Let's Party
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate, we have three great parties that will make your celebration memorable.
Shelly G. Keller and Jeannie Howard
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courtesy of J. Schramsburg |
Oysters are in demand during the holiday season, so Pomo recommends ordering them well ahead of Christmas. “I wouldn’t do a big party—no more than eight people. You can do all oysters—some on the half shell, like Oysters with Lemon Ice and Caviar [click for recipe] from my cookbook. You can cook some in the shell or serve Oyster Stew with Chipotle Butter, also from my cookbook. I don’t think you can eat too many oysters. Serve a simple green salad with a soft vinaigrette, some Point Reyes blue cheese and fabulous bread. Then I’d recommend Reicchiuti chocolates or other handmade chocolates.” She suggests shopping online for the oysters and caviar if you can’t buy them locally. “You can order oysters from Hog Island Oyster Company (hogislandoysters.com) and Drakes Bay Family Farms (drakesbayoyster.com). They ship by FedEx so you get them the day of or the day before your party.”
Pomo says she’s a real stickler for buying sustainably produced caviar because wild sturgeon are endangered. “Get Tsar Nicoulai Caviar (tsarnicoulai.com). They offer sustainably farmed caviars in beautiful flavors and colors from around the world. You’ll get better caviar and you’ll be doing a great service to the sturgeon population.” And while her favorite beverage to quaff is a French Champagne like Veuve Clicquot (available at Costco), she’s also fond of California sparkling wines. “I like to stick to blanc de blancs because they pair better with oysters. I really like Domaine Chandon, Iron Horse, Gloria Ferrer and Schramsburg. For a New Year’s party, you should spring for good Champagne and the right glasses. Riedel makes a good glass; Sur la Table sells one that’s cheaper and less breakable.”
Pomo also recommends learning how to shuck an oyster before the day of your party. “Practice your shucking beforehand. Do not force the oyster open—it’s more a wiggle than a push. And be patient. If you’re a beginner, shuck down so you don’t skewer your hand. If you buy oysters from Hog Island, the hinge is going to be flat and the oyster will be easy to shuck. Kumomoto oysters are also easy to shuck and they’re very good. Make sure you have the right knife. Sur la Table also carries a good oyster knife.” She says you can shuck the oysters a few hours ahead of time and put them on a sheet pan, covered with a damp towel, in the fridge. “Be sure you don’t spill the liquor (the juice from the oyster). That’s what keeps them nice and moist. You can make the oyster stew at the last minute. The trick to cooking oysters is to not overcook; just warm them in the cream. I think it was Tom Robbins who wrote, ‘Eating an oyster is like French-kissing a mermaid.’” To which we reply, “Let the kissing begin!”
Jairemarie Pomo: courtesy of The Hog Island Oyster Cookbook. Copyright 2007. Ed Anderson.
Alice Medrich, award-winning cookbook author and Berkeley resident, knows her way around a dessert table. Her genius sweetens her six cookbooks, and her latest—Pure Dessert (Artisan, $35)—offers the simplest of recipes using the finest ingredients. She says her cookbooks have progressed from elaborate chocolate fantasies to less complicated desserts. “I am more and more a home cook again. Today, people are busy. They want simple, elegant, high-quality desserts that they can whip out.” Pure Dessert, organized by types of ingredients, is jam packed with sweets that can turn a dessert buffet into a work of art.
“Some of the simplest desserts are the most sublime. I love perfect little cakes that you can serve, keep in the freezer, or wrap up and give away.” She says that many of the recipes—like the Vin Santo Chiffon Cake or the Iced Citron Vodka Chocolates—are great for a New Year’s party. “Anything made with spirits will help capture the holiday mood.”
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Lavender caramel sauce |
She also suggests making some of her Pure Dessert ice creams—Guinness Ice Cream or Sour Cream Ice Cream—to serve with sauces such as Lavender Caramel Sauce and Cocoa Fudge Sauce. “You can set up scooping stations for mini-sundaes. It’s all about little bites that are flavorful.” Medrich also suggests having lots of sparkling water plus syrups or citrus squeezes. “It’s nice to have a festive drink to switch to from the alcohol, or for people who want to avoid alcohol completely. And if the evening ends with black coffee, you can make affogatos—an Italian dessert/drink made by pouring a double shot of espresso around a scoop of ice cream.” There’s no counting calories on New Year’s Eve.
Alice Medrich: courtesy of Pure Dessert. Copyright 2007. Leigh Beisch
James McNair is a celebrated Napa-based author with an impressive 41 cookbooks to his name. He is without a doubt the king of breakfast and brunch. McNair admits that his breakfast repertoire grew out of circumstance. “Living in New Orleans and New York before settling in California, I was exposed to a vast array of morning food that I wanted to cook at home because I hate having to get dressed to go out for breakfast. Then my recipe repertoire grew over the years because of all the weekend houseguests that I’ve entertained at my Lake Tahoe vacation home.”
After staying up late celebrating the New Year, treat your guest to a scrumptious midday brunch. McNair says that brunch is special not only because it is the first meal of the day, but also an intimate way to welcome friends and family to your home and life. “I prefer to begin the year with a small gathering of close friends and serve easily prepared dishes so that I could spend time with them instead of being in the kitchen all morning.” He recommends preparing as much as possible the night before and supplementing your menu with things you can buy at your favorite market, like an excellent coffee cake. He also encourages saving time by creating a beautiful table setting the day before, “perhaps with a big bowl of roses to salute the Rose Bowl.” |
Ramos Fizz |
McNair says that a great brunch needs a balance of sweet and savory items. “Like most Americans, I usually enjoy something sweet, such as pancakes, waffles or muffins, counterbalanced by a savory or salty dish, such as made-from-scratch corned beef hash, an egg dish or just a couple of strips of crispy bacon. And there has to be seasonal fruit and good coffee with steaming hot milk.” He suggests making the sweet element, such as his Oven-Puffed Pancakes [click for recipe], the centerpiece. “The puffed pancakes call for fresh fruit, poached pears or sautéed apples. Make the savory element some great sausages or slices of baked ham. It wouldn’t be a New Year’s celebration without sparkling wine, with a splash of pomegranate juice. Or I might show my New Orleans roots by serving Ramos Fizzes and café au lait.”
James McNair: Jamie Boudreau
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