Island-Inspired Dishes to Celebrate the Final Season of Lost
© Cedric Angeles
© Cedric Angeles

© Tina Rupp
Chorizo-Filled Dates
Over the holidays, I went to a festive holiday dinner party in Los Angeles that was catered by Heirloom LA, a modern, trendy (and cute) catering couple who made a fantastic family-style dinner. Matthew Poley is in charge of the savory and Tara Maxey the sweet. Other than the bite-size, twice-baked potato hors d'oeuvres, I'd say the biggest treat of the night was digging into their signature lasagna cupcakes-crisp on top, soft and melty inside. Another favorite dish was a side of garlicky sautéed kale laced with lots of red wine vinegar, which paired perfectly with a platter of crusty grilled steak slices. I was super-impressed by the food, which was simple and perfectly cooked. And I loved that the meal was served family-style; it lent a homey, casual vibe to the night and set the perfect tone for a bustling holiday party. I can't wait to see the caterers again when I'm back in L.A. in May.

In the controversial reality show's latest episode, The Situation and his male roommates decide to make an "unbelievable dinner" and stay at home with Nicole "Snooki," who is recovering from being punched (by a man!). "There's going to be a feast on the dinner table, but 'The Situation' has got it under control," he says.
When The Situation refuses to help clean up after the "feast" of lobster, steak, asparagus, grilled corn and salad, his short-lived flame Sammi "Sweetheart" picks a fight with him. (In a previous episode, the two flirted while preparing sausage and peppers together.)
His retaliation: "From now on you are excluded from dinner then. You are excluded from surf and turf night. You are excluded from ravioli night. You are excluded from chicken cutlet night."
Oh no! Anything but chicken cutlet night!

© Kaviari
Kaviari "Kristal"

1. Be worldly—follow the Swedish tradition of eating birthday cake for breakfast on your birthday.
2. Drink a cocktail before party guests arrive—it'll loosen you up and make you a better hostess.
3. Be a gracious and unflappable hostess, unperturbed by spilled wine or a crying child. Note: See #2, which will help.
4. Lottery tickets make great place cards—that’s one way to make it to Park Avenue.
5. Note for next year: Hand out to-go wine cups for parents accompanying trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
© Marlo Hunter
Eating Their Words reinvents dinner theater.
The dinner-theater concept sounds like a throwback, but director Marlo Hunter is trying to make it hip again with Eating Their Words. Hunter enlists noteworthy writers and actors for an evening of short plays to be performed at a top NYC restaurant. As part of the action, the actors sit at a table and eat a dish; immediately after the performance, the audience is served everything they've just seen the actors enjoy. The next Eating Their Words event, on Monday, October 19, will be at Tocqueville restaurant, with works by Pulitzer Prize finalist Theresa Rebeck and playwrights Jonathan Marc Sherman and Sam Forman. Tocqueville chef-owner Marco Moreira has created a menu to complement the plays, including schmaltz roasted country chicken and a bittersweet chocolate tort. Tickets must be purchased before Sunday, October 18.
© Tina Rupp
The recent obsession with learning to butcher and cooking an entire animal from snout to tail meant that my Fourth of July weekend was packed with pig-roast invitations, rather than the typical burger-and-beer barbecues of years past. When my friend Tiffany introduced the idea of hosting a pig roast to her husband, Santi, she assumed they would have the event catered. But, ever resourceful, Santi Googled "pig roast" and landed at a site called Three Guys From Miami, which provided instructions for a Cuban-style DIY pig roast. Santi followed the directions to construct his own roaster (now a fixture in the backyard), ordered a 55-pound hog from his local butcher and spent the night massaging the pig with his own special rub. I was skeptical, but after the pig cooked for six hours over indirect heat, we had a delicious feast for the Fourth.


© image courtesy of Etsy
willowbaus sailboat
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