Mise en Place: Mother's Day Dinner Party

Mom is a very special woman. You know it, we know it, and on Mother's Day it's time to show it. Though she would likely be satisfied with mud pies, we've gone slightly more elegant with this beautiful yet simple dinner menu. This way she can relax with a glass of wine while you get supper on the table - and you can spoil her for a change. (We've included notes for the wines below, too.)

A cacophony of Spring dishes is the way to win any Mom's heart. With vivid colors, bright flavors, and simple preparation, this menu is a sure winner.

Easter Dinner Menu

If you have family gathering 'round the table for an Easter feast, might we suggest taking full advantage of spring's bounty? The flavors and colors arriving to market right now offer a refreshing change to our dulled winter palates. This month's wine pairings were inspired by the new book from our friends Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, What to Drink with What You Eat.

Mise en Place: New Year's Eve Cocktail Party

We are of two minds when it comes to New Year's Eve: We either want to be dressed to the nines at a fabulous ballroom-esque gala, or gathered with friends in a casual setting at home. This year we're opting for the latter, so we've put together a menu perfect for a casually elegant night in. For further tips, we've crafted test kitchen dossiers on both Cocktails and Hors d'Oeuvres for this month, so take all the notes you need to. Don't forget that the rest of our Entertaining section has further tips on decor and the trimmings. Now get that celebration started, and say adieu to another year!


Culinary Media Network, Gilded Fork, food, food writing, entertaining, New Year's Eve, cocktail party

Cocktails: Secret Garden

Inspired by the Persian paradise, earthy elements of beech 'honeydew’ honey and rhum agricole frolic with sweet basil and lovely lemongrass in this elixir. The perfume of the Amazon's passion fruits and the purest spring of artisan water seduce lovers. Capture this heady moment with the "Secret Garden." (See Flavor Impressionist Damian Sim's inspiration for Secret Garden here.)


gilded fork, food, food writing, cocktails, Secret Garden, Damian Sim, Provocachic, entertaining

Mise en Place: Bastille Day Dinner Party

Vive la revolution! For those who are Francophiles, there is no better excuse to throw a dinner party than to celebrate the culture that brought us pommes frites, Champagne and crème brûlée. Gather your friends round the table for a toast to les français (Le Marseillaise performance optional).

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Mixology: Refreshing Summer Cocktails

These are perfect thirst quenchers for the holiday weekend, so get mixing!

gilded fork, entertaining, cocktails, Memorial Day

Mise en Place: Memorial Day Picnic

Pack up this lunch or light dinner and head to your favorite summer spot. Just don't tell us where you are, or we might join you!

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Mise en Place: Cinco de Mayo Celebration

Hello sunshine, and welcome to margarita time! In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with plenty of food, drink and dancing -- and though we do like to dance around the kitchen a bit, we'll leave that last part to you.

gilded fork, entertaining, dinner party, Cinco de Mayo

Mise en Place: Easter Dinner Menu

If you have family gathering 'round the table for an Easter feast, might we suggest taking full advantage of spring's bounty? The flavors and colors arriving to market right now offer a refreshing change to our dulled winter palates. This month's wine pairings were inspired by the new book from our friends Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, What to Drink with What You Eat.

gilded fork, entertaining, Easter, dinner menu

Mise en Place: St. Patrick's Day Dinner

While everyone might be Irish on St. Patrick's Day, we thought it might be fun just to be green. The verdant hues in this menu will make for a colorful meal that is simple to prepare and elegant to serve.

gilded fork, entertaining, dinner party, St. Patrick's Day

Chef's Table: Winter Celebration Meals

February has always been a month of extreme differences for me. It can be a long, cold, miserable month, despite being the shortest of the year; snowstorms, blustery winds and staying indoors for most of the month can give us cabin fever. However, it’s also a month for celebrations, at least for my family, since we have some birthdays this month (including my own), and of course that of The Gilded Fork!

While I was in college, I discovered a long-standing tradition on campus called “Feb Club,” in which there was a huge party every night of the month, in a different location on campus each time. This seemed to be the only way to endure the misery of the coldest month in Connecticut. It was also long before I had much culinary sophistication, and the available libation choices usually came out of a tube attached to a metal canister.

Now that I do celebrations for a living, I’ve learned quite a bit more about how to have a good time in the cold winter months – in a way that celebrates gustatory pleasures and doesn’t end in a wicked 28-day hangover! (read more)

gilded fork, food, food writing, winter meals

Mise en Place: Birthday Celebration Dinner

It's once again time to celebrate our birthday, and that includes a bit of bubbly not only in our glasses, but also in the veggies and dessert. (Look, if there isn't Champagne involved, it just isn't a party.) Happy 2nd birthday to us!

Menu:

Apple & Turnip Soup with Nutmeg Cheddar Breadsticks
Gorgonzola Stuffed Steak with Prosciutto
Champagne Glazed Cauliflower
Champagne Flan

(See the full menu, recipes and wine pairings here)


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Mise en Place: Mardi Gras Dinner Party

Some call it Fat Tuesday, others Carnivale, but no city quite captures the essence of Mardi Gras like New Orleans. This month's menu is spicy, rich and full of Nawlins flavor, so set a festive table, gather your friends and laissez les bon temps rouler!

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The Main Ingredient: Cocktails, Anyone?

Ah, the cocktail. It is the introduction to “happy hour,” the ice-breaker, the way to finish a long day and start a magnificent evening. Cocktails can be as simple as scotch on the rocks or as complex as one’s imagination will allow, so it is the one type of beverage that allows for utter creativity.

Some cocktails have fallen strictly under the umbrella of “girlie,” i.e. the Cosmopolitan, sweet martinis (chocolate et. al.) and fruit-laced concoctions, while others are very “masculine.” Think of the dry martini, gin and tonics or any kind of strong spirit. We tend to stay away from lines of gender demarcation and bring all varieties of cocktails together for our favorite type of gathering: the cocktail party. (read more)


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