It begins with a plate. One plate per person, set directly in front of her chair, about an inch away from the edge of the table. Next, the entree fork and knife join the party. Fork on the left, knife on the right, with the blade opening toward the plate. The Gent was once a … Continue reading Hospitality @ Home: Table Settings
On special occasions such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve--and *ahem* Valentine's Day--restaurants tend to rely on pre fixe menu. This can be irritating. You have chosen a restaurant that you love based on the food you typically enjoy there! Why are they changing it up? Do they really expect you to order a $75 … Continue reading Restaurant Etiquette: Pre Fixe Menus
A vegetarian entree for Valentines Day, luscious enough for a carnivore to love!
When you are hosting a dinner party in your home, serving coffee is an excellent way to signal guests that it is time to find their galoshes and perform the skedaddle. The best way to do this is to prepare in advance. To some, coffee has a catechism. Only single origin beans are accepted! Only … Continue reading Hospitality @ Home: Coffee
Amuse Bouche-- [ah-myooz boosh] -- is a word you may have heard bandied about in restaurants. As it is French in origin, it can sound like a bit of secret code when it falls from the lips of a discreet maitre d' or a waistcoated server , especially when re-purposed as a verb as in … Continue reading Restaurant 101: Amuse Bouche
