Holiday Open House, just 4 days away!

You’d think that with the open house just 4 days away that I would be furiously baking and making the yummy foods that I plan to serve my guests.  Right now, I am just too busy getting the rest of my house ready with moving furniture and making holiday decorations.  In the middle of my brain,  food thoughts are jumping up and down begging to be acknowledged.

Maybe tomorrow.  Perhaps I’ll begin by baking the brownies, making the ganache, or better yet, getting the cranberry date bars ready.  Oh, yeah and the pecan pie bars.  I’ll wait until Friday to put together the Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast and the savory strata.  Up early on Saturday, I’ll make big pots of Potato, Sausage and Kale soup and Tuscan White Bean and Tomato Soup.

The line up for my annual open house is important on many levels.  Trying to bring clients into the celebration, but keeping things really simple too.  Make ahead menu items are imperative, but freshness trumps it all.   My friend Melanie and I wondered aloud today “Do we really need to sleep between now and Saturday? Nah!”

Stay tuned for recipes and continued lures for getting you (yeah, you) to stop by and partake in my yuletide extravaganza will be the order of business for the rest of the week.   

Oh, yeah, those cranberry date bars – the absolute best. 

Cranberry Date Bars

I’ll post the recipe tomorrow!  Tune in !

It ain’t over ’till it’s over… a story and an Apple Cake

Thanksgiving Day might be gone, but many people will still be cooking and eating their holiday meal for days yet.  While some are fighting the crowds at the malls, strip centers and big box stores, I am pondering roasting a turkey breast for sandwiches.

We had what I believe to be the BEST turkey EVER  last evening.  My brother Bob, who several years ago volunteered to roast the turkey for our revolving Thanksgiving venue, has definately mastered the process.  After apologizing for only brining the turkey for a short while, he served up the most moist, most delicious bird I have sampled in all my days!

The meal was sublime.  Was everything really perfect, or was it the peaceful and calm nature of the day?  I’ll stay right there, in that perfect spot. 

The day began with my daughter Lauren baking a coffee cake and Tony cooking up some cajun style sausages from Fiedler’s Family Farms.  We walked Brie while the coffee cake cooled and Logan was at the gym.  Back home, huge slices of the warm Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Toasted Pecan Filling (Fine Cooking’s Sweet Cakes magazine) and cold milk with hot sausages made our simple brunch complete.

After the first round of dishes, Lauren and I began making stuffing.  Logan decided to put together a batch of macaroni and cheese (which we decided would replace the sweet potatoes) creamy with 5 different cheeses and a whole  diced jalapeno pepper.  Topped with ritz cracker crumbs, it looked great!  Logan also helped me with my experimental Chocolate Caramel Pecan cheesecake.  Wow, everyone was getting into the act today!

The table had already been set, thanks to the TV crew’s focus on Wednesday, the cranberry relish made several days ago, the yeast rolls doing a cool rise since late last week.  (I keep telling my students how flexible yeast breads are.)  Things were coming together with a minimal amount of effort and stress.  Tony caught up the dishes and prepped the broccoli for steaming while I got cleaned up.  Mom arrived with a pumpkin pie, and we settled down to a glass of wine.

Bob carried in two containers of already sliced, perfectly warm and delectably juicy bird.  With the side dishes coming from the oven to the buffet area, I had nothing left to do but to stir the container of jus that Bob brought into my pan of gravy. 

Everything came together beautifully.  Some may think this is always the way dinner comes together at the Wheatley household, but rarely is  an important meal like Thanksgiving Day pulled off with so little worry and angst.  It really is about planning, scheduling and a great support system.  And sometimes, it helps to have a bit of perfect planetary alignment too.

And now, for the Apple Cake.  Several people have requested this recipe, and this is a great time to offer it.  Easy to make, seasonal and versatile, too!  This Apple Cake recipe was found in the Courier Journal over 20 years ago.  I have altered only slightly (cut the oil back and substituted some apple sauce for the volume of moisture), it has mass appeal.  Delicious enough for a dessert, I especially like it with coffee in the morning or a snack. 

If you are still in need for something to take to your next Thanksgiving Day celebration (some of us have several dinners over the weekend food orgy), this would be a welcome addition to the usual list of pies and cookies.

Apple Walnut Cake

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3 eggs

3/4 cup oil

3/4 cup applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups chopped apples (I don’t even peel these)

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease and flour a 10″ tube pan.

Mix together the sugar, flour, soda, salt and cinnamon.  Whisk together the eggs, oil, vanilla and applesauce.  Combine the dry and the wet ingredients, then stir in the apples and walnuts.  This batter will be very thick.  Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for about an hour. 

I usually use an instant read thermometer to check the doneness of this cake, as I have been fooled numerous times by its crisp crust.  Insert the thermometer into the center of the cake.  The temperature should register between 190 and 200 degrees.  Allow the cake to cool until you can easily handle the pan.  With a thin blade, loosen the edge of the cake from the pan, then pull the tube and cake out of the outside of the tube pan.  Loosen the cake from the bottom and pull out the tube.  Invert the cake onto a plate.  A sprinkle of powdered sugar is all the garnish that this cake needs.

Enjoy your day!

Family Favorite Side Dish

When we began discussing the menu for this Thanksgiving, I happened to mention Broccoli Casserole.  “You mean the one with the sour cream and cheddar cheese?”  Yep!  “I love that”.  Around here, it’s usually just steamed broccoli and maybe a bit of butter, but for the Big Day, they’ll be no substitutions!  Cheesy Broccoli Casserole it is!

No Campbell’s soups in this casserole, the simple layers melt together to form a rich and creamy, but natural foil for the still toothsome broccoli spears.  A quick bath in boiling water, then a plunge into a bowl of ice water blanches and shocks the broccoli until bright green and just tender.

Make this dish up to  it’s stint in the oven and you can keep it covered and refrigerated several hours or even overnight as one of those make ahead marvels that will help keep your T-Day dinner on schedule.  Slide the covered casserole into the oven for about 20 minutes, uncover to crisp the topping  and voila!  The perfect side dish!  If taking to a pot luck, be sure to ask ahead if your hostess has oven space to complete the browning process. 

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

2 large heads fresh broccoli, trimmed into small stalks or chopped

butter

1 cup sour cream

1 – 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

1 cup bread or cracker crumbs

2-4 Tbls grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Drop the broccoli stalks into the water and cook for 1-3 minutes or until bright green and barely tender (the broccoli will cook further in the oven).  Drain the broccoli and plunge into a large bowl of ice water.  Once completely cold, drain and pat dry.

Butter a 3 quart casserole dish and arrange the broccoli to fit.  Salt and pepper to taste and dot with about 1 Tbls of butter.  Spread the sour cream over the broccoli, then sprinkle with the shredded cheddar. 

Mix the crumbs, parmesan and about 2 Tbls of melted butter together and sprinkle over the casserole.  Cover with a lid or foil and bake at 375 degrees until bubbly (about 20 minutes).  Uncover and bake until brown, another 5-10 minutes.

Would you like to see this dish made and served?  Click on the feed below and see!

http://www.whas11.com/video/featured-videos/Quick-easy-holiday-side-dishes-from-chef-Mary-Wheatley-72320947.html

 Enjoy!

Good Gravy!

Tonight I had the pleasure of making 1/2 gallon of gravy for my husband’s office Thanksgiving dinner.  I got to practice last night in a Thanksgiving Sides and Seasonings class, so the process was fresh on my mind.  I don’t make gravy often.  Pan sauces sometimes, but gravy is a real indulgence around here. 

Too bad I was so full from my shared burger from the Napa River Grill – really good.  I have to say it is one of the best burgers in town. But too full to slurp up some gravy samples, I put the pan in the freezer to do a quick chill and we’ll move it to the crock pot for it’s transport to Franfort tomorrow.

It’s a good thing sometimes to block the early days of one’s learning to cook.  I suppose that I take gravy making for granted, but if I really puzzled on it, I could think back to some really lumpy, really bland batches of gravy.  So, it’s understandable that beginners would be a bit nervous about the upcoming big day.  Not to worry!  Good gravy is just a few minutes away.

I use two basic techniques for making gravy.  Roux based gravy begins (as you might imagine) with fat and flour.  The fat can be butter, oil, bacon fat or even rendered fat from the turkey (chill the juices reserved from roasting the bird, then remove the fat that accumulates on top of the liquid).  I usually just use butter.

The second method is to add a slurry of cornstarch and cold liquid to the pan juices, bring to a boil to completely thicken the gravy and cook away the pasty taste of the cornstarch, then season as desired.  I use this method most when thickening a gravy in a pot roast or adding a bit of texture to a soup or stir fry.  The roux method is my Turkey Day choice.

Before I give the 1-2-3 of the recipe, let’s talk about seasonings and stock.  I really like the look and the taste of fresh herbs in my gravy (and stuffing, and turkey…) and I am still harvesting fresh parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (hummm…) from my herb garden. If you aren’t that lucky, find a neighbor who grows herbs, or go to a local fruit market to get your little bundles of joy.  Since my tarragon is long gone from my garden, I will rely on dried.

For the liquid in the gravy, I like to use a combination of chicken stock base, pan drippings (minus the fat) and chicken or turkey stock.  My chicken stock base is Better than Boullion.  In a paste form, you can use as little or as much as you need to flavor your gravy.  BTB comes in a turkey variety too, but I use the chicken regularly, so I just go with that.  It keeps a long while in your refrigerator and takes up much less space than boxes or cans of broth.

So, here is my method for gravy.  It’s pretty straightforward.  You could even make it a day or so ahead of time, and re-heat it prior to serving.  Adding the skimmed pan dripping will really enhance the flavor.

Thanksgiving Day Gravy

4 Tbls unsalted butter

1/2 small onion, minced

2 ribs celery, minced

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup flour

2-3 oz dry white wine

1 quart chicken or turkey stock

Better than boullion (chicken or turkey flavor)

Fresh herbs, as desired ( I like parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme and tarragon)

A bit of additional liquid to adjust viscosity (pan drippings, cream or water)

Begin by melting the butter and sauteing the onion and celery until very soft.  Add the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the flour begins to brown a bit.  Don’t worry if the browning flour coats the pan, the liquid will deglaze the pan and the browned flour bits (fond) will flavor the gravy nicely.  Add the wine to the pan and allow the alcohol to burn off by simmering for 2 minutes or so. 

Add the bulk of the stock to the pan, stirring with a whisk to smooth out the sauce and help to get the fond incorporated into the mix.  Once the sauce is uniformly smooth, you’ll begin to make some decisions.  Taste the sauce and see what you think.  If the sauce is very bland, I would begin by adding a bit of BTB, maybe about 2 tsp.  You can alway add more.  Then, add some fresh herbs, stirring to incorporate.  Taste again.  Does the gravy need a bit of salt, pepper or even a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper?

Add the seasonings in small amounts, then decide whether you’d like the gravy to be thicker or thinner.  If it’s perfect, you’re done!  If you’d like a gravy on the thin side, you may choose to add some additional liquid or even the pan drippings.  If the gravy is too thin, simmer it for a bit to reduce the liquid level by evaporation.

If you have gotten a bit carried away with the seasonings, don’t despair!  Add a bit of cream or some additional broth and see if that helps. 

You might like to add the giblets from the turkey to the finished gravy.  Also, mushrooms would be good.  Add these when the celery and onions are nearly soft.

Enjoy!

 

Is your turkey retaining water?

Brining a turkey will help it retain moisture.  Brining is soaking the uncooked turkey in a solution of salt water or water infused with other flavorings.  I am going to give you my way of brining a turkey, which also works with chicken prior to its roasting or evening grilling.

Here’s the whole process.  Putting this down here will help you gather the ingredients this week, so the easy process will come together quickly for you next week. 

If you are using a frozen turkey, thaw it in the refrigerator for 3 days.  I usually sanitize the kitchen sink by scrubbing it with detergent and a scouring pad.  Rinse the turkey well under cold water, removing the packets in both cavities.  Of course if you are using a fresh turkey (great sources for fresh, local turkeys exist.  Check with your local farmers’ market), you won’t need to thaw it.  In Louisville, Earth’s Promise Farms can outfit you with a great local turkey.  You can reserve the giblets and neck for making stock or gravy.

Make a brine for the turkey by bringing 12 cups water, 3 cups kosher salt,      1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup black pepper to a boil.  Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved.   Turn off the heat, and add in 3 to 4 Tbls loose tea and steep for 30 minutes (put the tea in a tea bag to keep the brine a bit more tidy).  Add an equal amount of ice to the brine to reduce the temperature to less than 40 degrees.  Never put a turkey in a warm brine!

Place the brine and turkey in a cooler large enough to accomodate both.  (You’ll want to sanitize the cooler too.)  Add more ice to keep the temperature of the brine below 40 degrees.  Brine for 8-24 hours.  Drain the bird and discard the brine.  You’ll want to sanitize the sink and the cooler again after the brine is disposed of. 

When ready to roast the turkey, quarter a large apple, a large onion and cut 3 or 4 ribs of celery into 3-4″ lengths.  Stuff these items into the large cavity of the bird with a handful of fresh herbs such as thyme, sage and rosemary.  Pat the exterior of the turkey dry with paper towels and rub the outside of the bird with butter or olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

I like to place the bird into a Reynolds cooking bag for turkeys.  You’ll need to dust the inside of the bag with a few tablespoons of flour.  Place the turkey in the bag, seal and place in a roasting pan.  If you don’t want to use the bag, just roast the turkey in a covered roasting pan.  I have experimented with roasting the turkey breast side down for the first half of the designated time, then flipping it over (two people are needed for large birds) and continuing until the bird is a lovely golden brown.  Gravity will keep the juices flowing into the white meat, further aiding the moisture retention.

I roast turkeys at 350 and test the meat in a number of places to assure that the meat is thoroughly cooked.  Check the time charts on the package the turkey comes in.  You’ll want a completed temperature to read between 165 and 170.  Remember that the turkey will continue to cook even after it’s out of the oven.  Shoot for 160 – 165 internal temp as the time to remove the bird from the oven.  Once out of the oven, allow to rest for 20 – 30 minutes prior to carving.

There are three tests for doneness: time (roasting time according to the weight of the bird), temperature (an instant read thermometer is needed) and color (juices should run clear when pierced with a fork).  If the juices are tinged with pink, the turkey is not done.  The joints of the bird should also move freely.

Got a dry bird?  Learn to make stellar gravy!  Coming up next.

Enjoy!

Perfect Pie Crust – The Debate Continues

For everyone that says they can’t tell the difference between a Pillsbury ready crust and a freshly made at home pie crust, I invite you to experience one of my Perfect Pie Crust classes.  There is not a doubt in my mind that you will be convinced.  There is no better time than Thanksgiving to make an honest to goodness pie crust.  The debate rages on regarding the fat that makes a pie crust perfect.  I have my opinion, but if you ask my dear friend Jim Fiedler of Fiedler Family Farms, he is certain to have another. 

Jim swears by lard for the perfect pie crust.    So much so that Jim has gifted me with 10 pounds of lard over the last few years.   When I visited his farm and made a pumpkin pie for his son’s birthday, I used lard.  I left the farm before the pie was cut, so I can’t say it was perfect.  Jim lectures me each time the topic comes up, trying really hard to convince me that lard is really the only way to go.  His research certainly shows that lard is healthier than a man-altered fat such as Crisco.  Flakier than butter or Crisco. 

My husband was raised in rural Springfield, KY where his grandmother rose every morning to make biscuits.  Every morning.  At 4:00 AM.  I never got to meet Stella (STELLA!!!), but it would be a pretty sure bet that she used lard.  Supposedly, these biscuits were legendary.  The ratio of fat to flour in a biscuit is about the same as in pie crust: 1:3.  Biscuits just happen to have more liquid and leavening.  It never ceases to amaze me how the same basic ingredients (flour, fat, salt, leavening and liquid) can result in SO many different tasting products.  But back to pie crusts.

One of the easiest items on the holiday menu, pies and especially pie crusts, can be made way in advance of the big day and frozen. I usually make three pie crusts at a time, roll them out, fit the pie pans and freeze them.  Since the crust is the most time consuming (and scary) parts of the process, it’s great to get that task out of the way.  Once frozen, wrap well and slide into those jumbo freezer bags.  These crusts will keep for months if they are properly wrapped.  When you want a pie, presto!  your crust is ready.  After you master the technique, a pie crust can be made in less than 10 minutes, 5 for a pro.

Here’s my basic pie crust recipe.  Not very different from many, many others.  No gimics, just simple pie crust.  Use it for lots of fun appetizers, main dishes and desserts. 

Pie Pastry

1 1/2 cups all purpose, unbleached flour

3/4 tsp table salt

1/2 cup chilled fat (unsalted butter, lard or Crisco)

approximtely 1/4 cup ice cold water

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour and salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut the fat into the flour using quick strokes.  Once the mixture is consistently crumbly, stir in the water a bit at a time.  You will most likely use all the water and perhaps a bit more than 1/4 cup, but don’t add it all at once.  Humidity, the flour and temperatures all impact the mixture.  This is not said to confuse the issue, but to clarify it: only add enough water so that the dough naturally comes together and is neither wet nor dry and crumbly.

Once the dough clings together and forms a ball, gather it up with your hands and wrap it in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and even overnight.  Do not leave mixed dough in the refrigerator for more than 24 hours.  Freeze the dough if not using within 24 hours.

On a lightly floured board or counter top, roll out the dough using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin and your surface.  Treat the dough gently.  Pressing too hard will seal the dough to the work surface and make difficult work of lifting it. 

Once you have determined that your dough is of the correct size, move it to the pie pan and crimp the edges.  I ususally use the three finger method, but experiment to find your own way.

Chill or freeze according to your recipe’s specifics. 

Enjoy!

Versatile, easy olive relish

When I was in school, making this was one of my Aha moments.  How could anything so easy be this good?  Rarely do I hear that someone doesn’t like this olive relish (or tapenade).  Some people will say “I’m just not an olive person”…blah, blah, blah.  I try to be patient with those people.  I try not to roll my eyes, but I can feel my jaws clenching.  How can you not like that briny, pickly, salty taste? 

It just goes to show you that everyone’s taste buds just don’t react the same to some foods.  I suppose that someone who might not like chocolate, let’s say, could not possibly have the same experience as I when I let a piece of dark chocolate melt on my tongue.  It takes all sorts, they say.

This relish will be a hit at your holiday gathering.  As an appetizer, spread it on a slice of french bread with some fresh goat cheese.  Use it on a pizza, as a part of a bruschetta bar,  or spoon it on ice cream.  Just kidding about that last one.  It lasts for 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator and pairs nicely with toasted nuts.  It can also be used as a sandwich or panini spread.

Olive Relish

3 cloves garlic

1 jar (about 18 ounces) sliced or whole pimento stuffed olives

2 cans pitted black olives

freshly grated black pepper

2 ounces olive oil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 small jar diced pimento, drained slightly

jarred capers, optional as a garnish

Chop the garlic in a large capacity food processor.  Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until uniformly chopped.  Move to an air-tight storage container (perferably glass) and tightly cover.  Keep refrigerated until 1/2 hour prior to serving. Serve in small bowls garnished with capers and additional olive oil, if desired. 

Enjoy!

The Countdown continues…

The Thanksgiving countdown.  Have you pulled your menu together?  It is time, my friend.  Two more days and we’re just two weeks away from the Almighty Day of Gluttony.  So get to it.  Pull out all those November food magazines that you have collected over the years (knowing that you’ll make that next year).  We’ll next year is here. 

I met a family last year in one of my cooking classes that envolved everyone in the menu making process.  These were serious foodies and they culled the mags and gathered the recipes.  Best of all, one person did all the shopping (personally, I would do that chore on-line at www.Valumarket.com ) then everyone gathered at (Mom’s) house and cooked all day together.  Now THAT sounds like what Thanksgiving Day should be like.

In our family, we rotate hosting the big day and break the meal into manageable portions.  Then we come together and enjoy the feast.  Tony and I are hosting this year and the tasks have already been deliniated.  We are opting to do a savory sweet potato dish this year instead of the pecan and brown sugar encrusted one of years past.  Smashed sweet potatoes with chevre and chipotle chilis will fit the bill.  Get this recipe by visiting my website www.cookwithmary.com and check under Fox41 recipes. 

Mom will make pumpkin pie and another sweet, I’m responsible for the side dishes, breads, etc.  My brother takes pride in his roasted turkey and since that is the most easily delegated portion of the meal, I am happy to save the oven space.  Hopefully, my sister Sheryl will be bringing the libations and an appetizer or two. 

I’ll delegate the table setting to my darling daughter and my charming son will be in charge of avoiding any real responsibility.  I figure if we let the dog lick the plates and give someone an opportunity to load the dishwasher, everything is taken care of. 

From this point forward, the most efficient thing to do would be  to break out the lists of things to do and put them in priority and make ahead categories.  Try to commit to doing just one thing every day.  Perhaps buying and toasting the bread cubes (I love the premium white bread from Breadworks for this) or making and toasting the corn bread.  Once toasted, these can be frozen and brought out the night before you make the stuffing. 

Depending on your desserts, you may be able to make and freeze (cheesecakes, pie crusts, cake layers) and wait to embellish them the day before or the day of the event.

Make decisions about things you would rather purchase, like fresh breads, wines, etc and go ahead and order those.  Make sure you make a note as to pick up dates and special holiday hours for the wine shop or bakery.   Better yet, perhaps one not-so-handy in the kitchen person could be in charge of picking up all the goodies and delivering them to the hostess at an agreed upon time. 

If you are looking for a great make ahead appetizer, see my post for the Parmesan Cheesecake (Cheesecake and a pair of used shoes).  This is a fabulous make ahead and freeze crowd pleaser.

Lots more ideas coming your way.  Meanwhile, make your reservation for the Easy Yeast Doughs class set for this Friday at 11:00 – 1:30.  You’ll have all the recipes and skills you need to prepare yourself for breakfast, lunch and leftovers with all then things learned there. 

More ideas coming tomorrow.  Don’t miss a beat.  Sign up to receive my blog posts as they are penned. 

Enjoy!

Let’s start at the end…

… cause that’s where I am right now.  At the end of a somewhat stressful, highly productive day.  I have one of my favorite glasses sitting next to me.  It’s empty at this point, but just a few sips ago held a seductive, smoky dessert wine called Mas Amiel.  Evie Clare, wine afficianado and dear friend talked my class through  a plate of 8 different cheeses and six different wines including this sexy, silky red dessert wine paired with my almost famous chocolate  brownies with ganache icing.

It’s one of my favorite glasses not only because what it holds (or held), but due to it’s shape and weight and just the way it feels in my hand.  I have a weakness for wines and wine glasses.  I collect them because they are beautiful and really do make a difference in the whole wine drinking experience.  This one would, I suppose be considered a sherry or cordial glass, perfect for a confection such as the Mas Amiel.  Served with an equally sweet and decadently deep chocolate brownie with chocolate ganache.  Oh my.  Really good.

Earlier in the evening, before the hub and the bub of a perfectly executed wine and cheese tasting  turned into just plain hubbub, we tasted a wonderful array of wines and cheeses.  Honestly, everything was great, but I have to pick a favorite for this post and for you.  You who need just one wine and one cheese to take to your sister-in-law’s house.    You want to bring a hit.  Everyone will love it and you didn’t have to work too hard.  Here’s what you do:   Pick up a bottle of San Pietro Alto Adige Pinot Grigio, 2o08 and a round of Coach Farm Triple Cream goat cheese from Gemelli and you will ring the gong.  You are the saviour of those who would rather run into Kroger for the mass produced, pastry wrapped brie which hasn’t seen the light of day or human touch since sometime last year.   So simple, so fresh, so easy.  You are the hero of the hor d’ oeuvre, the champion of the cheese course, the  hub of the bub.

Go get ’em!  Call Evie at 502-895-1400 and reserve your bottle and your cheese and make T-day history!  Don’t forget the crackers!  Oh, yeah, and while you are there, you might as well pick up a bottle of the Mas Amiel and some Cellar Door Chocolates.  After all, you want the best, don’t you? 

Enjoy!

Countdown To T-day

My husband Tony suggested that I begin a daily post as a countdown to Thanksgiving.  Good idea!  Although I am in total denial of the holidays raging toward my unprepared soul, I agree that somebody needs to get started! 

Chefing for a wine tasting last night gave me lots of ideas for similar parties and am now considering a pre-Thanksgiving wine pairing.  Just getting in the mood for getting out all the glasses, setting a table and entertaining in general gets me thinking about the efficiency of having several gatherings while my house is still clean and everything that has a place is actually in that place.  So when I tell Tony that we should have several parties and not just one Thanksgiving dinner, I can tell him it was his idea that sparked this concept and that he deserves all the praise.  Let’s see…, my neighbors, favorites clients, best friends, other entrepreneurs…  This could take a while.

Tomorrow’s ‘Uncorking the Perfect Wine and Cheese Party” class will serve as a base for the countdown.  Other classes this week will help pull the concept together and give me the fodder I need for my daily posts.  See the entire schedule online at www.cookwithmary.com

I’ll be writing tomorrow!  Have a great day.