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THE
MENUS
The New York Parties
The mid to late sixties were a very exciting time to be living in
New York and to be a part of a dynamic, small record company like Elektra.
There was no separation between our business and social lives. Our major
artists gave at least one big concert a year at Town or Carnegie Halls,
and often we feted them with a party afterward at our apartment. The festivities
began between 11 and 11:30, right after the concert ( I would jump in
a cab at about 10:45 and beat everyone home). I cooked for days prior,
but engaged plenty of help for the actual party. The parties for a hundred
were events and each had a theme. Here is an idea of what we had:
SWEDISH SMORGASBORD for Theodore Bikel
Tongue
Pate
Herring Salad
Shrimp with Dill
Beet Salad
Stuffed Eggs
Celery
Olives
Radishes
Swedish Meatballs
Swedish Beans
Pumpernickel and Swedish Rye breads
Cheeses
Sweet Butter
Mustard
Apples
Miniature Danish
DANISH SMORREBORD / OPEN SANDWHICHES for Theodore
Bikel
(1) Smoked Salmon/Cucuraber/Sweet Onion/Parsley
(2) Herring/Boston lettuce/Boiled Potato/ Shoestring Beets/ Sour Cream/Dill
(3) Steak Tartare/Watercress/Capers/ Sieved egg yolk/Smoked Oysters
(4) Tiny Shrimp/ Tarragon mayo/Boston lettuce/carrot curls/parsley
(5) Ham/watercress/cheese/mustard/ pickle/marinated white beans/sliced
red apple/
(6) Roast beef/asparagus stalks/marinated artichokes/tiny tomatoes/Boston
lettuce (7)Boston lettuce/crabmeat/avocado/sliced egg/pitted black olives/curried
mayo/chopped chives
MEXICAN for Tom Paxton
Taco shells
Tortillas
Refried beans
Shredded chicken
Chili
Guacamole
Chopped ripe olives
Shredded jack cheese
Chopped onion
Sliced radishes
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Garbanzo beans
Red & Green peppers
Taco sauce
Fritos
Tijuana cheese (studded with green chilis)
Sangria
Raspberry sherbet doused with raspberry puree
AMERICANA, POLITICAL RALLY FOOD for Phil Ochs
Brunswick Stew
Baked ham
Baked beans
Cole slaw
Corn muffins
Cookies
Beer
FRENCH BUFFET FROID for Judy Collins
Ham, thinly sliced and rolled cornucopia with watercress
Dijon Mustard
Pate
Pissaladiere
Sardines, garnished with lemon slices,
Chopped parsley
Eggs, stuffed, dotted with capers
Marinated mushrooms
Marinated artichoke hearts
Eggplant Caviar
White/Pink Bean Salad
French cheeses
French bread
Butter in crock
French "toast"
Grapes
Cookies
Wine
FONDUE PARTY for Judy Collins
I rented a number of Fondue pots from the Switzerland Cheese Assn. in
Manhattan. They also supplied wooden forks for dipping:
Cheese Fondue (used the package type from Cheese of All Nations)
Small squares of French Bread
Raw vegetables with green dip (herbs, mayo, sour cream)
Pork tidbits made from cut-up tenderloin, baked and crisped in the oven
andserved with a taco sauce dip
Mulled wine
Cherry criss-cross tart
ITALIAN ANTIPASTO for Judy Collins
Proscuitto (lean!)
Salami
Mortadelia
Capicolla
Pepperoni ("have all the skins removed before slicing,"
advice from my friend, Anthony Muto)
Provolone
Wholewheat and white Italian bread sticks
Pimientos criss-crossed with anchovies
Black and green olives
Chick peas
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Celery
Fennel
Artichoke hearts
Marinated mushrooms
Eggplant caviar
Oil and wine vinegar in cruets
Honeydew melon
Lemon ice
Italian cookies
Wine
HERO SANDWICH for Tom Paxton
Spreads: Russian dressing, mayo, mustard
Meats: Proscuitto, salami, mortadella, capicolla, pepperoni, roast beef
Cheeses: Provolone, Swiss, Brick
Vegetables: Sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, Bermuda onion, lettuce, celery,
fennel, carrot sticks, olives, radishes
Sliced hard-boiled eggs
Sardines
Macaroni salad
Hero rolls
Italian cookies
GREEK for Tom Rush
Cheese triangles
Cheese and Spinach Rolls
Tarama (Fish Roe dip)
Grape leaves (purchased at a good Greek restaurant)
Eggplant caviar
Artichoke hearts
Black olives
White bean salad
Greek bread
Greek cheeses
Three kinds of phyllo pastry (sweet)
Turkish Delight (candy)
Roditys wine
More Celebrations
(December 1980-December 1983)
Kirk says I celebrate everything. That I am always looking for a celebration.
I consider this a compliment. It is said that Life is (should be) a Celebration.
There are cer- tainly times to earmark, to dress up for and pluck out
of our daily existence to make important. There are obvious ones, of course.
But don't forget the daily celebration, the thank God I'm alive and can
still feel, joy or sadness. Even for these everyday times we dine with
flowers, by candlelight, linking hands beforehand, a reminder of our love,
family and friends. Here are some of the very important Celebrations of
the last several years, with accompanying notes:
CHRISTMAS 1980
A Mediterranean theme.
Champagne
Cheese Spinach Triangles
The recipe is for Rolls, not Triangles. Use the method for cutting and
folding under Cheese Triangles
Paella
Recipe calls for 3 c. water; I used 2 c. water and 1 c. bottled clam juice.
For the chicken, I used 4 lbs. of chicken breasts, thighs & drumsticks
only; for the seafood I used 1 lb. crayfish (beautiful but difficult to
eat); 1 lb. shrimp; 12 Littleneck clams; plus the 1 lb. hot sausage. I
also added a package of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed.
Whole Red Snapper
(4 lbs. +) Baked with chopped parsley, oregano seasoned pepper, thinly
sliced onions, tomatoes, green pepper, scallions, white wine. Cover with
foil. Bake 1-1/4 hours, first at 350 degrees; then at 425, uncovered.
Green and Red Salad:
Red leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, watercress, Italian tomatoes, green
pepper, red onion, radishes, celery. Dressed with a mustardy vinaigrette.
Sesame French Bread Ring w/Sweet Butter
Light Plum Pudding
ADAM'S GRADUATION PARTY
6/14/81
Adam graduated from Occidental College, majoring in Philosophy. We
planned a party for family and friends, and I rememeber the day I was
contentedly cooking in preparation. (Kirk has installed an excellent hi
fi in the kitchen and, depending on my mood, I cook to classical, jazz,
pop). Anyway, I was cooking and musing about my son and how proud I am
of him and what a blessing he has been, when the phone rang. It was Adam,
calling to say hello and to tell me that he was graduating Phi Beta Kappa!
I asked him how he had been informed, and he said: "Oh, they put
a note in my mailbox!" This to me is a perfect illustration of how
casual Adam can be! The party that was originally a good reason for celebration
turned into a magnificent one. There were about 80 people and it started
in the late afternoon. I didn't make the cake. It was from a unique bakery
in West Hollywood called "Cake and Art" and was in the shape
of a keyboard. The menu went like this:
Tarama/Pita Bread cut into strips
Cheese & Spinach Rolls
Samosas
Indian Meat Balls with Yogurt/Chutney
Dip
Marinated Mushrooms
Florentine Pate/Swedish Rye Crackers
Russian Beet Salad
Eggplant Caviar
Seviche
Sicilian Pasta Salad
Bar-B-Qued Turkey Breasts/Mayonnaise
Wheel of Cheese
Various Armenian/Middle Eastern Breads
Assorted raw vegetables/Curry Dip
Unsalted Tortilla Chips (ordered from a local Mexican restaurant; if you
give them enough notice they will be fresh and not salted)
Salsa
Unsalted Peanuts
Cookies, Cake
Beverages including White Zinfandel, beers,
mineral water, apple juice and coffee
JAC'S 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
9/15/81, Celebrated 9/19/81
This was a party for family and intimate friends. I decided to make
it Indian and it was, with the exception of Smoked Salmon flown in from
Alaska. (Worthy enough to be maverick to the rest of the menu.) I set
up small tables in the dining room and on the then-deck (it is now enclosed
and is a garden room) and used colorful Indian silk scarves for tableclothes.
The diningroom table was moved to the side and served as a buffet. It
was hard for me to believe that we were celebrating Jac's 50th birthday.
I had met him just before his 24th! I was thankful that we were all still
together, in another form, and that we are still friends after all these
years. Some families scatter after a divorce; we seem to endure and grow
larger.
Samosas with Mint
Chutney
Smoked Salmon, Buttered Dark Breads
Pappadums
Tandoori Chicken (made by my former Indian cooking teacher, Mukul
Ram who now over-
sees his cuisine at the Calcutta Club, one-half of McGinty's Irish Bar
and Grill [I couldn't have made this up, really] at 26th & Wilshire
in Santa Monica.)
Spiced Leg of Lamb
Baked Fish with Coriander Masala
Nepali Vegetable Curry
Basmati Rice
Lentil Dal
Raita with Cucumbers
Raw Vegetable Salad: a typical and traditional Indian salad is an assortment
of finely shredded vegetables — carrots, beets, radishes, etc —
dressed with lime juice and a dash of cayenne
Sultana Chutney
Mango Chutney & Pickle (store-bought)
Angelfood Birthday Cake
Coconut Frozen Yogurt
CHRISTMAS 1981
As each holiday approaches and I start to plan the dinner menu, I
wrestle with the traditional fare versus a unique, creative concept that
perhaps has more appeal to me that to the family clamoring for the tried
and true. This particular Christmas I had fun. I slanted the menu toward
the Moroccan (with poetic license). The food looked particularly colorful
and the tastes were fresh and intriguing. I used a dark green tablecloth
and napkins, and bought yards and yards of green and red plaid ribbon
that made a cross (+) through the center of the table and tied around
each napkin with a bow. Here is how the menu shaped up:
Caviar Mousse (I used red caviar this
time)
Black Bread
Cheese- Spinach Phyllo
Samosas
Champagne/ Asti-Spumante
Bastilla
Stuffed Mussels (decorated with pomegranate
seeds)
Tomato and Green Pepper Salad,
Fez Style
Carrot Salad
Braised String Beans with Fresh
Tomato
Steamed Carrot Pudding with Hard
Sauce
Christmas Cookies
THE WEDDING
10/2/82
I could not have had this wedding until now. It took all these years
to create it; the man, the woman, the setting, friends and family. How
miraculous to find a soul-mate. Kirk's love has summoned up the best in
me and given me the courage to dig for the rest.
The wedding was great ceremony and ritual. For three months I worked on
setting the scene-- the decor, the flowers, the entourage, the wardrobe,
food and drink. I fulfilled my childhood fantasies. The fairytales read
and re-read came to life. Friends, family, even strangers, were touched
by this spectacular event.
I walk down the aisle on the arm of my son, my part-creation, carefully
tended in some regard for the past 25 years. We walk slowly, slowly. My
daughter is up ahead, with my sisters, and my niece. I feel my friends
on either side. I see little through the blur of tears. I feel very still
around my heart, exposed, beautiful, frightened blessed. Very blessed.
There is harmony, aesthetically, spiritually, physically in the choreography.
Kirk waits, beaming. I see his handsomeness, but use his eyes as beacons.
I am shaking imperceptibly. The music stops and I hear the minister's
voice. Reassuring. I am in the right place at the right time. I am in
perfect harmony with my life plan.
The reception was a wonder. Sue and Gary's home was the perfect place.
It radiates their warmth and love and this clearly affected everyone.
Here is how we supped that day, catered by Rococo (Woodland Hills):
Silver Tray Passing of Hors d'oeuvres
Salmon Wrapped in Hearts of Palm
Spanokopitta
Ginger Chicken Bites with Sesame Seed Glaze
Gourmandaise Torte
Assorted Gourmet Crackers and Fancy Cocktail
Breads
Warm Brie with Brown Butter and Almonds**
Steak Tartare
Pumpernickel Points
Cracked Black Peppercorns
Capers
Chopped Egg
Lemon Wedges
Decorated Cold Poached Salmon
Cucumber Sour Cream Sauce
Capers
Chopped Green Onions
Pasta Primavera
Elaborate Fresh Fruit Cascade
Strawberries, Pineapple, Watermelon,
Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Assorted Grapes
Blini Station
Displayed Preparation of Russian Blinis,
served with Caviar
Dill Sauce
Sour Cream
Chopped Scallions
Tiny Boiled Potatoes
Alaskan Bay Shrimp - Served in Shells
Cocktail Sauce
Lemon Wedges
Chef Carving Station
Turkey
Chateau of Sirloin
Miniature Rolls
Creamed Horseradish Sauce
Mustard, Mayonnaise, Russian Dressing
Salad Bar
Mixed Greens
Carrots, Celery, Sliced Tomatoes, Sliced Red
Onion, Alfalfa Sprouts, Garbanzo Beans, Black
Olives, Sliced Beets, Grated Cheddar Cheese
Dressings
Chunky Bleu Cheese, Italian, 1000 Island
Wedding Cake (Chocolate Cake with chocolate mousse filling and "frosted"
with sheets of white chocolate. A tiny bouquet of flowers sat on the top.)
Plus the usual bar drinks, wine, champagne,
sodas, coffee
JACLYN'S 21ST BIRTHDAY PARTY
11/10/82, Celebrated 11/6/82
The bud became a flower. How wonderful to see this young woman before
me, her own person, different from me and yet so alike! For years we think
the children are really not paying attention to what we do (good or bad)
and then they grow up and it's all there. Sometimes Jaclyn takes my breath
away: her beauty, strength and savvy. I am dazzled. She did not want me
to cook on her birthday. She wanted me at the table with everyone else,
as a special guest. After much deliberation, she decided on a Chinese
dinner party. Marcie Rothman
flew down from Santa Rosa to create an exotic dinner for fourteen. Marcie
and I shopped together for it, mostly in Chinatown.
Stuffed Green Peppers with Ground Beef
in Black Bean Sauce
Barbequed Spareribs
Unsalted Peanuts
Various drinks
Hot and Spicy Beef in Lettuce Leaves
Eggplant Salad with Cabbage, Tomatoes and
Celery garnish
Spicy Shanghai Shrimp (heads on), dry fried
Chicken with Fresh Orange
Peel and Dried Hot Peppers with Broccoli
Chicken Salad with Bean Sprouts, Carrots,
Beets (a mustardy-sesame-vinegary dressing)
Sweet and Sour Duck (we bought the ducks already cooked in Chinatown on
New High
Street, next to the pork place and almost across the street from Mon Kee.)
Bok Choy with Hoisin
Fresh Shitake and White Button Mushrooms sauteed with sherry and Chinese
chives
Ants Climbing a Tree
White Rice
Lemon Glazed Lemon Cake
Fortune Cookies from Hong Kong Noodle Company (the best!) They'll bake
your
messages in the cookies if you plan ahead.
OPEN HOUSE
January 1, 1983
We wanted to greet the New Year in a very relaxed way with family
and dear friends. It was a challenge for me to give a party with minimal
preparation and really try to be casual, knowing that everything would
be fine just as it was. It was. In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it
was easy:
Bar-B-Q'd Turkey Breast
Assorted breads and rolls for sandwiches
Mayo, Russian Dressing, Mustard, Sweet
Butter
Sprouts, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, onion,
pickles
Chili Quiche
Cole Slaw
Pasta Salad
Curried Eggplant
Marcie's Raisin Cake
Banana Bread
Mrs. Appleyard's Brownies
Christmas Cookies
A wheel of Rondele Cheese
Crackers
Fruit
Unsalted Tortilla Chips
Salsa
Jaclyn's New Year's Guacamole
Wine, mulled cider, beer, soda, coffee
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