cold with mustard, mayonnaise and horseradish.  Sweet pickles or cornichons are a must and the cucumbers in sour cream go well.  Don't forget some cool potato chips!

Make a pound cake during the week and serve it for lunch or a mid afternoon snack.

Dinner 

Dinner is the highlight of the day and here I usually go all out.   Ribs, Shish Kebabs, chops, casseroles, and pies are at the top of the list.  I make it easy on myself by grilling the meat and making a vegetable or potato casserole.  If fresh corn or tomatoes are available at the farmers market, they go to the top of my list.  For dessert I make crumbles or cobblers with whatever fruit is in season or serve home made ice cream with fresh fruit. Other times I cheat and buy a pie at the nearest Fresh Market and add homemade whipped cream to make it special.

If you have guests arriving Friday night, don't plan to cook on the grill that night.  Instead make something that can be easily warmed up for those who arrive late.  My individual Mac And Cheese recipe from Harry's Bar in Venice is an old standby and a favorite of friends and family including little children.

One of the reasons everyone loves to come here is the food so I try not to disappoint by having special things that I can make ahead and freeze.  Like I mentioned before, a coffee cake goes a long way and brownies or butterscotch bars can be made ahead and served with ice cream for dessert or wrapped for a picnic.  I also prepare Beer Cheese, Pimento Cheese Spread or a  Goat Cheese Log the day before to accompany cocktails.  Chorizos and special sausages that can be thrown on the grill and served with a special mustard are always on demand!

While menus are simple,  try to buy the best ingredients you can find to make the meals special. Don't try to have three complicated menus a day.   Keep it simple, make some things ahead, like appetizers and desserts, and let everyone help you.  It's a long summer, and this is just the beginning!

If you like dogs, you might like:

Memorial Day With The Family...The Little Westie That Could

And here she is a year later....

All photos except the last one are from my Pinterest Board Summer Weekends where credits can be found

How To Give A Successful Dinner Party...The Guest List

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One of the most important considerations in planning a dinner party is putting together a list of those who will attend. This is not a haphazard exercise.   It is one that merits a lot of thought and consideration;  for in its outcome lies the success or failure of a memorable evening.

As a host or hostess, it is your responsibility to provide a beautiful setting where good food, good drinks and excellent service are enjoyed by all.  The rest and most important part of the evening  is a shared responsibility between the host or hostess and the guests.   You can have the best chef in the world and serve the most delightful Bordeaux from your cellar but if a good time is not had by all, there goes a very expensive dinner party .

Whether your dinner party consist of eight people or twenty the same rules apply, although in the case of a small group, the guest list is crucial.

I believe that a good mix is the secret to a fun evening.  But be careful how you mix.  Whether the different personalities come from age, culture or social standing,  make sure a common thread runs through the mix, such as a shared interest or hobby.  This levels the playing field and makes everyone more at ease with each other and facilitates breaking the ice amongst strangers.

 

On the other hand, at a dinner party of equals where you have to mix an array of people you simply owe a social invitation to, a balance of personalities is crucial.  When it comes to guests, I have learned, there are the givers and the takers.

The givers come in and immediately take to their responsibilities...being good guests.  They have been trained from birth on how to behave in social circumstances.  Most of them are simply born with this gene.  Others have been trained at home, something extremely rare and lacking these days.  They are usually alpha males or females. They go out of their way to meet and shake everyone's hand and make sure everyone is having a good time.  If they see someone with an empty drink, they offer to fill it.  If the hostess is hassled, they offer to help at the bar or in the kitchen.  If someone is standing alone in a corner, they rush over to talk to them. If there is a momentary lull in the conversation, they feel obligated to fill it, even if they put their foot in their mouth. They are a pleasure to have around and are always sought out by hostesses in the know.

Then there are the takers.  They are awfully nice people too, but they are there to be fed and entertained.  They stand with their drinks in a corner like a potted plant and never move an inch until dinner time.  They speak only when engaged in conversation by others or if no one is around,  by their partner, thus taking another guest out of the loop.  They are usually there because their spouse or date is a giver or a good friend of the host or hostess. These people are labeled as shy, although in my book they are really socially inept.  All of us are shy when we first walk into a room full of strangers.  Some of us just know how to take a deep breath and dive in. Hopefully you won't have more than one of these guests at your dinner party or the evening will be an enormous flop.

In a dinner party for eight, where most of the guests will be in close proximity most of the night, make sure you have at least one fun and outgoing couple to help keep the party and the conversation going.  If you are having a new couple who are strangers to the rest of the guests, make sure they at least know one other person or have something in common with the group.  Take the time to introduce them around and leave them with someone you know will take care of them for the first half hour or so.  When it comes to table settings, this is the only time I will seat a couple in the same table and across from each other.  It gives them that extra oomph and security to be more social in a group of strangers.

I have a great friend who is a master in the art of mixing guests.  He is  the product of a prominent Cuban family and an American education, has lived in New York City and presently shuttles between an apartment in Paris and South Beach, was and is a prominent antiquaire,  travels all over Europe with the Georgian Group and has friends from all over the world.  His parties are a pleasure to attend.  Your dinner partner may be the head of Armani Europe or a prominent Spanish author or playwright...he may even be an old friend from college or childhood;  but,  I guarantee, he won't be boring. His dinner parties are an extension of a fantastic life and of a giving and delightful personality.  I have learned much from this friend when it comes to the art of the mix.

This last anecdote doesn't mean that you can only have a successful dinner party if you invite prominent guests.  It is simply to illustrate that a wide array of nationalities and personalities can be brought together under one roof and at the same table and a wonderful evening will be had by all.

In my previous life as a hostess, both at home and in the corporate world, I have had to entertain friends and clients from all over the world in a wide array of circumstances.  These are some of the things I have learned, sometimes the hard way, and I hope they will be of use to you when you plan your guest list for a future dinner party.

The Crashers...Wouldn't you love to have them at your next dinner party?

Tell me, is there a particular way in which you put together your guest list?




All images Google/Life Magazine
Images #2 - 6 Dinner Party at the Cuban Embassy, Washington DC 1947
Image # 1 Valentina the fashion designer
Image #3 Marjory Merriweather Post Davis, wife of Ambassador Davis

Papaya Berry Yogurt Parfaits

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Is there a more elegant, healthier or simpler way to start your day?

Ingredients

Serves 6

3 containers (5.3 ounces each) plain nonfat Greek yogurt

5 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice

1 piece fresh ginger (about 2 inches)

1 papaya (1 pound), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 package (6 ounces) fresh blackberries

1 package (6 ounces) fresh raspberries

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus sprigs for garnish

1/2 cup granola


Directions


1.In a small bowl combine yogurt, 3 tablespoons honey, and zest; set aside.

2.Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the ginger (no need to peel) into a small bowl. Squeeze ginger through a fine-meshed sieve or strainer placed over a medium bowl to get a total of 1 tablespoon ginger juice. Discard pulp. To the bowl with the juice, add remaining 2 tablespoons honey and lemon juice; whisk to combine. Add papaya, blackberries, and raspberries and toss gently to coat.

3.To serve: Spoon half the fruit and juices among six 8-ounce tall glasses. Sprinkle chopped mint over the fruit. Top with half the yogurt mixture and half the granola. Layer with the remaining fruit, yogurt, and granola. Garnish with mint sprigs.

.

Source: Martha Stewart.com

Baked French Toast...An Easy Solution When Serving a Crowd!

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Hot and sweet, baked to a golden crisp, and dripping with syrup, you’ll find not a single thing  missing.  A great idea when serving a crowd!


Ingredients

1 (13- to 14-inch-long) loaf of soft-crust supermarket Italian bread

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 2/3 cups whole milk

3 tablespoons sugar

Accompaniment: pure maple syrup


Preparation

Cut 12 (1-inch-thick) diagonal slices from bread, reserving ends for another use.

Generously butter 1 side of each slice and arrange slices, buttered sides up, in 1 layer in a buttered 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit if necessary.

Whisk together eggs, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined well, then pour evenly over bread. Chill, covered, until bread has absorbed all of custard, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, depending on bread.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Bring mixture to room temperature and sprinkle bread with sugar.

Bake, uncovered, in middle of oven until bread is puffed and top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: If you missed it, check out the recent recipe posted on the Williams Sonoma site for savory pancakes.



Source:  Epicurious

Sunday Dinner in New York For Reggie Darling, Part I

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A few months back, I came upon a very interesting new blog named ReggieDarling.  Right from the beginning, I knew the person behind it was right up my alley.  He was witty, charming, well educated, a discerning collector, a beautiful writer and above all a gentleman, that rare species one only finds today in those of a certain age .  We became virtual friends when I started to comment on his blog and that friendship became a real one this past weekend when I visited New York and Reggie Darling took Lindaraxa to one of her favorite restaurants, La Grenouille.  Now, it takes a very generous and trusting soul to entertain a virtual stranger at such a temple of haut cuisine.  But that is the kind of guy he is.  We had a marvelous dinner, with an equally delightful Bordeaux and the added pleasure of meeting Boy Fenwick, Reggie Darling's partner in life and on the blog.




La Grenouille

 La Grenouille hasn't changed much... and that is a good thing.  The beautiful flowers are still there, together with the marvelous food and impeccable service.  It is one of the few Old Guard restaurants in New York City where it is still hard to get a table.  The night we were there, a Thursday, it was packed full.  The Magret de Caneton aux Agrumes, Pruneaux et Navets (Braised Duck Breast with Citrus and Turnips) was to die for as well as the little Canadian oysters for a first course.  Needless to say, we all had souffles for dessert.

The beautiful flowers of La Grenouille

Usually a dinner like this just ends there.  We meet, have a great chat, assert that the other is "for real" and get back to our blogs.  But the next morning when I woke up I felt that I wanted to do my part and reciprocate such a nice gesture.  Not only that, but  I really wanted to do something nice for this man.   So why not entertain Reggie D chez nous for Sunday Dinner? 

Sunday night is the perfect time to entertain when you want to keep it simple.  I know that New Yorkers, who eat out on most nights, really appreciate a home cooked meal, one where they don't have to dress up and where they can enjoy good old fashioned comfort food.  So I rang my new friend, who immediately accepted, and the party was on!  A couple of friends from out of town were also in the city and they were invited to round up the group.

After ascertaining the guest list for allergies and "can't eat" or "don't like" , I settled on Marcella Hazan's Lasagna Bolognese,  a green salad and an Apple and Cranbery Crisp for dessert.  I usually wouldn't pair these two on a menu, but the apples at the store looked divine and after all, what could be easier?  You have to remember kitchens in New York are on the small side and my friend doesn't like to cook so the pantry and the gadgets are limited. 

So there you have it.  A home cooked meal for a New York guy who can eat anywhere he wants to...I think that's a match, don't you?

Making the lasagna, still in my nightgown!



 The appetizers were simple. I had brought some Red Pepper Jelly from my local farmer's market as a gift for my hostess to serve over cream cheese with crackers.  This is an old Southern appetizer which everyone seems to love and something you definitely would not find at a New York dinner party.  Pork Rilletes, which I adore, were purchased at Dean & DeLuca although, in my humble opinion, mine are much better.

Saturday was a shopping day and the time to make the ragu which takes at least 4 hours to cook.  Luckily, the Yankees were still in the playoffs so waiting while the sauce simmered away was no pain.  On Sunday the lasagna was assembled, the apple crisp ready to bake, the table set and the New York Times read cover to cover.  We even had time for a nice walk around the reservoir and a stab at the crossword puzzle.

A gift of local apples from the guests of honor

A nice evening was had by all and I was delighted to see everyone go for seconds, especially Reggie D.  By 11:00 o'clock every dish was put away and the hostesses were tucked in their respective beds.  Now, as Ina would say "How easy was that"?

I'm glad I have such nice friends in New York, some old, some new, but all great!  Thank you for a wonderful time.

(Stay tuned for Part II where the lasagna recipe will be posted.  It's much too long for one post.)

Apple Photo: B.Fenwick
top photo Country Living

Sformato di Melanzane...Eggplant Mold

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This recipe comes from a good friend who happens to eat well and entertain even better!  I recently posted on some of the small things that make an invitation from him a command performance and now I am going to share with you one of his recipes.  As it is with everything he does, it is simple and easy to make yet interesting and "fancy" enough to be part of a dinner or luncheon party.  The recipe comes from his mother and he has been serving it forever.  I recently had it at his home in Miami as part of an informal dinner buffet, in the heat of the summer, and served room temperature without a sauce.  Frankly, I can't remember what else he served I was so enchanted with this mousse.

If you want to serve it as a first course or for an elegant and simple lunch, the original recipe suggests you make extra bechamel sauce, pour it over it and top with a poached egg.  My type of lunch!

Printable Recipe
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 1/4 lbs eggplant, peeled and cut in small pieces

2 medium onion finely chopped

5 eggs, separated

Salt & Pepper

1 Cup of bechamel sauce*

Parmaggiano Reggiano (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. 

Cut the eggplant in small pieces and finely chop the onion.  Separately, saute the onions and the eggplant.  When both are done, combine them and with a fork, add the salt and pepper and  mash the pulp until it looks like a puree.  Let cool.

Separate the eggs.  Beat the egg yolks and add to the cool puree and then beat the egg whites to stiff peaks (like a meringue) and fold in to the mix.  Add the bechamel and combine.

Grease a 4 cup mold with butter and add the eggplant.  Cook at 275degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it come to room temperature.

Run a sharp knife around the edges and invert mold unto a platter.  Serve in wedges.

If you are serving topped with bechamel sauce and poached eggs, spoon about a large tbs of bechamel sauce now on each slice and top with the eggs.  If you are forfeiting the eggs, I suggest you pour the extra bechamel after the mold is inverted into a platter.

 Although he didn't mention it, I would sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese over the bechamel sauce before serving!

*make 2 cups if you are serving it topped with sauce

Amethyst Glass... Living Life And Entertaining the Way it Should Be

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My friend Reggie Darling and I share a love for amethyst glass, particularly some discontinued water goblets once made and sold by designer William Yeoward.  I, unfortunately,  do not own any, but my friend Reggie owns quite a few pieces, from casual and inexpensive to elegant and very, well, dear.  If you haven't checked out his blog, or his collection of amethyst glass, I strongly suggest you do.  You will have a lot of fun and will be entertained and educated to no end in all aspects of the good life.

Reggie and his partner spend their weekends in a wonderful place called Darlington Hall in upstate New York with their beloved pug, Pompey (pronounced Pompi with an accent on the POM).  He is named after the Roman general, not the volcano. Make sure you remember this before you greet him or he will be most insulted and you might not get past the front door!  I think if I died and went to heaven, I would definitely opt to spend it with these three.  They go shopping all the time for beautiful things, all of which I covet, and when in the city, frequent the most fabulous restaurants, galleries and fun spots New York has to offer.  It's fun to "go on vacation" with them and they seem to read every book I have read or would ever want to read.  What more could you ask for.  Oh yes, they wear Belgian shoes!

The morning after at Darlington Hall

Their main competition for my company in the afterlife is that of my bestest friends in the whole wide world, my dearest friends Andrew and Juan and their pug Tosca.  These three live in a magnificient apartment in the Left Bank in Paris, spend their winters in their home in Miami Beach and have the most interesting collection of  friends any one could ever imagine.   I have never been seated at their dinner table next to anyone you would classify as a bore. They are not only hosts par excellence,  they have impeccable taste as well.  Oh yes, and they travel to fabulous places, wear Belgian shoes and read all the books Reggie and I like to read!

A casual dinner in Miami Beach

Their parties from casual and intimate to grand and opulent  are always the stuff of dreams.  Great fun, great food, beautiful tables, great conversation and terrific hosts. When Juan turned 60,  he celebrated his birthday in a beautiful private palazzo in the Grand Canal in Venice.   Friends from all over the world arrived by gondola in masks and formal dress to be greeted by the sounds of a popular Latin orchestra  flown in from Miami,  a gift from the host to himself.  Nothing was left to chance, everything was planned a year in advance from the Fortuny tablecloths to the color of the jackets worn by the service staff to the delightful Venetian menu.  The palazzo was bathed in candlelight and the party went well into the wee hours of the morning. I think it's the only time in my life I've gone to bed as the sun was rising.  It was what dreams are made of and definitely the event of any lifetime.

Lindaraxa and friend arriving at the party in Venice*

These four have to meet someday for they have much in common and a gift for entertaining that not many  seem to grasp.  Granted, in their case, they have the means to do so, but you would be surprised at how many people have the means and no idea where to start.  When they throw a dinner party, no matter how casual or informal, a lot of thought goes into everything, from the guests list to the table setting, to the wine and the food.  That is what makes a party special. 

But I digress.  A few weeks ago,  I saw this video by Colin Cowie, author of Chic, Living Life the Way It Should Be, and immediately thought of these four friends and the way they entertain. I also thought of Reggie D and all his amethyst glass!  Watch the video and you will see how a table setting is created and modified with only a few inexpensive pieces.  The pieces or the color might not be your cup of tea (it isnt mine) but you will see that  you don't need to spend a lot of money to create a beautiful table.  I am sure that there are plenty of things around your home that can be pulled together to make an interesting center piece. It doesn't always have to be flowers... beautiful porcelain is always a nice alternative.

Both of the tables above were created on the spur of the moment with things the hosts pulled together at the last minute.  Reggie wrote a nice post on this awhile back and I suggest you check it out.

 I couldn't embed the video so you will just have to click on the link.

 http://www.colincowie.com/video?v=keep-your-dinner-table-simple

*this photo reminds me of The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone! My young escort is the son of dear friends...promise!

The Kluge Picnic Hamper And Others For the Rest Of Us

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Yesterday as I was researching this post,  I noticed Emily Evans Eerdman had just come out with a post on Christy's auction of the contents of Albemarle House, Patricia Kluge's estate in Virginia.  As I looked into it some more, I realized that after the Kluge divorce, John Kluge remarried and built another house nearby, Molvern, whose contents had been auctioned, also by Christy's, in 2005.  This incredible picnic hamper which had caught my attention and was to be the piece de resistance of this post, was part of that auction.  To read more, click article from the NYT which appeared in December 2005.

Commissioned in the 1980's by the Kluges from the London firm of Asprey, jewellers and silversmith to the British Royal Family, this picnic hamper is undoubtedly  the pinnacle of sophistication. Containing a full service of just about everything imaginable for a party of sixteen, the hamper can be towed to the perfect picnic location by hooking it to the back of a tractor. The wicker trailer holds about 15 wicker cases, each fitted with brass handles and leather straps, with battery-powered hot and cold boxes and a water pump, cases for Bernardaud Limoges china, Baccarat crystal, Asprey silver cutlery, a staghorn bar service, two folding mahogany tables and 16 chairs, each with the monogram "K." The set was estimated at $20,000 to $30,000 and sold for a whopping $144,000.

Although day-trippers have used wicker carryalls since the 1700s, the true picnic basket was born in 1901, when British luxury-goods retailers like Asprey started stocking hampers filled with tableware for motorists to enjoy on country drives. While modern options start at about $80, this four-person set from 1908 — made by travel outfitter G.W. Scott & Sons, and complete with copper kettle and burner — recently sold at auction for $3,500.

If you can forget for a minute the Kluge picnic hamper and concentrate on reality, here are some pretty and practical hampers.  I know its hard, just try...

Faux-leather trim and a plaid lining give Sutherland Baskets' two-setting case western flavor. ($54.99; picnicbaskets.com)

Optima fills its handmade cases with vintage china, glassware, and embroidered linens for two. ($350; picnicfun.com)

The Bargain Picnic Basket

Simple mugs say brunch; a corkscrew means this set can handle cocktail hour for four, too. ($43.99; picnicbeyond.com)

There's always the metro picnic basket which you can initial to add a touch of chic!

For more on picnics and getting organized click here