Dinner Party Divas
Local authors Dina Guillen and Michelle Lowrey--authors of The Plank Grilling Cookbook--have just written a new book with perfect timing. Cooking Club: Great Ideas and Delicious Recipes for Fabulous Get-Togethers
was released just in time for the outdoor eating season. The Folsom residents write about their years of fun as members of a dining club--a rotating party of women who eat together every month or so.
As a member of such a club myself, it's really fun to try new dishes and see how your friends throw a dinner party. Since the dinner party concept seems to have fallen off the radar for many people, this is a great way to get back into it. Not only do you get to enjoy eating with friends, but you get to practice cooking for more than yourself and your family. No PB&Js or mac & cheese at these parties (unless they have something special added). It's also relatively affordable. You can feed a party on very little if you know how to budget.
Lowrey and Guillen cover not only budgeting, but how to set up a club, recruit members, and determine menus. They give twelve theme-party examples with recipes, like One Night in Bangkok and Hawaiian Luau. They also interview other cooking clubs from around the country about how they got started and what rules they follow.
I've included one of their intriguing recipes below (watch out, fellow Epicureans--you might be tasting this at my next dinner!). As a bonus for our readers, Sasquatch has sent me a book to give away to a lucky cook. Just comment below with your favorite dinner party theme and I'll use a random name generator to pick a winner. You have until May 29 to enter (once only per person, please). I'll do the drawing on June 1. Winner: Gail!
In the meantime, go see Dina and Michelle at Taylor's Market tomorrow at 11 a.m., where they'll be signing copies of their book. You can also catch them at Borders in Folsom on June 6 from 2-4 p.m., and at Barnes &Noble in the Birdcage Center on July 18 at 1 p.m.
Coconut Tapioca with Minty Lemongrass-Ginger Syrup and Mangoes
Makes 8 servings
You can substitute rice if you prefer. This dessert makes for a great presentation.
Lemongrass-Ginger Syrup
1 stalk fresh lemongrass
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2-inch piece fresh gingerrot, peeled and thinly sliced
20 fresh mint leaves
3 cups whole milk
One 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup small-pearl tapioca
2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
1/4 cup toasted sweetened coconut
8 sprigs fresh mint
To make the syrup: Trim the root ends of the lemongrass, and remove and discard the tough outer layer. Bruise the stalk with the back of a chef's knife, and coarsely chop the stalk.
Combine the water, sugar, lemongrass, ginger, and mint in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the syrup to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and set it aside for 20 minutes to infuse. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, cover, and let it chill in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To make the tapioca: Whisk together the milk, coconut milk, tapioca, and sugar in a heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Stirring frequently, let the pudding simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until thickened and it coats the back of a spoon, being careful that the pudding does not scorch. Transfer the pudding to a large bowl and wrap with plastic, smoothing the wrap directly on the surface of the pudding so that a skin does not form. Chill the pudding in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Divide the pudding among 8 dessert bowls. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of Lemongrass Syrup over each serving and garnish with the mango, coconut, and a sprig of mint.
Comments
One of my favorite dinner party themes is 'seasonal sixty mile supper'. All ingredients are purchased seasonally and as local as possible...within 60 miles. This includes the beverages.
Posted by: Melly | May 16, 2009 9:38 PM
I love to do dinner parties themed to the season to take advantage of fresh produce and fitting weather!
Posted by: Ana | May 16, 2009 10:10 PM
We like a retro theme, and yes, with at least one gelatin mold salad on the menu, for fun!
Posted by: Belle & Ward | May 19, 2009 7:53 PM
One of my friends had a trailer trash party - and it was fun. We had all kinds of junk food, but homemade- so yum!
Posted by: Shankari | May 19, 2009 11:17 PM
I second the "retro" theme, remember when we did that at your house Ann?
Another one I like to do something my sister and I used to do: we'd pick a country, she'd make the food and I'd bring music from the same country. We've even do this with regions of countries. Very fun.
Posted by: cyndo | May 20, 2009 4:24 PM
We had a great backyard party at my moms and the theme was a Luau.
Thanks
carlene
Posted by: Carlene | May 24, 2009 4:22 PM
I love a fiesta theme. :)
Posted by: HilLesha | May 24, 2009 9:55 PM
I love having dinner parties as a way to experiment with new recipes...my favorite theme was food from places that began with an "I" (Italy, India, Indonesia" ala "Eat Pray, Love"...
Posted by: Allison | May 26, 2009 9:06 PM
A fun one for a group is a Cookbook theme. Everyone makes recipes from the same cookbook so that you can all taste them. You end up trying recipes that you probably wouldn't think of and you also end up tasting more than the one or two that you would make from the book.
Posted by: Gail | May 27, 2009 9:14 AM
For my birthday we had a 60s cocktail party theme - fondue, swedish meatballs, Rat pack music. It was grand.
Posted by: juliemarg | May 28, 2009 7:01 PM