Happy Hosting 2010 Greatest Hits

At Least Bring the Doorman a Piece of Nutella Pound Cake

I hope you aren’t reading this while sitting on the tarmac for eight hours, lying on a cot at JFK or snowed in with Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall at the Mohonk Mountain House. Mother Nature is very busy reminding all the coasts who’s the boss. What a way to end the year, no? But before we ring in 2011 I wanted to do a little etiquette refresher for the final events of 2010.

I'm Just A Girl Who Can't Say No Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies

Now, unless you were raised by wolves, you know the rules of being a good guest:

Never Come Empty Handed
Play Nicely with Others
Thank the Host

It's the rules of being a good host I feel we need to review. Hosting is work. You have a job. And no, that job is not simply to fill your home with food and drink and open the door when someone knocks. I’m a little up in arms about this topic because of a story I heard recently that I found unacceptable. A friend of mine reconnected with a woman with whom she’d attended college. They hadn’t been super close but were certainly more than acquaintances. They now live a few miles from each other, are married to interesting guys and have children of similar age. They’d had a few play dates, the kids got along well and when the holidays approached my friend received an invitation to an open house at her college pal’s. So, she gathers her kids and her husband and drives the 10 minutes to the party where they are greeted at the door by the hostess with, “I can’t believe you came.” And not in a, “I’m so happy to see you!” way but more like a, “You came. Huh.”

Staying Put Salted Caramel Cookie Squares

First of all, why was she surprised? She was the one who sent the Evite, had entertained them before and lives only a few towns away. What was the big deal? Now I can’t imagine she wanted to come across as unenthusiastic. Maybe she was impressed with my friend’s ability to get her brood together, or wrestle her daughters into their dresses. But regardless her welcome was decidedly un. And unfortunately the rest of the party didn’t go much better. Hostess disappeared soon after and my friend and her husband were left to introduce themselves to 50 strangers all of whom seemed to know each other. This is an example of a host not doing her job. She should have greeted them warmly, ushered them inside, told them where to put their coats and then made a point of introducing them to one or two people who also enjoy, I don’t know, hiking or have kids who prefer Tofu Pups to hot dogs or spend summers on the Cape. You don’t just set people adrift into a sea of strangers.

Save Me a Piece of Ina's Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake

This story dovetails perfectly with one I heard from another friend last summer. She and her husband were new residents of a beach community when they were invited to a big July 4th outdoor shindig at the mega-house of a woman they knew peripherally who’d lived in the community for years with her family. This time the guests had to seek out the hostess in the enormous crowd who turned to them and said, “Hi. So glad you could make it!” Okay, she gets credit for being friendly but then she just directed them to the bar set-up at the other end of the lawn and that was the last they saw of her. What is wrong with this picture? Almost everything. They stayed for awhile, introduced themselves to a few people and left before even figuring out who the husband of the hostess was.

Please Stop Talking Foodie Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Clearly we have a problem here. What happened to the art of hosting? To making everyone feel welcome, at home and part of a whole? I don’t know but it needs to stop. If you don’t have the energy to take on the job don’t give a party. Or make your guest list shorter so you have the time to get the social gears turning. Frankly I think most people can handle sliding a foil tray of spanakopita into a toaster oven. They might even prefer to eat it on their own couch in sweat pants talking to their favorite person rather than gussying up to trudge in the snow carrying a bottle of wine to a party where their presence won’t be appreciated.

Get Me Out of the 80's Blondies

Okay, I’m done lecturing but I hope a few hosts have been reminded of their duties. And I suspect I won’t be invited to any of their soirees anytime soon. Oh well. I’d better buy myself some baby quiches the next time I go to Costco. Meanwhile, if you are giving a New Year’s Eve or Day party the above photos are some greatest hits from 2010 to arrange on your buffet table, just click on the yellow links for the recipes. Happy New Year! And Happy Hosting!

Heating Up the Holidays Gingerbread Cake

I'm in some weird seasonal denial. Winter is fully upon us and yet I'm surprised every day that it's cold. Maybe it's because we went from balmier temps to freezing so quickly but still, you'd think I would have accepted that it is the end of December and I'd better contain my puffy coat rage. I hate my coat. I don't want to look at it for another minute but too bad, I've got three more months before we're divorcing for good. Or at least until next November when the intervening warmer months soften my mood to the point where when I put on the coat I feel warm and cozy, not imprisoned and resentful.
I think the problem is that I've been really busy and, as always, not living in the moment, so that all of a sudden I looked up and it was dark and freezing and the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was glowing. It all happened so fast, no? Chanukah felt like it came the day after Thanksgiving (funny how two family focused holidays back-to-back feel like a month long reunion) and by the time I found my menorah it was too late. (Oh, it was in the freezer where I left it last year in an attempt to chill the wax drippings enough to break them off. Oops.) Then school was out, the nieces had time to kill and now it's Christmas and next week is New Year's and where did all the time go?
Then there's my crankiness that not only do I have a cold, red nose but there isn't any end in sight. Unlike those lucky few headed for some tropical climes I'm staying put. Then again, I suppose I should be grateful that I'm not traveling given the general unpleasantness of air travel or what happened to all those poor souls trying to make their way to Europe during a freak blizzard.
Enough kvetching. I'm clothed, housed and there's food in my kitchen so I should just shut up and embrace the season. One thing I've definitely been missing is my favorite holiday smell, ginger. There is nothing like baking with all the hot spices to put you in the spirit and for some reason I never got around to making gingerbread cookies this year. In general I avoid any baking task that involves rolling and cutting if only because there is all that chilling and waiting before you get to eat your treat, it tries my patience. Thankfully my crabby mood was lifted when I saw a recipe for gingerbread cake in this month's Cook's Illustrated.
I need to go on record and say you must add a subscription to your Christmas list right now. What I love about Cook's Illustrated is how insanely anal they are. Each article goes through every minute detail explaining how they arrived at what amounts to the perfect recipe. The chemistry, the testing, the multiple attempts, the failures and the triumphs. Being a part of their journey (but not having to suffer through it) gives the reader the feeling that she is truly being taken care of. You can put your faith into the hands of these buttoned-up Yankees knowing that they will not let you down. And the readers are very fastidious too; each month they send in tips on how to handle every day kitchen frustrations. Here's one from the current issue. "Sheila of Block Island, RI has found a smart way to grease cake pans. Save empty butter wrappers in a zipper-lock bag in the freezer. Whenever a recipe calls for a greased pan, pull out one wrapper and wipe it on the pan's surface. Each wrapper usually has just enough butter clinging to it to grease a pan." Can you imagine 1) coming up with that idea and 2) sharing your genius with a magazine? Brava Sheila. Although I don't see myself remembering to save my butter wrappers I applaud anyone who does.
This cake is everything the magazine said it would be, deeply flavorful and perfectly hot, not a wimpy spice cake but truly a ginger celebration. You can serve it like a casual snack cake, cutting it into squares in the pan, or turn it out onto a pretty plate, maybe dress it up with a light dusting of powdered sugar or, my favorite, serve it with caramel ice cream. I'm not sure when I first had that combo but it was life changing, such a great contrast in textures, temperatures and flavors. Whichever way you go the spicy warmth will thaw the chilliest of Scroogey souls. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Heating Up the Holidays Gingerbread Cake
From Cook's Illustrated, January 2011
Printer Friendly Version
Ingredients
3/4 cup Guinness stout
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup mild molasses
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pan
2 tablespoons ground ginger (if you want to calm down the heat use only 1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

Ice cream or whipped cream for serving

Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 8-inch square baking pan.
Bring stout to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda (mixture will foam vigorously).
When foaming subsides, stir in molasses, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until dissolved; set mixture aside.
Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pepper together in large bowl; set aside.
Transfer stout mixture to large bowl. Whisk in eggs, oil, and grated ginger until combined.
Whisk wet mixture into flour mixture in thirds, stirring vigorously until completely smooth after each addition.
Transfer batter to prepared pan and gently tap pan against counter 3 or 4 times to dislodge any large air bubbles.
Bake until top of cake is just firm to touch and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.
Cool cake in pan on wire rack, about 11/2 hours. Either turn out cake onto serving platter or cut into squares in pan.
Serve warm or at room temperature with caramel, vanilla or coffee ice cream or whipped cream.
NOTES from Cook's Illustrated: Avoid opening the oven door until the minimum baking time has elapsed. If your cake pan has thin walls, you might want to wrap it with premade cake strips or make your own from cheesecloth and foil. This extra insulation will help ensure that the edges of the cake don't overbake.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Beyond Easy Minty White Chocolate Dipped Wafers

On one of the final episodes of Top Chef Just Desserts Judge Johnny Iuzzini, bad-boy but really nice-guy pastry chef, sneered as one of the contestants presented him with a petit four. Johnny dismissed it and proclaimed it tasted like something found on a cruise ship. Apparently that was a bad thing.
I’ve never been on a cruise but should I ever embark on the high seas and they offer petit fours at the all-you-can-eat buffet, you can be sure I will eat many. Those perfect one-bite cake experiences combine so many of my favorite flavors, marzipan, apricot jam and fondant icing. Sometimes they’re a little cloying, but usually they’re moist and delicate. Unfortunately, I’m learning that a lot of people object to marzipan, so unless I want to eat an entire batch myself (which wouldn’t be so terrible) I won’t be making petit fours anytime soon.
As a kid, whenever the food-focused Christmas catalogs arrived, I’d grab them from the mail pile to flip through and fantasize over. Harry & David, Hickory Farms,The Swiss Colony. Oh why didn’t anyone surprise me with a nutty cheese ball or the Tower of Treats? My grandparents used to send grapefruits from Florida, once in a while including the coconut patties that were the pricier option, but that was so lame compared to the cakes and cookies and candy assortments these mail order companies splashed across their glossy pages. The Swiss Colony was always my favorite. They sold boxes of petit fours that looked so pretty in their crinkly paper holders. The fact that they were mass produced and probably had some freezer burn was lost on me. I wanted them. I never got them.
Years later I did enjoy a few months of the fruit club, a lovely gift that pays no mind to eating locally or minimizing your carbon fruit print. It’s so funny because even when you know you’re part of the club that gets a monthly fruit gift, each arrival comes as a surprise. Of course a dozen pears aren’t as exciting as a monthly delivery of say, cake, but they’re better than nothing.
These days the catalogs that crowd my mail box are from tonier establishments, Chelsea Market Baskets, Eli's, and of course Williams-Sonoma. And I still thumb through them picking out the gift no one will give me. But then again, why would anyone send me anything sweet when they know I bake all the time? That’s one of the perils of doing certain things yourself; people think you wouldn’t have it any other way. And the fact is, when I looked at many of the selections in the most recent Williams-Sonoma catalog, I thought, “Hey, I can do that.”
There was one item in the catalog that I would never go to the trouble of making myself, the Authentic Croissants from Jean-Yves Charon (a French-born chef who seems to do a lot of “handcrafting” in Northern California). He prepares them in the traditional French style, “Laboriously folding and cutting the puff pastry by hand.” See the word “laboriously?” I’ve made puff pastry "by hand" and it’s not so much fun. First of all, it’s loud; you have to repeatedly whack the pound of butter with a rolling pin when it’s ice cold. Second, you actually have to face how much butter goes into a croissant (oh my!) And third, you have to keep folding and rolling and folding and rolling when what you really want to be doing is sinking your teeth into a hot croissant right now. ‘Tis the season to keep it simple.

This week before Christmas is really stressful no matter what you celebrate. There is the sense that there’s tons to accomplish before the big day. Tackling complicated projects isn’t on anyone’s Christmas list. However, because there are still parties to go to and treats to bring, I thought I’d offer up a quickie sweet, a sort of riff on WM's Peppermint Bark Cookies, that captures the spirit of the season and looks so festive, whether on a plate at your house or individually wrapped in little clear bags to bring to another. I’m a little embarrassed that they call for a box of Nabisco Famous Wafers, but they do. Feel free to make your own chocolate cookie if you have the time. I didn’t feel like it plus I think these old-standbys are great.
And if you’re having trouble picking out a gift for me this year, here are some helpful hints: pages 22 or 36 of the Williams-Sonoma Christmas catalog. Just kidding. Sort of.

Beyond Easy Minty White Chocolate Dipped Wafers
Printer Friendly Version
Ingredients
12 ounces white chocolate, chopped into 1" pieces (do not use chips, I used Ghiradelli's White Chocolate Baking Bars)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 box Famous Chocolate Wafers (or 40 plain chocolate cookies)
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy (5-6 broken candy canes smashed with a hammer)

Directions
Line two baking sheets with wax paper and set aside
Melt the chocolate using a double boiler or a bowl set over a pot of simmering water. (Note: you just want about 2 inches of water and you don't want the bottom of the bowl touching the water.)
Stir peppermint extract into melted white chocolate
Dunk cookies, one at a time, into melted chocolate so that chocolate comes about 1/3 of the way up both sides of the cookie. Shake of excess and place carefully on wax paper.
Sprinkle white chocolate with peppermint candy
Place cookie sheets in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (or pop in freezer for less) so white chocolate is set and firm to touch.

NOTE: These cookies are best stored in a container in the refrigerator, layered between pieces of wax paper.
Yield: 40 minty dipped cookies.