Entertaining for Monkeys

Work baby shower

2009-02-01T18:20:00.003-05:00

Decorating a boardroom on a budget that would barely cover lunch at most Manhattan delis can be a little difficult, but we did our best. The pom poms are from good old Martha Stewart, which I'm pretty sure is also where I saw the circle and triangle garlands. I put two slits in each circle or triangle and threaded them onto white yarn, then waited until we were in the boardroom to move them around until I was satisfied with the spacing. Then I cut the yarn and we taped them up. We also used some blue crepe paper to spruce up the room.

Brownie cupcakes

2009-02-01T17:54:00.004-05:00

Martha's version

My version

I absolutely loved the latest Martha Stewart Living with the section on cupcakes. I decided to try the brownie cupcakes a few weeks ago, but I thought it was too soon for the Valentine's Day theme so I went with something a little more general.

Work party

2009-01-02T17:23:00.001-05:00

I volunteered to plan my department's work party, and was given two incredibly able assistants to whom I delegated most of the work. Three cheers for them!

With the economy being what it is, our party was pot luck and all of our decorations were made out of office materials that were headed for the trash bin.

Plenty of food, an entire table of savories and another full of sweets. We had people sign up so that we could make sure it would be roughly even, which it was.

Festive tables

And some of the decorations made from old crate stickers and old memos and such

A template for the snowflake can be found here

Christmas cookies

2009-01-02T15:21:00.000-05:00

I wanted to make sugar cookies for my department's Christmas party and I wanted to try a new recipe. This basic one was pretty good. I rolled them out half an inch thick and cut them out with a shot glass as I couldn't find my round cutters.

I coated them with a semi-sweet ganache and refrigerated them overnight

And in the morning I coated them with luster dust

They were perfectly soft and chewy and everybody loved the gold.

Cristi's cake

2009-01-01T17:20:00.000-05:00

Cristi wanted citrus and berries with her cake, so I chose Martha Stewart's 1-2-3-4 lemon cake which I'd been wanting to try for a while.

Martha Stewart's cake

My cake

Next time, I'll line the sides of the pans with parchment as well as the bottom. My cake didn't come out as gracefully as I'd have liked. That combined with my thin lemon curd meant that the cake simply had to be covered.

Then the seven minute frosting and I had a fight. The frosting won. This doesn't do it justice, but if you look closely you can see that the melted sugar didn't so much become one with the meringue.

Not the unqualified success I'd originally planned, but I was pleased all the same. And more importantly, the birthday girl seemed to like it just fine.

Perfect cookies

2009-01-01T16:18:00.000-05:00

What is the secret to perfect cookies? Okay, one of the many secrets?

These will turn this

Into these

Which end up looking like this

Which is, by the way, about four inches in diameter and an inch tall. Now that's a cookie.

Pumpkin swirl brownies

2008-12-21T17:24:00.006-05:00

Pumpkin swirl brownies from Martha Stewart, made sans nuts. Not my favorite, but still pretty good. I liked the brownie part more than the pumpkin part, maybe next time I'd substitute a different pumpkin recipe. And I'd be less careful with the swirling, it it was more like layers here.

Work bake off

2008-11-28T21:45:00.007-05:00

Or, a relatively successful attempt at a pumpkin charlotte. It needs work, but frankly, I found it irritating enough and not quite tasty enough, that I probably won't try again. At least not this year. Martha Stewart's chocolate-coconut charlotte was my inspiration, though I wanted it to be based around pumpkin flavors.

So I started with ginger cake (can't remember which recipe I used) and made a mess of things. If I'd done my research, I would have known that cake butter plus extra flour doth no ladyfingers make. Honestly, Ann.

The second attempt at making ladyfingers went a little better, turns out whipped egg whites really help. Adding pumpkin puree probably doesn't, but I wanted the flavor. I didn't use a specific recipe for those, which I bet would have been a good idea. I need some practice with piping, speaking of which I also need to find my proper tips, cutting the end off the bag isn't the best method.

I also piped discs, but apparently didn't photograph those. They were the layers, with pumpkin mousse (super delicious) and cream cheese mousse (good, but not great) alternated in between and these ladyfingers around the outside, then some whipped cream on top and a ribbon around it all. So maybe the ribbon sort of took over the cake, it was what I had.

I still don't know why my ladyfingers curled, and I should have lined the ribbon to keep the moisture from seeping through, but I'm over it.

As my first attempt at the charlotte didn't work so well, I ended up using those ginger layers and the left over pumpkin batter and mousse to make an extra little cake.

It definitely needed something to cover the mess, so I whipped up some seven minute frosting and I couldn't resist sticking a bow on it

I put them both into little cake boxes from the New York Cake & Baking Supply and they traveled surprisingly well.

I won an honorable mention for presentation. I really should have stuck with my initial idea of warm and gooey pumpkin bread, turns out comfort foods carried the day.

Blocked

2008-11-04T20:24:00.002-05:00

So, I don't have access to blogger at work anymore. So I don't really blog anymore. But hey, happy election day!

Consuelo Vanderbilt's wisdom

2008-10-28T21:52:00.003-04:00

In Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt, Amanda Mackenzie Stuart quotes an article Consuelo (who was, for a while, the Duchess of Marlborough) wrote for the New York Journal regarding entertaining. Apparently the clipping Stuart found was undated. The following paragraph is taken from the book, and combines quotes from the article with Stuart's summary.

"'To be a good hostess, one's dominant preoccupation should ... be the pleasure of one's guests, not the vanity of one's person. The woman who entertains because of her Lowestoft service, her lace tablecloth, her old English silver, her hothouse flowers, her epicurean meal and the vision of herself in her newest gown and jewels is not likely to produce happy reactions,' she wrote. The quality of the food was more important than the table décor, for 'hunger cannot be assuaged by a display of china.' A party of six or eight was the ideal number because conversation could be kept general. Music should not be an adjunct to conversation - this was an insult to the musicians as well as the conversational powers of the guests. Asked by the magazine to provide a perfect luncheon menu for a warm June day she suggested 'Cold madrilène soup, coubilac de saumon made with salmon, rice, eggs and pastry - a chaudfroid of chicken with a salad, and an orange dessert'. One could reduce the likelihood of problems by never accepting invitations one did not wish to return, and 'eliminating bores and bounders'.

I particularly enjoyed a few points made here:

1) the guests are always the primary focus of an event

2) 6 or 8 is absolutely the best number, I couldn't agree more. I love being able to have one conversation at the table, that way nobody gets left out. I think it's the absolute pits when you go to a large dinner party and everywhere you turn there is somehow already a conversation in progress, and you seem to be the only odd one out. Again. And by "you" I guess I mean me.

3) I have a very hard time hearing more than one thing at a time, so I always think of music as being highly distracting during a conversation. I love the idea that one can have great powers of conversation, and that they should be allowed to shine.

4) As for that menu, I don't even know what most of it is. I'll have to look it all up later. I like to think that she listed all that off the top of her head, barely pausing to collect her thoughts before she began.

5) Dude, whatever happened to the idea that invitations and visits were always returned? No wonder we're all so disjointed and dis-unified, we spend so little time in each others' homes and you never know if, after having somebody over multiple times, they will return the courtesy or choose to forget you ever existed.

6) And yes, those who have no sense of humor and those with no manners should certainly not be inflicted on congenial company.

Gaby's cake

2008-10-27T20:48:00.003-04:00

I knew when I saw the post on Smitten Kitchen about the chocolate peanut butter cake from Sky High that I wanted to make it the first chance I got. So, imagine my delight when I offer to make Gaby's birthday cake and she mentions chocolate and peanut butter being one of her favorite combinations. It turned out to be quite simple, as promised, quite rich, and incredibly delicious. I highly recommend it.

Troll 2: You Can't P*** on Hospitality

2008-10-13T17:48:00.007-04:00

My friends Kim and Ryan hosted a Troll 2 party last night, complete with a bevy of snacks and treats mirroring those in the movie. While none of us ate our double-decker baloney sandwiches, we all polished off our apple crisp and homemade vanilla ice cream! Did I mention that they even picked the apples themselves?

Thanks for a highly amusing evening, Ryan and Kim. You can be sure that none of us would ever dream of p***ing on your hospitality

ps- Troll 2 has been voted The Worst Movie Ever by imdb.com and most definitely deserves the honor. I've never seen a movie so fantastically terrible.

Blondie cupcakes

2008-09-24T12:32:00.010-04:00

Once upon a time, I arrived at my friend Collin's apartment to find a bunch of cookie-cupcakes on the counter. Apparently he'd grown tired of baking them the usual way (no surprise as I think he only had a pizza pan on which to bake them), and decided to go the cupcake route. I'd never had a cookie cupcake before and I was curious. They were terrible. Really terrible. So when I saw this Martha Stewart recipe for blondie cupcakes, I was skeptical to say the least. Maybe cookies just weren't meant to be made it cupcake form?
But, it was Aaron's birthday and this recipe was the workplace consensus, so I gave it a go. And they were delicious! I have since reminded Collin of that story and apparently it was just a family cookie recipe that is, shall we say, an acquired taste. His wife agreed. I think she has yet to acquire that particular taste.

Anyway, I generally prefer things slightly underbaked. Plus it was getting late, so I pulled these out a few minutes early. They were deliciously soft and many were totally sunken in the middle and it has since occured to me that it would be even more delicious to drop a scoop of ice cream in them and drizzle just a little bit of caramel or fudge on top.

Oh, but next time I'll be sure not to let laziness get the best of me and instead of dropping in liners (they totally stuck to the cupcakes), I'll actually grease the pan.

ps- I thought all toffee chips might be too sweet so I did half of those and half semi-sweet chunks, it seemed to work well

Nie Nie Day auction results

2008-08-31T22:25:00.003-04:00

Congratulations anonymous, you've won the baked goods, and Bri and Adam, you've won the shoes! Please don't forget to send me the receipts and your addresses.

Thanks!

Demelza Hill: RugBag

2008-08-30T20:43:00.004-04:00

While I was checking out the Snap and Dine I noticed her RugBag, which is also pretty nifty. In her own words:

Rugbag is a 2 in 1 picnic rug and bag uses simple folds and fastening to create a new functional option for people who enjoy eating outdoors. The shoulder bag has a large amount of space to transport your picnic in which unzips into a spacious rug. The waterproof underside of the rug also doubles as a wipe clean inner surface to the bag for food and liquids.

Now, I don't know how much room there is for food, but it looks perfect for slipping in a couple of snap and dine sets and it looks like it would hold enough food for two. The wipe clean surface is a definite bonus, as I assume it also acts as something of a tarp between you and the grass. I do hate sitting in the damp.

Demelza Hill: Snap and Dine

2008-08-30T20:35:00.002-04:00

Luke pointed me in the direction of Demelza Hill's Snap and Dine which I have to say is absolutely fantastic and are they for sale? I love the molded detail, I love the fact that it is for multiple courses, and I love the model airplane part concept. And I love how you can put it in your picnic basket and not worry about losing a fork.

Her description of the product is as follows:

Snap and Dine is a single use three-course table setting that integrates disposable cutlery with traditional silverware. The portable lunch setting expands the possibilities of eating outdoors in style whilst reinforcing the correct use of cutlery, which has been lost over time. This is achieved through the decorative qualities and formal setting which both are a visual reference to fine dinning. This product is fun and interactive whilst raising the standards of current eating on the go habits.

Now honestly, who wouldn't want this? If only it were made in bamboo...

Nie Nie Day Silent Auction: Baked Goods

2008-08-28T09:40:00.002-04:00

I am offering one batch of baked goods from the list below:

Chocolate chip cookies

Oatmeal cookies

Lelong Lemon bars

Paley Pecan bars

Butterscotch ginger cookies

Black-bottom cupcakes

Black and white cupcakes

Or anything else listed on this blog that can be mailed.

These will be shipping from Manhattan, so if you live here feel free to choose anything you like. The farther away you live, the sturdier the better.

How to Bid: Leave a comment in the comment section below with your bid amount. Bid increments must be no less than $1.00. Auction will close Sunday, August 31, 2008 at 10pm Eastern Standard Time. The winner will submit payment to the Stephanie Nielson Fund Paypal Account and send the receipt to me to receive their prize.

Nie Nie Day Silent Auction: Delman shoes

2008-08-28T09:30:00.002-04:00

I am donating one pair of Delman Bruna mary janes in a lovely shade of mandarin orange. They are brand new, never worn, in the box and with the dust bag.

Size 8
Heel: approximately 2 1/4"
Patent leather uppers, leather soles
Value: $275

How to Bid: Leave a comment in the comment section below with your bid amount. Bid increments must be no less than $1.00. Auction will close Sunday, August 31, 2008 at 10pm Eastern Standard Time. The winner will submit payment to the Stephanie Nielson Fund Paypal Account and send the receipt to me to receive their prize.

Nie Nie Day

2008-08-28T09:18:00.002-04:00

If you haven't yet heard, today is Nie Nie Day. Stephanie and Christian Nielson were in a horrific plane accident a couple of weeks ago. Stephanie has third-degree burns over 80% of her body and Christian has them over 30% of his body. They are in for a very long and incredibly expensive recovery, so Design Mom has declared today Nie Nie day to help raise funds, and there are silent auctions going on all over the internet, including right here. Design Mom has a full list of the auctions, which I highly recommend checking out, there are lots of super fabulous things!

They're not kidding

2008-08-27T19:29:00.005-04:00

photo courtesy of www.mickeyxtreme.com

So I was piddling around on msn the other day and they had a little story on non-traditional wedding sites and what should I see, but that you can have your wedding at Disneyland! No kidding. This is just the sort of thing I've jokingly planned out for friends for years, but this one is real. As in people do this all the time. It kind of blows my mind, but to each her own.
Anyway, my curiosity was piqued; I simply had to know what this entailed.

Sure, you can get married at one of their two hotels, but why do that when you can take Cinderella's carriage to the Sleeping Beauty Castle and then have your reception in Fantasyland?

image courtesy of bridalwave.tv

They have a couple of different wedding packages with lots of variables. According to the sample budgets, the weddings range from 15,000-45,000 and include such services as flower arranging, disc jockeying, wine service, full dinner, valet parking, and on, and on. Did I mention the strolling violinist?

image courtesy of cakella.com

But seriously, my favorite part is that there is a designer who works with Disney to create bridal gowns inspired by each of the Disney Princesses. Fortunately, the interpretations aren't too literal.

image courtesy of bridalwave.tv, designs by Kirstie Kelly

Pretty amazing, no? While you couldn't pay me enough to have my own wedding there, I totally want to go to one to see what it is really like. Any takers?

Chimney charcoal starters

2008-08-27T10:32:00.002-04:00

Over the past couple of years I have been surprised to learn how many people have never used a chimney charcoal starter whatsit. We didn't have a fancy propane grill growing up, we didn't even have lighter fluid. We had a chimney, and it worked just fine. Seeing as almost nobody else I know has even seen one of these before, I thought I'd post a link to an ehow tutorial. Really, everybody should know how to use one of these.

Sky High

2008-08-21T14:54:00.003-04:00

After reading SmittenKitchen's glowing recommendation (I seriously want some of that cake she made), I had to check out Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman. I'd love to go through the book and make every single cake, but I can't imagine the havoc that would wreak on my waistline (and my wallet), so I'll just have to patiently wait for appropriate occasions.

Shut. Up.

2008-08-14T10:20:00.002-04:00

Image of Julia Child from npr.org

Julia Child worked for the OSS during WWII, apparently one of her tasks was to help create a shark repellent so the poor things would stop bumping into our bombs under water. Read more about it here.

Someday

2008-07-31T19:55:00.001-04:00

central air from home.howstuffworks.com

Someday, when I have central air conditioning, or at least a backyard, I'll have parties in the summer, too.

Strawberry smoothie

2008-07-22T22:41:00.004-04:00

The other day I bought two pints of strawberries, cut off the tops and froze them. Tonight, after a long day of work, I put a large handful of them into the blender with some skim milk and sugar, blended it into super-tasty smoothie, put in Manhattan Melodrama, and relaxed. I love a good strawberry smoothie in the summer.