From the December 20, 2007 Entertaining with Kathi newspaper column by Florida food writer Kathi Dameron. This is the original, unedited version that was submitted to the newspaper.
"Let These Home-Made Treats Help Sweeten Your Holidays"
By Kathi Dameron
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse, when momma awoke and slipped into her fur-trimmed robe and tip-toed to the kitchen for a time-honored tradition.
With husband and young ones still deep in their slumber, Momma carefully reached into her china cupboard to retrieve her vintage Victorian cocoa pot and mugs.
While outdoors the polar-esque winds of winter blew and icy negligees of frozen rain blanketed the peripheral gardens, indoors the kitchen was warm and toasty and fragrant with the aroma of Pecan Stuffed French Toast With Honey Nut Butter and the seasonal splurge of a lovingly brewed pot of hot cocoa with old-fashioned homemade marshmallows.
Rich frothy hot chocolate, decadent French toast and the opening of Christmas presents around a beautifully adorned and illuminated evergreen tree sing of the sweet joy of Christmas morning.
For Christmas morning, Christmas Eve or to warm a group of holiday carolers; a well-brewed pot of Hot Cocoa will delight the spirit and warm the soul. My recipe for hot cocoa has a couple of special twists. Rather than the standard dark chocolate, I’ve opted for a white chocolate with a jolt of java added. Instead of the usual packaged rubbery marshmallows, my recipe includes the how to directions for creating your very own homemade marshmallows like the ones made in days of long ago.
Frothy White Hot Chocolate Cappuccino (Serves 2)
1 cup steamed milk
2 tablespoons espresso
4-oz White Chocolate, melted
one-half teaspoon sugar
a dusting of cinnamon
Homemade marshmallows
white chocolate garnish of curls or shavings
2 cinnamon sticks
Pour steamed milk, espresso and melted white chocolate together. Stir well. Sprinkle top with sugar, cinnamon, homemade marshmallows and white chocolate garnish. Add cinnamon stick to be used as a fragrant stirrer.
Old Fashioned Home-made Marshmallows
3 packages Knox Unflavored Gelatin made with one half cup ice cold water
one and one half cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
one quarter teaspoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar
Combine the unflavored gelatin with one half-cup ice cold water in an electric mixer. Set aside.
Mix together sugar, corn syrup, salt and one half-cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar melts. Increase temperature, insert candy thermometer and cook the syrup until it reaches 240 degrees.
Slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture. Mix well then increase to high speed for about 15 minutes. Whip the mixture until it is very thick. Add vanilla, mixing well.
Dust a glass, baking dish with confectioners’ sugar.
Pour marshmallow mixture into pan. Smooth the top and dust with additional confectioners’ sugar. Let dry out over night at room temperature.
Cut in squares and dust with additional confectioners’ sugar.
Pecan Stuffed French Toast with Honey Nut Butter
From the Chicago Pike Inn, a Bed and Breakfast in Coldwater, Michigan comes this Christmas morning indulgence.
French Toast:
4 oz. cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons pecans, chopped
1 loaf day old French bread, unsliced
3 eggs
one quarter cup milk
shortening
cinnamon or nutmeg
Honey Nut Butter:
One third cup pecans, chopped
One half cup butter
One quarter cup honey
French Toast: Blend cream cheese, vanilla, nuts and only one tablespoon of sugar.
Slice bread into one and one-half inch slices. Don’t use ends. (You should have about 16 slices bread.) Slice a pocket across the top to make a pocket to stuff with one tablespoon of cream cheese mixture. Mix eggs, milk the other one tablespoon of sugar. Dip bread into mixture and fry or grill in melted shortening. (It also works to bake it in the oven, flipping bread slices to bake on both sides.) Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg. Use the following honey nut butter to pour over the top of the French toast.
Honey Nut Butter:
Mix nuts with butter and honey till well blended. Heat mixture till warm and the consistency of syrup. Makes 1 cup.
The edited version of this article appeared in the Northeast Chronicle, a publication of the Tallahassee Democrat.
Kathi Dameron is a caterer, special event designer, food writer and teacher of cooking classes. She owns Canopy Rose Culinary Arts Studio and Catering Company. She can be reached at canopyrose@aol.com or at 850-539-7750
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Entertaining with Kathi newspaper column ~ December 6, 2007
“Wow! What is that?” My new catering assistant asked as she gawked at the dramatic dessert pyramid.
“This is a Chocolate Kahlua Croquembouche for tonight’s Christmas Party.” I responded with the pride of a pastry chef.
“It is beautiful! I’ve never seen anything like it! I sure would love to learn to make one!” She said as I showed her the sketch of the Holiday Pastry Stations that we would be creating for the festive corporate soiree we were catering for 300 guests.
The croquembouche was the centerpiece in a round trio table presentation, anchored by heavenly Chocolate Buche De Noel Yule Logs and elegant displays of bite-size Christmas-time confections. To complete the look, the tables were elaborately adorned with festive gold lame fabrics, bejeweled holiday trims and candlelight to create a vision of seasonal splendor.
My interpretation of a Holiday Croquembouche is made with one of my favorite holiday indulgences- Chocolate Pecan Kahlua Balls. The process is similar to making a traditional croquembouche, except I substituted the standard vanilla crème patisserie cream puffs and obliterated the need for the traditional sword that usually accompanies a Croquembouche.
Creative license in the kitchen is a good thing! By tweaking an age-old design with a flourish of culinary artistry, you can build a rich and spirited holiday confection that kindles the senses and ignites the oohs and ahs! You will find that this treat towers above and beyond the same ole, same ole Christmas party fare and will speak volumes about the caliber of party you throw! If you are anything like me, you want to serve food at your soirees that is beautiful, delicious and different from the food being served at every other party.
Chocolate Pecan Kahlua Balls
One half cup Kahlua
0ne fourth cup light corn syrup
one third cup candied cherries, chopped
one third cup golden raisins, chopped
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
one half cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 and one half cups vanilla wafer crumbs, chopped fine
1 cups pecans, finely chopped
For Rolling: powdered sugar, cocoa powder, coconut, chopped nuts
Combine kahlua with syrup and fruits. Blend sugar, cocoa, crumbs and pecans. Combine mixtures, Shape into small balls. Roll in desired coating. Freeze or store in an airtight container.
This recipe yields about 4 dozen balls or enough for a small croquembouche. Multiply the recipe accordingly as needed.
To Assemble A Holiday Croquembouche
Styrofoam Cylinder Cone
Pastry Brush
Toothpicks
Bittersweet Chocolate, melted
Brush cone with melted chocolate in 2-inch wide strips down the length of the cone.
Wrap waxed paper around cone. Completely cover cone, letting the chocolate serve as your adhesive.
Place cone on a platter.
Holding toothpick at an angle, press two-thirds of the toothpick into the cone. Press Chocolate Pecan Kahlua Ball onto toothpick.
Repeat, working in a spiral-like design toward the top of the cone.
Dress your pyramid and dessert platter with strands of spun sugar and marzipan roses.
This article originally appeared in the Entertaining with Kathi newspaper column that runs every other week in the Northeast Chronicle, a publication of the Tallahassee Democrat.
Kathi Dameron is a caterer, special event designer, food writer and teacher of cooking classes. She owns Canopy Rose Culinary Arts Studio and Catering Company in Havana, Florida. She can be reached at 850-539-7750 or at canopyrose@aol.com
“This is a Chocolate Kahlua Croquembouche for tonight’s Christmas Party.” I responded with the pride of a pastry chef.
“It is beautiful! I’ve never seen anything like it! I sure would love to learn to make one!” She said as I showed her the sketch of the Holiday Pastry Stations that we would be creating for the festive corporate soiree we were catering for 300 guests.
The croquembouche was the centerpiece in a round trio table presentation, anchored by heavenly Chocolate Buche De Noel Yule Logs and elegant displays of bite-size Christmas-time confections. To complete the look, the tables were elaborately adorned with festive gold lame fabrics, bejeweled holiday trims and candlelight to create a vision of seasonal splendor.
My interpretation of a Holiday Croquembouche is made with one of my favorite holiday indulgences- Chocolate Pecan Kahlua Balls. The process is similar to making a traditional croquembouche, except I substituted the standard vanilla crème patisserie cream puffs and obliterated the need for the traditional sword that usually accompanies a Croquembouche.
Creative license in the kitchen is a good thing! By tweaking an age-old design with a flourish of culinary artistry, you can build a rich and spirited holiday confection that kindles the senses and ignites the oohs and ahs! You will find that this treat towers above and beyond the same ole, same ole Christmas party fare and will speak volumes about the caliber of party you throw! If you are anything like me, you want to serve food at your soirees that is beautiful, delicious and different from the food being served at every other party.
Chocolate Pecan Kahlua Balls
One half cup Kahlua
0ne fourth cup light corn syrup
one third cup candied cherries, chopped
one third cup golden raisins, chopped
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
one half cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 and one half cups vanilla wafer crumbs, chopped fine
1 cups pecans, finely chopped
For Rolling: powdered sugar, cocoa powder, coconut, chopped nuts
Combine kahlua with syrup and fruits. Blend sugar, cocoa, crumbs and pecans. Combine mixtures, Shape into small balls. Roll in desired coating. Freeze or store in an airtight container.
This recipe yields about 4 dozen balls or enough for a small croquembouche. Multiply the recipe accordingly as needed.
To Assemble A Holiday Croquembouche
Styrofoam Cylinder Cone
Pastry Brush
Toothpicks
Bittersweet Chocolate, melted
Brush cone with melted chocolate in 2-inch wide strips down the length of the cone.
Wrap waxed paper around cone. Completely cover cone, letting the chocolate serve as your adhesive.
Place cone on a platter.
Holding toothpick at an angle, press two-thirds of the toothpick into the cone. Press Chocolate Pecan Kahlua Ball onto toothpick.
Repeat, working in a spiral-like design toward the top of the cone.
Dress your pyramid and dessert platter with strands of spun sugar and marzipan roses.
This article originally appeared in the Entertaining with Kathi newspaper column that runs every other week in the Northeast Chronicle, a publication of the Tallahassee Democrat.
Kathi Dameron is a caterer, special event designer, food writer and teacher of cooking classes. She owns Canopy Rose Culinary Arts Studio and Catering Company in Havana, Florida. She can be reached at 850-539-7750 or at canopyrose@aol.com
Entertaining with Kathi ~ November 22, 2007
From the November 22, 2007 Entertaining with Kathi newspaper column. Here is the original, unedited version that I submitted to the paper.
“Fresh Harvested Pecans” the sign read.
I couldn’t resist the temptation! I skidded on the brakes and maneuvered my vehicle into the crunchy, graveled parking lot of the roadside stand.
The sound of a shelling machine deafened the air.
“When did you start harvesting?” I asked the farmer.
“About a month ago….” he said before we trailed off in conversation about Gin Creek.
“I’ll take a five pound bag.” I said. But I probably should have gone for the fifty-pounder. With the holiday season coming and the launch of my new culinary arts studio and catering company, I’m sure to run through some pecans pretty quick.
Toting my bag, I returned to the car and headed south for the final stretch of my days adventure. I was thrilled. I had a regional culinary treasure to tote back to Tallahassee! Pecan recipes began sifting through my imagination alongside the captured memories of the afternoon.
Caramelized Pecan Oven-Fried Chicken…
Meeting with the plumber and electrician in Havana.
Marshmallow Pecan Divinity…
Getting lost beside South Georgia cotton fields.
Pecan Turkey Dressing…
Summoning patience while driving behind a colorful poultry housekeeper wagon that slowed the traffic.
Pecan Samosas…
Accepting coffee and directions from a kind-hearted transplanted grandfatherly Indian Inn Keeper in Bainbridge.
Dreamy Plantation Pecan Pie
Visiting Gin Creek and seeing the setting and vision for dream wedding receptions.
Caramel Apple Pecan Cake….
A delicious cake I tasted this year at a Halloween Party in Havana. The rich, wholesome flavor still lingers in memory, tempting me to create a similar version to send to my long –distance family for a Thanksgiving present.
Pecan Date Loaf Candy….
Memories of a friends heirloom holiday recipe resurfaced.
Bingo! Not only had I accomplished my mission of exploring the logistics of catering an upcoming wedding at Gin Creek, the day’s jaunt also provided an idea and recipe inspiration for today’s column...Pecan Date Loaf Candy . It is an absolutely amazing holiday treat!
Ten years ago a friend shared this recipe with me. He had invited me over to his new home in Lafayette Oaks. By moonlight and flashlight, we stalked the collard green patch. He filled shopping bags full of big, beautiful deep green ruffled leaves for me to use for my catering. No I didn’t chop them and cook them with ham hocks. But instead I used them as an edible signature liner for Canopy Rose party platters. It was on that same evening I was introduced to one of the most delicious Holiday confections I have ever put in my mouth.
But be forewarned, once you taste these treasures you just might not be able to resist the temptation to over-indulge.
Ozark Pecan Date Loaf Candy
3 cups sugar
1 package dates, chopped
1 cup canned evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons butter
one half cup white Karo syrup
1 cup chopped pecans
one eight teaspoon salt
Combine sugar, milk, butter, Karo syrup and salt. Blend until smooth.
Cook to 230 degrees, then remove from heat and add dates, pecans and vanilla. You must use a candy thermometer. It will make a huge difference in obtaining the correct consistence for the candy.
Beat until creamy and thick.
Pour onto a clean damp tea towel.
Make roll one and one-half inches in diameter, put aside or refrigerate until cool.
Break into bite size pieces and store in pretty air-tight holiday tins.
Kathi Dameron is up to her taste buds in setting up the new Canopy Rose Culinary Arts Studio and Catering Company for the 2007 Holiday Party Season. She can be reached at 850-539-7750 or at www.canopyrose.com
“Fresh Harvested Pecans” the sign read.
I couldn’t resist the temptation! I skidded on the brakes and maneuvered my vehicle into the crunchy, graveled parking lot of the roadside stand.
The sound of a shelling machine deafened the air.
“When did you start harvesting?” I asked the farmer.
“About a month ago….” he said before we trailed off in conversation about Gin Creek.
“I’ll take a five pound bag.” I said. But I probably should have gone for the fifty-pounder. With the holiday season coming and the launch of my new culinary arts studio and catering company, I’m sure to run through some pecans pretty quick.
Toting my bag, I returned to the car and headed south for the final stretch of my days adventure. I was thrilled. I had a regional culinary treasure to tote back to Tallahassee! Pecan recipes began sifting through my imagination alongside the captured memories of the afternoon.
Caramelized Pecan Oven-Fried Chicken…
Meeting with the plumber and electrician in Havana.
Marshmallow Pecan Divinity…
Getting lost beside South Georgia cotton fields.
Pecan Turkey Dressing…
Summoning patience while driving behind a colorful poultry housekeeper wagon that slowed the traffic.
Pecan Samosas…
Accepting coffee and directions from a kind-hearted transplanted grandfatherly Indian Inn Keeper in Bainbridge.
Dreamy Plantation Pecan Pie
Visiting Gin Creek and seeing the setting and vision for dream wedding receptions.
Caramel Apple Pecan Cake….
A delicious cake I tasted this year at a Halloween Party in Havana. The rich, wholesome flavor still lingers in memory, tempting me to create a similar version to send to my long –distance family for a Thanksgiving present.
Pecan Date Loaf Candy….
Memories of a friends heirloom holiday recipe resurfaced.
Bingo! Not only had I accomplished my mission of exploring the logistics of catering an upcoming wedding at Gin Creek, the day’s jaunt also provided an idea and recipe inspiration for today’s column...Pecan Date Loaf Candy . It is an absolutely amazing holiday treat!
Ten years ago a friend shared this recipe with me. He had invited me over to his new home in Lafayette Oaks. By moonlight and flashlight, we stalked the collard green patch. He filled shopping bags full of big, beautiful deep green ruffled leaves for me to use for my catering. No I didn’t chop them and cook them with ham hocks. But instead I used them as an edible signature liner for Canopy Rose party platters. It was on that same evening I was introduced to one of the most delicious Holiday confections I have ever put in my mouth.
But be forewarned, once you taste these treasures you just might not be able to resist the temptation to over-indulge.
Ozark Pecan Date Loaf Candy
3 cups sugar
1 package dates, chopped
1 cup canned evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons butter
one half cup white Karo syrup
1 cup chopped pecans
one eight teaspoon salt
Combine sugar, milk, butter, Karo syrup and salt. Blend until smooth.
Cook to 230 degrees, then remove from heat and add dates, pecans and vanilla. You must use a candy thermometer. It will make a huge difference in obtaining the correct consistence for the candy.
Beat until creamy and thick.
Pour onto a clean damp tea towel.
Make roll one and one-half inches in diameter, put aside or refrigerate until cool.
Break into bite size pieces and store in pretty air-tight holiday tins.
Kathi Dameron is up to her taste buds in setting up the new Canopy Rose Culinary Arts Studio and Catering Company for the 2007 Holiday Party Season. She can be reached at 850-539-7750 or at www.canopyrose.com
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
New Season Brings New Adventures
From The November 7, 2007 Entertaining with Kathi newspaper column
New Season Brings New Adventures
By Kathi Dameron
A new food business is opening up in the Tallahassee area, and I've got the inside scoop.
Twelve miles outside of town, in the quaint historic town of Havana, a beautiful old building is being refashioned into a unique culinary-arts studio that will feature a diverse menu of creative food events, cooking classes and professional collaborations.
The cuisine de jour of this new adventure will be based on some eclectic flavor-jaunting around the globe. For good measure, regional twists and gracious purposes will be added to the mix to infuse an uncommon flavor. Sound familiar?
Actually, I've got the exclusive on this story because this new culinary venture is my brainchild.
It's amazing how things evolve over time when we embark on a journey. We can't ever really know at the onset where the journey will eventually lead us. I didn't realize when I first started writing this food and entertaining column in May of 2006 that an unquenchable creative thirst in my spirit would spring to life and give way to a blazing desire to branch out in new directions in the field of culinary arts.
But that is exactly what has happened. Writing this column has in some inexplicable way reconnected me with the girl I once was - an intermittently shy girl who dreamed big dreams, who believed her daddy every time he told her that she could be whatever she wanted to be in life as long as she was willing to work hard enough at it and trust the music that played in her own soul.
Writing this column has been a labor of love for me. I hope that you will continue to want to read Entertaining with Kathi as much as I want to continue to pen it. I have big plans for the future, and I want you all to be a part of the exciting things to come!
First on the drawing board is a series of make-and-take workshops. Very fun! Very hands-on!
Cooking class parties, team-building events, evenings of dialogue, guest-chef collaborations and culinary jaunts to far-away destinations are a few of the other plans in the works for this new food business.
A Gala Grand Opening Celebration is being planned for after the holidays. In the meantime, the space will serve as a unique rental venue for private holiday gatherings, wedding rehearsal dinners, classes, seminars and workshops. So, if you are looking for a great place to hold your next special event, call me, and let's powwow!
Speaking about powwowing, November is the perfect time to gather your friends near a crackling fire for an evening of delicious seasonal dining.
Why not kick-off your dinner soiree with a yummy, savory brew of curried-pumpkin and toasted-almond soup topped with a sprinkling of smoky bacon and the sweet, crispy bite of orange-cinnamon croutons. Ah, here you have the quintessential first course for an elegant November supper.
Curried Pumpkin & Toasted Almond Soup with Orange Cinnamon Honey Crispies
1. Whip up your favorite pumpkin soup recipe. Add finely ground almonds.
2. Cook up a few strips of bacon. Crumble and set aside.
3. Drizzle honey, cinnamon and orange juice over diced bread bites and toast in a 350-degree oven till crisp and golden. Stirring occasionally.
4. Ladle soup into individual hollowed-out mini-pumpkins. Top with crumbled bacon, chopped green onions and croutons.
Serve with a hot from the oven home-made loaf of bread with herb-spiked olive oil, a mixed-greens, main-course salad with grilled chicken, Gorgonzola, green apple, sun-dried cranberries and caramelized pumpkin-seed brittle drizzled with a Florida peppered-tangerine vinaigrette. For a show-stopping seasonal dessert, autumn lacquered pears or a Vermont apple crisp with hand-churned, vanilla-bean or pralines-and-cream ice cream drizzled with hot caramel sauce will add a delightful finishing touch.
Kathi Dameron is a caterer, special event designer, food writer and chef-instructor. She was the founder and chef-owner of the legendary Canopy Rose Cafe and Catering Company that catered to the Who's Who of Florida for many years. She took a sabbatical of sorts for a few years from catering, to work on writing projects and hone her skills in public relations, marketing and branding. During this time she founded Kathi Dameron and Associates, a boutique consulting business that offers creative out-of-the-box services to other businesses. The offices for Kathi Dameron and Associates will be relocating to the beautiful Canopy Rose Culinary Arts Studio when it opens for the 2007 Holidays. Need catering? Full-service custom catering services will once again be offered! Check out some of our menus.
New Season Brings New Adventures
By Kathi Dameron
A new food business is opening up in the Tallahassee area, and I've got the inside scoop.
Twelve miles outside of town, in the quaint historic town of Havana, a beautiful old building is being refashioned into a unique culinary-arts studio that will feature a diverse menu of creative food events, cooking classes and professional collaborations.
The cuisine de jour of this new adventure will be based on some eclectic flavor-jaunting around the globe. For good measure, regional twists and gracious purposes will be added to the mix to infuse an uncommon flavor. Sound familiar?
Actually, I've got the exclusive on this story because this new culinary venture is my brainchild.
It's amazing how things evolve over time when we embark on a journey. We can't ever really know at the onset where the journey will eventually lead us. I didn't realize when I first started writing this food and entertaining column in May of 2006 that an unquenchable creative thirst in my spirit would spring to life and give way to a blazing desire to branch out in new directions in the field of culinary arts.
But that is exactly what has happened. Writing this column has in some inexplicable way reconnected me with the girl I once was - an intermittently shy girl who dreamed big dreams, who believed her daddy every time he told her that she could be whatever she wanted to be in life as long as she was willing to work hard enough at it and trust the music that played in her own soul.
Writing this column has been a labor of love for me. I hope that you will continue to want to read Entertaining with Kathi as much as I want to continue to pen it. I have big plans for the future, and I want you all to be a part of the exciting things to come!
First on the drawing board is a series of make-and-take workshops. Very fun! Very hands-on!
Cooking class parties, team-building events, evenings of dialogue, guest-chef collaborations and culinary jaunts to far-away destinations are a few of the other plans in the works for this new food business.
A Gala Grand Opening Celebration is being planned for after the holidays. In the meantime, the space will serve as a unique rental venue for private holiday gatherings, wedding rehearsal dinners, classes, seminars and workshops. So, if you are looking for a great place to hold your next special event, call me, and let's powwow!
Speaking about powwowing, November is the perfect time to gather your friends near a crackling fire for an evening of delicious seasonal dining.
Why not kick-off your dinner soiree with a yummy, savory brew of curried-pumpkin and toasted-almond soup topped with a sprinkling of smoky bacon and the sweet, crispy bite of orange-cinnamon croutons. Ah, here you have the quintessential first course for an elegant November supper.
Curried Pumpkin & Toasted Almond Soup with Orange Cinnamon Honey Crispies
1. Whip up your favorite pumpkin soup recipe. Add finely ground almonds.
2. Cook up a few strips of bacon. Crumble and set aside.
3. Drizzle honey, cinnamon and orange juice over diced bread bites and toast in a 350-degree oven till crisp and golden. Stirring occasionally.
4. Ladle soup into individual hollowed-out mini-pumpkins. Top with crumbled bacon, chopped green onions and croutons.
Serve with a hot from the oven home-made loaf of bread with herb-spiked olive oil, a mixed-greens, main-course salad with grilled chicken, Gorgonzola, green apple, sun-dried cranberries and caramelized pumpkin-seed brittle drizzled with a Florida peppered-tangerine vinaigrette. For a show-stopping seasonal dessert, autumn lacquered pears or a Vermont apple crisp with hand-churned, vanilla-bean or pralines-and-cream ice cream drizzled with hot caramel sauce will add a delightful finishing touch.
Kathi Dameron is a caterer, special event designer, food writer and chef-instructor. She was the founder and chef-owner of the legendary Canopy Rose Cafe and Catering Company that catered to the Who's Who of Florida for many years. She took a sabbatical of sorts for a few years from catering, to work on writing projects and hone her skills in public relations, marketing and branding. During this time she founded Kathi Dameron and Associates, a boutique consulting business that offers creative out-of-the-box services to other businesses. The offices for Kathi Dameron and Associates will be relocating to the beautiful Canopy Rose Culinary Arts Studio when it opens for the 2007 Holidays. Need catering? Full-service custom catering services will once again be offered! Check out some of our menus.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Entertaining with Kathi Column ~ October 24, 2007
Going Green with An Eco-Chic Soiree For Halloween
By Kathi Dameron
A frightfully good Halloween Party was the heady brew bubbling in the cauldron of my imagination.
My vision was to concoct a zany recipe for a weird and wonderful party that would be cutting edge and in-step with the times.
In a moment of serendipity, the contemporary newsworthy expression “Hasta La Vista Baby To Greenhouse Gases…” from the lips of THE TERMINATOR popped across my imagination and I was off and stirring with a ghoulish idea.
Co-mingling current affairs with thought-provoking art is an idea that I first tasted during my impressionable forays into the avant garde New York City design world of the late 1970’s. Showcasing the noble and worthy through the artistic, the fun and even the outrageous is a tasteful strategy for drawing attention to a worthwhile cause. In my book, the future of our environment qualifies as an important cause to be embraced.
So for a Halloween soiree- why not transform the front yard into a creepy and foggy cemetery. On gray headstones, global warming messages could be painted in shaky blood-red lettering while rented fog machines could create the eerie effects of smoke and smog.
Halloween is indeed the perfect time to throw an all out crazy palooza! For Halloween gives us the opportunity to do the otherwise insane.
But instead of being crazy, the party theme and menu would be very sane for it would showcase the epitome of environmentally conscious entertaining.
We are talking eco-chic soirees, here. My conscious shudders with guilt over the many times that parties I hosted or catered over the years were anything but eco-chic. But hey we all make mistakes, and some of us, yours truly included, might have a tendency to arrive fashionably late.
The good news is… it’s not too late to clean up our act and get moving forward on an ecologically chic pathway.
So where would we begin? How would one go about throwing an environmentally conscious party? It begins in the planning process when a conscience decision is made to only do that which is good for the environment and reject that which is destructive.
How To Throw An Eco-Chic Party
1. Invitations - Whenever possible opt for post-consumer recycled paper and soy ink or even send a digital invitation. Did you know that there are free online invitation services?
2. Tabletop Dishes – Use the real thing. It is so much nicer to eat off real dishes with real silverware anyway. Beverages also always taste better in nice glassware. If you must use disposable products, then choose products that are recyclable, biodegradable and made from unbleached materials.
3. Candles – Dim the lights and use nontoxic, beeswax or soy-based, petroleum-free candles. If you have a collection of half-burned candles, recycle them by melting them together and re pouring them into old jelly jars to create new candles.
4. Food- Think local! Plan your menu around seasonal, locally grown fruits and vegetables. Support our local farmers.
5. Serving Dishes-Use natural containers for your food. At Halloween, pumpkins are great as a wonderful and whimsical dual purpose soup tureen or dip container.
6. Leftovers- Donate excessive left over food to the food bank or send guests home with food!
7. Garbage- Make it easy on your guests to recycle. Set up separate recycle bins near the garbage.
8. Transportation- Encourage guests to carpool.
9. Clean-Up- Use non-toxic planet friendly cleaners.
10. Menu Ideas – Attend one of my eco-chic cooking classes for delicious and regionally inspired green party menus.
This article was originally submitted to the Northeast Chronicle, a community publication of the Tallahassee Democrat for the October 25, 2007 "Entertaining with Kathi" food and entertaining column.
Kathi Dameron teaches Make and Take Cooking Workshops. To request a cooking class schedule contact Kathi at 850-422-3599 or at askkathidameron@aol.com
By Kathi Dameron
A frightfully good Halloween Party was the heady brew bubbling in the cauldron of my imagination.
My vision was to concoct a zany recipe for a weird and wonderful party that would be cutting edge and in-step with the times.
In a moment of serendipity, the contemporary newsworthy expression “Hasta La Vista Baby To Greenhouse Gases…” from the lips of THE TERMINATOR popped across my imagination and I was off and stirring with a ghoulish idea.
Co-mingling current affairs with thought-provoking art is an idea that I first tasted during my impressionable forays into the avant garde New York City design world of the late 1970’s. Showcasing the noble and worthy through the artistic, the fun and even the outrageous is a tasteful strategy for drawing attention to a worthwhile cause. In my book, the future of our environment qualifies as an important cause to be embraced.
So for a Halloween soiree- why not transform the front yard into a creepy and foggy cemetery. On gray headstones, global warming messages could be painted in shaky blood-red lettering while rented fog machines could create the eerie effects of smoke and smog.
Halloween is indeed the perfect time to throw an all out crazy palooza! For Halloween gives us the opportunity to do the otherwise insane.
But instead of being crazy, the party theme and menu would be very sane for it would showcase the epitome of environmentally conscious entertaining.
We are talking eco-chic soirees, here. My conscious shudders with guilt over the many times that parties I hosted or catered over the years were anything but eco-chic. But hey we all make mistakes, and some of us, yours truly included, might have a tendency to arrive fashionably late.
The good news is… it’s not too late to clean up our act and get moving forward on an ecologically chic pathway.
So where would we begin? How would one go about throwing an environmentally conscious party? It begins in the planning process when a conscience decision is made to only do that which is good for the environment and reject that which is destructive.
How To Throw An Eco-Chic Party
1. Invitations - Whenever possible opt for post-consumer recycled paper and soy ink or even send a digital invitation. Did you know that there are free online invitation services?
2. Tabletop Dishes – Use the real thing. It is so much nicer to eat off real dishes with real silverware anyway. Beverages also always taste better in nice glassware. If you must use disposable products, then choose products that are recyclable, biodegradable and made from unbleached materials.
3. Candles – Dim the lights and use nontoxic, beeswax or soy-based, petroleum-free candles. If you have a collection of half-burned candles, recycle them by melting them together and re pouring them into old jelly jars to create new candles.
4. Food- Think local! Plan your menu around seasonal, locally grown fruits and vegetables. Support our local farmers.
5. Serving Dishes-Use natural containers for your food. At Halloween, pumpkins are great as a wonderful and whimsical dual purpose soup tureen or dip container.
6. Leftovers- Donate excessive left over food to the food bank or send guests home with food!
7. Garbage- Make it easy on your guests to recycle. Set up separate recycle bins near the garbage.
8. Transportation- Encourage guests to carpool.
9. Clean-Up- Use non-toxic planet friendly cleaners.
10. Menu Ideas – Attend one of my eco-chic cooking classes for delicious and regionally inspired green party menus.
This article was originally submitted to the Northeast Chronicle, a community publication of the Tallahassee Democrat for the October 25, 2007 "Entertaining with Kathi" food and entertaining column.
Kathi Dameron teaches Make and Take Cooking Workshops. To request a cooking class schedule contact Kathi at 850-422-3599 or at askkathidameron@aol.com
Photo Credit: Chris Withers (Springfield Illinois) & SXC
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The secret is in the sauce for wild game By Kathi Dameron
“Come over on Sunday and watch the wildlife frolic. I'll cook you some real food, too - the sort of food we eat around these parts,” the Georgia Bulldog said.
“I suspect you are a real connoisseur of buckshot speckled-delights,” I responded. “Sounds like a plan. How about I drive up after church?”
“Make sure and wear your jeans; no one dresses up on this ranch. Do you own cowboy boots?”
“Absolutely! I've been around ranches in my life. I'm a cowgirl from way back."
“Good. I'll take you out riding on the trails.”
“Can I bring something?”
“No, no, no. We don't need any of those chlorophyll leaves you city folks call food. You just bring yourself. I'll handle the provisions.”
Being the foodie that I am, I couldn't help but to ponder what sort of meal this bachelor beau would be cooking for a former caterer. Rich, hunteresque flavors rustled my taste buds as I reminisced about wild-game meals I had enjoyed in years past while growing up with a dad who enjoyed autumn hunts with his ranching buddies and who always kept the family's freezer well stocked with sides of beef and wild caches of pheasant, duck and deer. It had been a long time since I'd dined with a hunter. I couldn't wait.
“If this dinner tastes as good as it looks and smells, I'll be dreaming of buck-shot meats for a long time. I hope you'll share at least one recipe with me.”
“Maybe one,” he said with a wink as he raised his glass and toasted the animals for their lives.
“I don't know that I want you putting my recipes in your newspaper column or anything. These recipes have been handed down in my family for generations. In fact, we keep copies in the bank vault,” he said as he puffed out his chest with generational pride, while cautiously carving the crisp, golden roasted venison.
“So, what is your secret?” I asked.
“Kathi, one of the secrets to great tasting game is to marinate it for a couple days.”
There you have it, from the mouth of a shotgun-shooting and card-carrying outdoors man who knows how to cook what he hunts and how to hunt for what he eats.
Maybe one of the best parts of eating a wild game dinner with the hunter himself is witnessing the hunter's delight in reliving the experience of hunting that meal. You almost feel as if you are in the field at sunrise with him in the company of his good friends, faced with the challenge and about to be tested to the limit.
I learned something from this meal and from the wisdom gleaned that hunting for one's food is about so much more than what it appears to be on the surface. It's about an intimate relationship between man and his food source, and it's about putting a delicious meal on the table. It is also about carrying on an age-old tradition of human survival - perhaps even today it is still an important skill. With the cost of meat from a butcher in the double digits, hunting starts to look more and more like a desirable and affordable solution for dining on real food.
This article was originally published in the Entertaining with Kathi column in the Northeast Chronicle- a community publication of the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper published on Oct 10, 2007.
Kathi Dameron is a Tallahassee, Florida based food writer and food publicist. She teaches culinary arts, entertaining and crafting classes for locals and visitors to the North Florida, Panhandle and South Georgia geographic region. Learn more about the scope of these classes
plus other services provided by Kathi Dameron & Associates at http://www.kathidameron.com/
“I suspect you are a real connoisseur of buckshot speckled-delights,” I responded. “Sounds like a plan. How about I drive up after church?”
“Make sure and wear your jeans; no one dresses up on this ranch. Do you own cowboy boots?”
“Absolutely! I've been around ranches in my life. I'm a cowgirl from way back."
“Good. I'll take you out riding on the trails.”
“Can I bring something?”
“No, no, no. We don't need any of those chlorophyll leaves you city folks call food. You just bring yourself. I'll handle the provisions.”
Being the foodie that I am, I couldn't help but to ponder what sort of meal this bachelor beau would be cooking for a former caterer. Rich, hunteresque flavors rustled my taste buds as I reminisced about wild-game meals I had enjoyed in years past while growing up with a dad who enjoyed autumn hunts with his ranching buddies and who always kept the family's freezer well stocked with sides of beef and wild caches of pheasant, duck and deer. It had been a long time since I'd dined with a hunter. I couldn't wait.
“If this dinner tastes as good as it looks and smells, I'll be dreaming of buck-shot meats for a long time. I hope you'll share at least one recipe with me.”
“Maybe one,” he said with a wink as he raised his glass and toasted the animals for their lives.
“I don't know that I want you putting my recipes in your newspaper column or anything. These recipes have been handed down in my family for generations. In fact, we keep copies in the bank vault,” he said as he puffed out his chest with generational pride, while cautiously carving the crisp, golden roasted venison.
“So, what is your secret?” I asked.
“Kathi, one of the secrets to great tasting game is to marinate it for a couple days.”
There you have it, from the mouth of a shotgun-shooting and card-carrying outdoors man who knows how to cook what he hunts and how to hunt for what he eats.
Maybe one of the best parts of eating a wild game dinner with the hunter himself is witnessing the hunter's delight in reliving the experience of hunting that meal. You almost feel as if you are in the field at sunrise with him in the company of his good friends, faced with the challenge and about to be tested to the limit.
I learned something from this meal and from the wisdom gleaned that hunting for one's food is about so much more than what it appears to be on the surface. It's about an intimate relationship between man and his food source, and it's about putting a delicious meal on the table. It is also about carrying on an age-old tradition of human survival - perhaps even today it is still an important skill. With the cost of meat from a butcher in the double digits, hunting starts to look more and more like a desirable and affordable solution for dining on real food.
This article was originally published in the Entertaining with Kathi column in the Northeast Chronicle- a community publication of the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper published on Oct 10, 2007.
Kathi Dameron is a Tallahassee, Florida based food writer and food publicist. She teaches culinary arts, entertaining and crafting classes for locals and visitors to the North Florida, Panhandle and South Georgia geographic region. Learn more about the scope of these classes
plus other services provided by Kathi Dameron & Associates at http://www.kathidameron.com/
Photo Credit: Rodolfo Clix (Sao Paulo Brazil) & SXC
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
My Le Quack Duck Story
This article was originally published with the title, "Giving Amsterdam A Down-Home Flair" on September 26, 2007 in the Northeast Chronicle, a publication of the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.
Giving Amsterdam A Down-Home Flair or AKA My Le Quack Duck Story
By Kathi Dameron ( A Florida food writer and culinary artist who use to cater big fancy parties but now writes about food and teaches cooking classes in North Florida and South Georgia.)
Whoosh! The cars whipped past us as we voyaged through the city of watery reflections.
“Watch the pothole!” Beth barked. “Pay attention and don't shilly-shally! We are going to turn at the next street.”
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom. The motorcars zipped down the street.
“If I survive this, it will be a miraclem” I mumbled as I crossed through the mirror.
Somehow by the grace of God, we arrived at our destination. As we parked, the pint-sized, kangaroo-pouched adoptive mother of two hopped off her bike to remove her toddler from the back seat.
Beth, my step-sister, had been trying to teach me street smarts ever since our parents had stitched our two families together, during a season when she was a graduate student in Bologna, Italy, and I was a college freshman in Podunk, middle America. A good 10- or 12-year span had passed in the interim.
“Kathi, what were you afraid of?” Beth snapped with her standing-on-tip toes-know-it-all attitude that could either stretch you or shrink you, depending on your openness or resistance.
“You can't come to Amsterdam and not ride bikes. It's the quintessential Dutch experience. Everyone does it.”
“I didn't come all this way to get crushed to death,” I wanted to say, but the sight before me took my breath away.
We had arrived at the famous floating flower market.
Giving Amsterdam A Down-Home Flair or AKA My Le Quack Duck Story
By Kathi Dameron ( A Florida food writer and culinary artist who use to cater big fancy parties but now writes about food and teaches cooking classes in North Florida and South Georgia.)
Whoosh! The cars whipped past us as we voyaged through the city of watery reflections.
“Watch the pothole!” Beth barked. “Pay attention and don't shilly-shally! We are going to turn at the next street.”
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom. The motorcars zipped down the street.
“If I survive this, it will be a miraclem” I mumbled as I crossed through the mirror.
Somehow by the grace of God, we arrived at our destination. As we parked, the pint-sized, kangaroo-pouched adoptive mother of two hopped off her bike to remove her toddler from the back seat.
Beth, my step-sister, had been trying to teach me street smarts ever since our parents had stitched our two families together, during a season when she was a graduate student in Bologna, Italy, and I was a college freshman in Podunk, middle America. A good 10- or 12-year span had passed in the interim.
“Kathi, what were you afraid of?” Beth snapped with her standing-on-tip toes-know-it-all attitude that could either stretch you or shrink you, depending on your openness or resistance.
“You can't come to Amsterdam and not ride bikes. It's the quintessential Dutch experience. Everyone does it.”
“I didn't come all this way to get crushed to death,” I wanted to say, but the sight before me took my breath away.
We had arrived at the famous floating flower market.
That night as the spell of moonlight pulled its shade of darkness over the day, I dined on one of the most incredibly delicious appetizers I had ever put in my mouth.
I ordered Peking duck at the restaurant my Dutch brother-in-law declared as Amsterdam's best eatery (and probably it's most expensive, too). The crisp duck, green-onion fans and hoisin sauce wrapped up in tiny blankets of mandarin pancakes were worth every penny.
Years later, I prepared this dish for a sophisticated catered event I did at a Thomasville, Ga., plantation. On the menu and monogrammed entree card, I named the dish Le Quack Duck. These delicate crepes were a huge hit with the game-loving crowd, for I had taken the traditional dish and tweaked it with Georgia flavors. Caramelized Georgia pecans and a peachy hoisin glaze brought the dish home and gave it a taste of regional relevance.
Le Quack Duck
Paper-thin crepes
Hoisin sauce mixed with diced peaches
Green onion fans
Crispy roasted duck
Caramelized pecans
Smear peach hoisin sauce over crepe. Place one or two green onion fans, 2-3 slices crisp roasted duck and caramelized pecans on the crepe. Take one side of the crepe and fold it into the middle, take the opposite half and fold it to meet the other, then take one unfolded side and fold it in half.
To learn about the step-by-step process involved in making Le Quack Duck and other great tasting recipes by Florida Chef Kathi Dameron, visit http://www.kathidameron.com/
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
"Entertaining with Kathi" Newspaper Food Column ~ September 13, 2007
“Yow-weeeeeeee,” the blood-curdling cry shot into the lavender sky like a firecracker.
“Bring me a fire extinguisher!” demanded the crooked-toothed ex basketball player with the southern drawl, his hands waving in wild pursuit as he tried to fan his flaming mouth.
But long before he uttered the last syllables, the explosive burst of heat surely vanished leaving a nice lingering taste on his palate. Mischievous crinkles returned to his face as the soothing serenade of Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune reasserted its beautiful, lyrical resonance in the serene seaside setting.
“What in the world did you put in that sauce? Gunpowder?” He asked with a look of toothsome puzzlement painted on his face.
“Pretty intense, huh?” I chuckled. “Nothing like spicing up a meal with a little Japanese horseradish.”
“Japanese horseradish? Where do you come up with these things, Kathi? Why can’t you just learn how to cook like a good lil’ southern gal? I was thinking we would have some chicken fried steak, fried okra and pressure cooker green beans with ham hocks tonight when you said you were cooking up a special dinner. But instead we are off on another one of your exotic culinary adventures. Do you suppose we could have a little red-eye gravy with this dim-sum?”
“Oh shut up and eat!” I said as I pushed a shrimp tempura into his bushy demarcated mouth.
“This is actually some good-tasting stuff. I like the green sauce, too. Never a dull moment around here,” he said.
He was right about that!
As we dined on crispy, succulent bites of seafood and vegetable tempura in a haiku-like garden setting of hibiscus and night-blooming jasmine, I told the GRITS-lovin’ man about the wonders of wasabi.
Cut!
For an adventurous duo, a tempura party can be a gastronomic ticket for a delicious and unforgettable evening that bursts onto the taste buds in an exquisite cascade of flavors. The true secret to exceptional flavoring in an Oriental-themed meal is to cover each of the flavor bases. You need the sweet and spicy, the salty, the sour and the sublime, all balanced together in a beautifully brewed alchemy of taste.
Where to begin?
1. Set the stage. Japanese food is about creating an experience unlike any other. Think kimonos, paper lanterns, chopsticks, sleek callas, cherry blossoms or orchids. Color coordinate in plums, boysenberry, cherry, black and white. Pop it with a dab of green.
2. For food think tempura, sushi, sukiyaki or yakitori. Serve a light elegant soup in lotus bowls and delicate ginger-laced salads on black lacquered four-pointed plates.
3. Don’t forget warm floral-infused fingertip towels or scented finger bowls, eating on cushions and international music to cast a spell of serenity and elegance.
4. Oops! Don’t make my mistake! It is always smart to pre-warn your dinner companions about super hot flavors!
Wasabi is a delightful sauce for so many different foods, from the traditional Japanese dishes to trendy fusions that can bring together unlikely cultures in exciting and innovative ways.
Why not do a Wasabi Gulf Coast Shrimp Cocktail on a puddle of stone ground cheese grits and frizzled leaks?
My vision is to slow roast some good southern stone ground grits with chicken broth, Vidalia onions and garlic. Stir in a liberal dash of sweet butter, heavy cream, hand-shredded Vermont cheddar and chives.
Now here’s the fun part. Serve this dish in a martini glass! A mound of your steamy cheese grits, a dollop or drizzle of wasabi, some wild frizzled leeks, and the crunch of shrimp tempura and I believe you have a dish worthy of any GRITS-lovin’ guest anywhere.
Kathi Dameron cooks up delicious culinary collaborations, many with an international and fusion flavor, that marries her local and regional sun-kissed Florida cuisine with far-flung flavors from around the globe. She is a food / travel writer, food publicist, culinary arts professional, former caterer and CEO of Kathi Dameron & Associates. She is available on a contract basis to promote food, tourism and trade in America and beyond. Need a travel destination writer? Looking for innovative ways to foster world peace and cultural awareness? Looking for a dynamic synergistic link for your next trade mission... call Kathi Dameron and Associates (850) 422-3599.
This article was originally published on September 13, 2007 in the Northeast Chronicle, a community publication of the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.
“Bring me a fire extinguisher!” demanded the crooked-toothed ex basketball player with the southern drawl, his hands waving in wild pursuit as he tried to fan his flaming mouth.
But long before he uttered the last syllables, the explosive burst of heat surely vanished leaving a nice lingering taste on his palate. Mischievous crinkles returned to his face as the soothing serenade of Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune reasserted its beautiful, lyrical resonance in the serene seaside setting.
“What in the world did you put in that sauce? Gunpowder?” He asked with a look of toothsome puzzlement painted on his face.
“Pretty intense, huh?” I chuckled. “Nothing like spicing up a meal with a little Japanese horseradish.”
“Japanese horseradish? Where do you come up with these things, Kathi? Why can’t you just learn how to cook like a good lil’ southern gal? I was thinking we would have some chicken fried steak, fried okra and pressure cooker green beans with ham hocks tonight when you said you were cooking up a special dinner. But instead we are off on another one of your exotic culinary adventures. Do you suppose we could have a little red-eye gravy with this dim-sum?”
“Oh shut up and eat!” I said as I pushed a shrimp tempura into his bushy demarcated mouth.
“This is actually some good-tasting stuff. I like the green sauce, too. Never a dull moment around here,” he said.
He was right about that!
As we dined on crispy, succulent bites of seafood and vegetable tempura in a haiku-like garden setting of hibiscus and night-blooming jasmine, I told the GRITS-lovin’ man about the wonders of wasabi.
Cut!
For an adventurous duo, a tempura party can be a gastronomic ticket for a delicious and unforgettable evening that bursts onto the taste buds in an exquisite cascade of flavors. The true secret to exceptional flavoring in an Oriental-themed meal is to cover each of the flavor bases. You need the sweet and spicy, the salty, the sour and the sublime, all balanced together in a beautifully brewed alchemy of taste.
Where to begin?
1. Set the stage. Japanese food is about creating an experience unlike any other. Think kimonos, paper lanterns, chopsticks, sleek callas, cherry blossoms or orchids. Color coordinate in plums, boysenberry, cherry, black and white. Pop it with a dab of green.
2. For food think tempura, sushi, sukiyaki or yakitori. Serve a light elegant soup in lotus bowls and delicate ginger-laced salads on black lacquered four-pointed plates.
3. Don’t forget warm floral-infused fingertip towels or scented finger bowls, eating on cushions and international music to cast a spell of serenity and elegance.
4. Oops! Don’t make my mistake! It is always smart to pre-warn your dinner companions about super hot flavors!
Wasabi is a delightful sauce for so many different foods, from the traditional Japanese dishes to trendy fusions that can bring together unlikely cultures in exciting and innovative ways.
Why not do a Wasabi Gulf Coast Shrimp Cocktail on a puddle of stone ground cheese grits and frizzled leaks?
My vision is to slow roast some good southern stone ground grits with chicken broth, Vidalia onions and garlic. Stir in a liberal dash of sweet butter, heavy cream, hand-shredded Vermont cheddar and chives.
Now here’s the fun part. Serve this dish in a martini glass! A mound of your steamy cheese grits, a dollop or drizzle of wasabi, some wild frizzled leeks, and the crunch of shrimp tempura and I believe you have a dish worthy of any GRITS-lovin’ guest anywhere.
Kathi Dameron cooks up delicious culinary collaborations, many with an international and fusion flavor, that marries her local and regional sun-kissed Florida cuisine with far-flung flavors from around the globe. She is a food / travel writer, food publicist, culinary arts professional, former caterer and CEO of Kathi Dameron & Associates. She is available on a contract basis to promote food, tourism and trade in America and beyond. Need a travel destination writer? Looking for innovative ways to foster world peace and cultural awareness? Looking for a dynamic synergistic link for your next trade mission... call Kathi Dameron and Associates (850) 422-3599.
This article was originally published on September 13, 2007 in the Northeast Chronicle, a community publication of the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
"Entertaining with Kathi" food column ~ August 30, 2007
“It is sunny and gorgeous almost every day. Wish you were here! The parties are to die for! Love and Kisses….” the vintage postcard from The Hamptons read.
“Great Gatsby! Inspirations and ideas are everywhere!” I said to my New Yawker bud who had joined me that Saturday morning for an antique jaunt through the shops of Havana.
Within minutes a vision for an elegant “Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams” soiree bloomed in my imagination. I could see the classic motorcars arriving, the chic 1920’s attire, the tented pavilions and the dining and dancing by the shore in an over-the-top evening of glamour fashioned in the delicious decadence of a Great Gatsby style party.
What could be more fun than a garden party for a good cause that whisks guests to a golden era when flirting and small talk was an art and wearing the perfect apparel was a necessity?
Beginning with a champagne reception in the garden with crystal flutes of Perrier Jouet champagne, butler-served blini with caviar and a magnificent fruits de mere display with bejeweled treasures from the sea and magically flavored-sauces from the workshop of a culinary artist, here-in lies the perfect launch for an evening splashing with sophistication and popping with purpose.
At the appointed hour the guests would retreat to the tented pavilion for a plated sit-down dinner served by white-gloved attendants while a full orchestra provides musical refreshment.
The evening concludes in the wee hours of the morning after hours of dancing and indulging in an ornate Death-By-Chocolate Dessert Buffet and free-flowing coffee bar.
Here you have a soiree that your guests will revel in partaking of and graciously swing open their checkbooks in support of the charity or foundation of your choice.
Go ahead make it over the top! But make it for a cause that will serve a higher purpose. For what could be more delicious than passing on a small portion of your blessings to an organization that can accomplish mighty things with your gift? The season of fund-raising is approaching and our community’s needs are many. Novel ideas and inspirations are everywhere, from vintage treasures to the latest craze.
Yukon Gold Potato Blini
Light, creamy and refined blini offer a most elegant way to begin a feast. These melt-in-your-mouth treasures can be adorned with a wonderful and eclectic flourish of toppings. From the simplicity of caviar or jewels of the sea, to tiny exquisite bites from nature’s bounty, blini are indeed the ultimate edible mini canvas for culinary creativity.
For a basic how-to recipe I consulted The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller. If you are not familiar with The French Laundry, you should be! The French Laundry is considered one of the top restaurants in America and for very good reason. The food is absolutely exquisite. But if a jaunt to California is not on the horizon anytime soon, The French Laundry Cookbook can be the next best thing. Published by Artisan in 1999, Chef Thomas Keller shares some of his delicious culinary secrets with the world.
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes2 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 to 3 tablespoons crème fraîche, at room temperature2 large eggs1 large egg yolkKosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
Place the potatoes in a saucepan with cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked and tender.
Peel the warm potatoes and press them through a tamis. Immediately weigh out 9 ounces of puréed potatoes and place them in a medium metal bowl. Working quickly, whisk the flour into the warm potatoes, then whisk in 2 tablespoons crème fraîche. Add 1 egg, whisking until the batter is smooth, add the second egg, and then add the yolk.
Hold the whisk with some of the batter over the bowl. The batter should fall in a thick stream but hold its shape when it hits the batter in the bowl. If it is too thick, add a little more ore me fraîche. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Heat an electric griddle to 350 degrees F. Note, if you do not have a griddle, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Spoon between 1 and 1-1/2 teaspoons of batter onto the griddle or skillet for each pancake. Cook until the bottoms are browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Then flip them to cook the second side, about 1 minute. The blini should be evenly browned with a small ring of white around the edges. Transfer the blini to a small baking sheet and keep warm while you make the remaining blini, wiping the skillet with a paper towel between batches. Serve the blini as soon as possible.
Kathi Dameron cooks up culinary collaborations. She is a culinary arts professional, food writer, former caterer and CEO of Kathi Dameron & Associates.
“Great Gatsby! Inspirations and ideas are everywhere!” I said to my New Yawker bud who had joined me that Saturday morning for an antique jaunt through the shops of Havana.
Within minutes a vision for an elegant “Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams” soiree bloomed in my imagination. I could see the classic motorcars arriving, the chic 1920’s attire, the tented pavilions and the dining and dancing by the shore in an over-the-top evening of glamour fashioned in the delicious decadence of a Great Gatsby style party.
What could be more fun than a garden party for a good cause that whisks guests to a golden era when flirting and small talk was an art and wearing the perfect apparel was a necessity?
Beginning with a champagne reception in the garden with crystal flutes of Perrier Jouet champagne, butler-served blini with caviar and a magnificent fruits de mere display with bejeweled treasures from the sea and magically flavored-sauces from the workshop of a culinary artist, here-in lies the perfect launch for an evening splashing with sophistication and popping with purpose.
At the appointed hour the guests would retreat to the tented pavilion for a plated sit-down dinner served by white-gloved attendants while a full orchestra provides musical refreshment.
The evening concludes in the wee hours of the morning after hours of dancing and indulging in an ornate Death-By-Chocolate Dessert Buffet and free-flowing coffee bar.
Here you have a soiree that your guests will revel in partaking of and graciously swing open their checkbooks in support of the charity or foundation of your choice.
Go ahead make it over the top! But make it for a cause that will serve a higher purpose. For what could be more delicious than passing on a small portion of your blessings to an organization that can accomplish mighty things with your gift? The season of fund-raising is approaching and our community’s needs are many. Novel ideas and inspirations are everywhere, from vintage treasures to the latest craze.
Yukon Gold Potato Blini
Light, creamy and refined blini offer a most elegant way to begin a feast. These melt-in-your-mouth treasures can be adorned with a wonderful and eclectic flourish of toppings. From the simplicity of caviar or jewels of the sea, to tiny exquisite bites from nature’s bounty, blini are indeed the ultimate edible mini canvas for culinary creativity.
For a basic how-to recipe I consulted The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller. If you are not familiar with The French Laundry, you should be! The French Laundry is considered one of the top restaurants in America and for very good reason. The food is absolutely exquisite. But if a jaunt to California is not on the horizon anytime soon, The French Laundry Cookbook can be the next best thing. Published by Artisan in 1999, Chef Thomas Keller shares some of his delicious culinary secrets with the world.
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes2 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 to 3 tablespoons crème fraîche, at room temperature2 large eggs1 large egg yolkKosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
Place the potatoes in a saucepan with cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked and tender.
Peel the warm potatoes and press them through a tamis. Immediately weigh out 9 ounces of puréed potatoes and place them in a medium metal bowl. Working quickly, whisk the flour into the warm potatoes, then whisk in 2 tablespoons crème fraîche. Add 1 egg, whisking until the batter is smooth, add the second egg, and then add the yolk.
Hold the whisk with some of the batter over the bowl. The batter should fall in a thick stream but hold its shape when it hits the batter in the bowl. If it is too thick, add a little more ore me fraîche. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Heat an electric griddle to 350 degrees F. Note, if you do not have a griddle, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Spoon between 1 and 1-1/2 teaspoons of batter onto the griddle or skillet for each pancake. Cook until the bottoms are browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Then flip them to cook the second side, about 1 minute. The blini should be evenly browned with a small ring of white around the edges. Transfer the blini to a small baking sheet and keep warm while you make the remaining blini, wiping the skillet with a paper towel between batches. Serve the blini as soon as possible.
Kathi Dameron cooks up culinary collaborations. She is a culinary arts professional, food writer, former caterer and CEO of Kathi Dameron & Associates.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
"Entertaining with Kathi" Newspaper Food Column ~ August 15. 2007
The dog (and sausage) days of summer are here
By Kathi Dameron
It was a “fun, fun, fun till daddy takes the T-bird away” sort of August weekend. Riding dune buggies, hang-gliding, and sipping Strawberry Hill watermelon shooters at the Michigan Dunes was the sort of thing that Chicago-area teenagers with automobiles did to entertain themselves in the lazy summer days of the early 1970s.
“You're grounded until you are 35, young lady!” the words shot across the room.
“But daddy, what about the concert? You said I could go to it.”
Flashing me a thunderous look, I knew I was hang gliding over a watershed and heading into the eye of a twister.
“Daddy. I'm sorry,” I said with a signature roll of my eyes.
"Katherine Anne, if you were sorry, you wouldn't have done it in the first place. You can forget going to that concert.”
The telephone rang and, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, my angry dad morphed into the gregarious BJ: “Rearing Katherine is a real challenge,” he chuckled with whomever was on the other end.
“Rearing Father is a real challenge,” I mumbled under my breath as I stormed out of the kitchen and retreated to the safe harbor of my diary.
Like driftwood washed ashore on the beach, so lay the visions of the previous night's dune dance and dinner, where spiked watermelon, grilled bratwurst and forbidden Strawberry Hill was on the menu. When we stashed the empty bottles of Boone's Farm, I didn't realize that they would end up in my picnic basket as incriminating evidence.
“So what are your plans tonight?” he asked.
“What?" I said, scrunching my face at the absurdity of the question. In 30 minutes' time, my dad had forgotten that he had just grounded me for life. Maybe he was going to let me go to the concert after all.
“No more Boone's Farm, OK?” he said with a look of deep concern on his face.
“Sure dad. It didn't taste all that good anyway. I'd rather have a chocolate milkshake any day.”
The taste that was actually the most memorable was the mixed grill, skewered on big shish-kebab rods and roasted over a sizzling bonfire, then eaten inside a chewy Sheboygan bun slathered with German mustard.
The region I grew up in was well-known for the best sausage dogs in the world. From June through September, bratwurst and its culinary cousins were the popular stars of outdoor cookery.
Whether prepared individually or in mixed grills that combine the tastes of bratwurst, thurman, Vienna, Polish and all-beef kosher hot dogs - this simple menu is perfect for casual summer shindigs that are sure to please the inner teenager.
To the menu add some garlic smashed-potato salad or the simplicity of bagged chips, a crisp salad, ice-cold watermelon boats and other favorites for a "Fun, Fun, Fun Till Daddy Takes The T-Bird Away Feast."
If you want to create the drama of letting your guests cook their bratwurst over an open blaze, I would recommend that you par boil the sausages first. This way you can be assured that the sausages will be completely cooked throughout. The last thing you want is for someone to bite into a raw center. Then, proceed as follows.
1. Fill a pot with plenty of beer or water, add some coarsely chopped onions, drop in the sausages and simmer over a low heat. Whatever you do, don't boil them! Boiling will cause the casings to burst and the delicious flavor within to be lost.
2. At the appointed hour, grill the the brats over the fire. When cooked to perfection, slide the sausage into a big fire-toasted Bavarian-style semmel roll and add Dijon or German mustard and your favorite condiments.
Kathi Dameron is a food and entertaining memoirist, culinary arts professional, food stylist, freelance writer, corporate blogger, newspaper columnist, and former caterer and special event designer. She is the CEO of Kathi Dameron and Associates, a consulting company that specializes in culinary collaborations. Her "Entertaining with Kathi" column runs in the Northeast Chronicle, a bi-weekly publication of the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper (Gannett) in Tallahassee, Florida.
Need ideas for cooking shows, a television series or a food scene in a motion picture? Need entertaining ideas for advertising, public relations, marketing, television or radio commercials? Need ideas for a corporate blog? Looking for a great new column for your newspaper, magazine or newsletter that your readers will love?
For information on syndicating this column or to learn about contracting for other unique writings and creative works by Kathi Dameron ... contact Kathi at askkathidameron@aol.com or at 850-422-3599.
By Kathi Dameron
It was a “fun, fun, fun till daddy takes the T-bird away” sort of August weekend. Riding dune buggies, hang-gliding, and sipping Strawberry Hill watermelon shooters at the Michigan Dunes was the sort of thing that Chicago-area teenagers with automobiles did to entertain themselves in the lazy summer days of the early 1970s.
“You're grounded until you are 35, young lady!” the words shot across the room.
“But daddy, what about the concert? You said I could go to it.”
Flashing me a thunderous look, I knew I was hang gliding over a watershed and heading into the eye of a twister.
“Daddy. I'm sorry,” I said with a signature roll of my eyes.
"Katherine Anne, if you were sorry, you wouldn't have done it in the first place. You can forget going to that concert.”
The telephone rang and, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, my angry dad morphed into the gregarious BJ: “Rearing Katherine is a real challenge,” he chuckled with whomever was on the other end.
“Rearing Father is a real challenge,” I mumbled under my breath as I stormed out of the kitchen and retreated to the safe harbor of my diary.
Like driftwood washed ashore on the beach, so lay the visions of the previous night's dune dance and dinner, where spiked watermelon, grilled bratwurst and forbidden Strawberry Hill was on the menu. When we stashed the empty bottles of Boone's Farm, I didn't realize that they would end up in my picnic basket as incriminating evidence.
“So what are your plans tonight?” he asked.
“What?" I said, scrunching my face at the absurdity of the question. In 30 minutes' time, my dad had forgotten that he had just grounded me for life. Maybe he was going to let me go to the concert after all.
“No more Boone's Farm, OK?” he said with a look of deep concern on his face.
“Sure dad. It didn't taste all that good anyway. I'd rather have a chocolate milkshake any day.”
The taste that was actually the most memorable was the mixed grill, skewered on big shish-kebab rods and roasted over a sizzling bonfire, then eaten inside a chewy Sheboygan bun slathered with German mustard.
The region I grew up in was well-known for the best sausage dogs in the world. From June through September, bratwurst and its culinary cousins were the popular stars of outdoor cookery.
Whether prepared individually or in mixed grills that combine the tastes of bratwurst, thurman, Vienna, Polish and all-beef kosher hot dogs - this simple menu is perfect for casual summer shindigs that are sure to please the inner teenager.
To the menu add some garlic smashed-potato salad or the simplicity of bagged chips, a crisp salad, ice-cold watermelon boats and other favorites for a "Fun, Fun, Fun Till Daddy Takes The T-Bird Away Feast."
If you want to create the drama of letting your guests cook their bratwurst over an open blaze, I would recommend that you par boil the sausages first. This way you can be assured that the sausages will be completely cooked throughout. The last thing you want is for someone to bite into a raw center. Then, proceed as follows.
1. Fill a pot with plenty of beer or water, add some coarsely chopped onions, drop in the sausages and simmer over a low heat. Whatever you do, don't boil them! Boiling will cause the casings to burst and the delicious flavor within to be lost.
2. At the appointed hour, grill the the brats over the fire. When cooked to perfection, slide the sausage into a big fire-toasted Bavarian-style semmel roll and add Dijon or German mustard and your favorite condiments.
Kathi Dameron is a food and entertaining memoirist, culinary arts professional, food stylist, freelance writer, corporate blogger, newspaper columnist, and former caterer and special event designer. She is the CEO of Kathi Dameron and Associates, a consulting company that specializes in culinary collaborations. Her "Entertaining with Kathi" column runs in the Northeast Chronicle, a bi-weekly publication of the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper (Gannett) in Tallahassee, Florida.
Need ideas for cooking shows, a television series or a food scene in a motion picture? Need entertaining ideas for advertising, public relations, marketing, television or radio commercials? Need ideas for a corporate blog? Looking for a great new column for your newspaper, magazine or newsletter that your readers will love?
For information on syndicating this column or to learn about contracting for other unique writings and creative works by Kathi Dameron ... contact Kathi at askkathidameron@aol.com or at 850-422-3599.
Photo Credit: Hilde Vanstraeden & SXC
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
'"Entertaining with Kathi" Food Column ~ August 2, 2007
Here is the original, unedited version of the "Entertaining with Kathi" column for August 2, 2007 by Tallahassee Florida food writer, Kathi Dameron. As is often the case, the newspaper has trimmed bits and pieces of the article. For example they cut the sentence, "For extra pizzazz, flambé the caramelized sauce or simply add a few sparklers."
You can read the article exactly as I wrote it right here at this blog. The newspaper slugged the article with the title, "Dessert that's perfect for a lazy sundae afternoon." While this is not my idea of a great title, it works and at the moment I can't think of anything any better. So I'll just go with that title here, too. If you want to read the edited version, you can find it at the website for the Tallahassee Democrat. Simply click on the Northeast Chronicle link and scroll down. It will only stay active there until it is replaced by the next issue in two weeks. However, it will remain active on the Internet a bit longer. I like to post the articles on this blog, so that they will remain available on the Internet for indefinite viewing. Please feel free to comment. I love hearing from readers with questions, comments and kudos!
Dessert That's Perfect For A Lazy Sundae Afternoon
By Kathi Dameron
“Pack your beach skivvies and sarongs in your skiff and join us on the high seas for a Bound For Ithaka Treasure Hunt / Boating Regatta Party. What could be more fun than a full day of sparkling seaside spontaneity from sunshine to starlight?” The burnished treasure map invitation read.
This rocking revelry on the waves of the Florida Intercoastal Waterway was a party that brought together sailboats, speedboats, a treasure hunt, good friends, fabulous food and million dollar moments.
Part of the inspiration came from the enchanting poem “Ithaka,” written in 1911 by the Greek poet C.P. Cavafy. The other part came from the “just another day in paradise” lifestyle that defined living on Florida’s Hutchinson Island back in the 1980’s – during a time when Mel Fisher’s Treasure Hunt Adventures filled the news and stirred the imagination.
Hidden behind a jumble of prickly purple bougainvillea that separated the vaulted screened-in swimming pool from the sun-bleached arbor-topped dock, sat my Chris Craft speedboat perched high on the hydraulic lift ready to be lowered into the water for fun boating adventures on a moment’s whim.
During carefree days, those whims were many. Picnic baskets, coolers and hidden caches of blue ice with special frozen treats were prepared and packed for nautical noshing. Entertaining on the boat was a favorite year-round tradition- from the big, loud splashy sun-kissed parties with fun-loving friends to romantic evenings for two, toasting and sipping Perrier Jouett Champagne from crystal flutes under a starry sky.
Eclectic Island Cuisine infused with far-away spice and joined with local bounty was standard boat picnic fare during those years. In planning the menu for the Bound For Ithaka Party, my culinary exploration led me to the magical ancient isles of Greece for inspiration and to my memory gardens filled with exquisite reminiscences of vacationing near the Aegean Sea. But the menu didn’t stop there. Creative license took the menu to other exotic ports of call for intriguing flavors.
Planning a perfectly delicious menu, designing treasure maps and coordinating all the details for this fun-filled adventure rocked my boat!
The grand finale of the evening menu was a scrumptious Flaming / Sparkling Brazilian Banana Sunday. This dessert sensation can be grilled right on a Hibachi, for a show-stopping salute to smooth sailing for whatever journey lies ahead.
Whether you are going island hopping in nearby or faraway waters or simply chilling out at home, a Bound For Ithaka Treasure Hunt Party is a grand way to encourage one another in the journey of life- sailboat or speedboat optional.
Flaming or Sparkling Brazilian Banana Sunday
Serves 2
1 or 2 Bananas
1 Teaspoon Butter *
1 Florida Orange, freshly squeezed *
about one quarter stick Butter *
about one quarter Brown Sugar *
a splash of Cachaca (Cachaca is a Brazilian liquor that is infused with the scent of sugar cane and rum.)
Cinnamon
Vanilla Ice Cream
Toasted Coconut
Brazil Nut Brittle
Blue Ice (If you are cooking on location, Blue Ice will keep your Ice Cream at the right temperature until dessert.)
Slice bananas lengthwise and crosswise. You will get 4 slices per banana. Brush bananas with melted butter and orange juice. Grill each side of the banana slices on a hibachi grill over medium-hot coals.
In a small skillet melt butter, brown sugar and Cachaca till caramelized.
To serve, scoop ice cream into Sunday boats. Add grilled bananas, caramelized sauce, toasted coconut, a dusting of cinnamon, and the crunch of Brazil Nut Brittle.
For extra pizzazz, flambé the caramelized sauce or simply add a few sparklers.
Special Note: I’m a culinary artist not a mathematician! Intuitive sprinkling, splashing and pouring is my standard method of measurement. So by all means use your own discerning common sense when exact measurements are needed. My culinary philosophy about sharing recipes is not that far different from a poster that was on the door of the assistant principal’s office when I taught school in South Florida. That poster read, “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.” In my opinion, this same wisdom applies to the art of culinary exploration. Recipes can be so much more fun, when the cook allows the recipe to become a treasure map of sorts, leading them onto a delicious and educational journey as a proactive partner, not necessarily following the recipe verbatim, but tweaking it to one’s own unique interpretation and taste sensibilities.
Kathi Dameron cooks up culinary collaborations. She is a Culinary Arts professional, food writer and former caterer.
Photo Credit: Greg Griffin & SXC
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
"Entertaining with Kathi" Food Column ~ July 18, 2007
Here is the original un-edited version of my article from July 18, 2007. Whether because of space restrictions or whatever possible reason, the newspaper sometimes cuts a few of my sentences. Sometimes they cut a few of my favorite sentences ... ouch! To the artistic side of me, those cuts feel like a piece of canvas has been sliced away. But that is the reality one faces when offering their art to a newspaper. Photo credit: Mike Thorn & SXC.
“To the White House, please.” I said to the Washington DC cabby as I slid across the seat in my little black dress.
I’d never seen someone straighten up so fast. I suppose it was the confidence in my voice that may have suggested that we were on official business.
“To the White House and B-A-C-K,” my date quickly clarified as he proceeded to give the driver the name and address of the Indian restaurant that would be our final stop after a quick tour of Washington.
The cab driver eased back to a relaxed position as the four of us enjoyed the ride.
I had jaunted by train from New York City where I was attending design school to spend a long weekend with Nevie, my former Cottey College classmate and confidante.
Lamb chop-scouting and boy-crazy Nevie had arranged for us to double date with two of her classmates from George Washington University, where she was working on a degree in International Relations.
That weekend in the late 1970’s was my first introduction to the Washington DC and Georgetown tradition of “hanging a lamb chop in your window.”
“Nevie, what are you talking about?” I asked the former beauty pageant winner and Arkansas debutante who had taken-up studying the capital scene like an anthropologist.
“Perle Mesta, the legendary society hostess was once asked how she got so many famous people to come to her parties. Perle said that all you have to do is hang a lamb chop in your window.”
“Fascinating…” I said as I peered with interest at the passing windows, hoping to see the symbol synonymous with having a party.
With lamb chops still dancing through the windows of my imagination, it was a breeze to select my dinner entrée from the otherwise mysterious-sounding restaurant menu.
“I’d love the Spiced Lamb Chops, please,” I said as I inhaled the assertive aroma of curry that perfumed the air. The tinkling fountains, the honeyed flicker of candlelight and the rhythmic raga background music cast a lasting image in my memory archives, that braided together my first tasteful bites of Indian Cuisine with the Washington tradition of “hanging a lamb chop in the window.”
This recipe for Spiced Lamb Chops from The Sheraton World Cookbook is certainly tasty enough to be served at an important VIP Dinner, but you don’t need an engraved invitation for a State Dinner at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to enjoy exquisitely flavored lamb chops at their best.
Spiced Lamb Chops
Maurya-Sheraton New Delhi, India
8 tablespoons (1/4 pound) Clarified Butter
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger root
one / half cup cashew nuts
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
3 whole cloves
one/eighth teaspoon cardamom seeds
2 small bay leaves, crushed
6 very thick lamb chops, one/third to one/half pound each, well trimmed of fat
1 cup plain yogurt
three/ fourth teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
one/fourth teaspoon ground cinnamon
one/fourth teaspoon ground cloves
Salt, to taste
Garnish: Chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) or chopped fresh parsley
Place clarified butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, or until onions are golden brown.
Remove onions, garlic, and ginger from the hot butter and place them in a blender or food processor. Puree these ingredients, along with the cashew nuts and poppy seeds. If mixture is too dry to puree, add a few tablespoons of water.
Place frying pan back over medium heat. Return spice paste to the pan. Add whole cloves, cardamom seeds, and crushed bay leaves. Add the lamb chops, and fry, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pan now, and again as you continue to cook, and to keep the sauce from scorching.
Lower heat to medium and add the yogurt and ground spices. Fry approximately 10 minutes longer, continuing to turn the chops occasionally. Add one/half cup water and cook the chops 15 minutes longer, or until they are done to your satisfaction. Season with salt. Serve chops coated with yogurt sauce and garnished with chopped coriander or parsley.
Tips From Kathi
My disclaimer as a chef is that I rarely follow a recipe. When I create a dish, I treat it as an original artistic creation. Even if I am experimenting with something that I have not cooked before, I’ll hunt through my cookbook collection for a good sounding version that can serve as a general guideline. Most of the time I find about a half dozen different versions that fuel my inspiration to launch off with my own unique interpretation. It is ok to not like every ingredient in a recipe, just substitute them or delete them altogether.
Cooking should be fun. When it loses its fun, its time to hang up your apron and make a reservation at your favorite restaurant. Who knows maybe after dining on someone else’s artistic creation you’ll be re-inspired to return to the kitchen with a new blazing fire in your belly to create new culinary masterpieces.
Kathi Dameron teaches private cooking classes and is a personal chef. She owns Kathi Dameron and Associates.
Just Hang A Lamb Chop In Your Window
By Kathi Dameron
“To the White House, please.” I said to the Washington DC cabby as I slid across the seat in my little black dress.
I’d never seen someone straighten up so fast. I suppose it was the confidence in my voice that may have suggested that we were on official business.
“To the White House and B-A-C-K,” my date quickly clarified as he proceeded to give the driver the name and address of the Indian restaurant that would be our final stop after a quick tour of Washington.
The cab driver eased back to a relaxed position as the four of us enjoyed the ride.
I had jaunted by train from New York City where I was attending design school to spend a long weekend with Nevie, my former Cottey College classmate and confidante.
Lamb chop-scouting and boy-crazy Nevie had arranged for us to double date with two of her classmates from George Washington University, where she was working on a degree in International Relations.
That weekend in the late 1970’s was my first introduction to the Washington DC and Georgetown tradition of “hanging a lamb chop in your window.”
“Nevie, what are you talking about?” I asked the former beauty pageant winner and Arkansas debutante who had taken-up studying the capital scene like an anthropologist.
“Perle Mesta, the legendary society hostess was once asked how she got so many famous people to come to her parties. Perle said that all you have to do is hang a lamb chop in your window.”
“Fascinating…” I said as I peered with interest at the passing windows, hoping to see the symbol synonymous with having a party.
With lamb chops still dancing through the windows of my imagination, it was a breeze to select my dinner entrée from the otherwise mysterious-sounding restaurant menu.
“I’d love the Spiced Lamb Chops, please,” I said as I inhaled the assertive aroma of curry that perfumed the air. The tinkling fountains, the honeyed flicker of candlelight and the rhythmic raga background music cast a lasting image in my memory archives, that braided together my first tasteful bites of Indian Cuisine with the Washington tradition of “hanging a lamb chop in the window.”
This recipe for Spiced Lamb Chops from The Sheraton World Cookbook is certainly tasty enough to be served at an important VIP Dinner, but you don’t need an engraved invitation for a State Dinner at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to enjoy exquisitely flavored lamb chops at their best.
Spiced Lamb Chops
Maurya-Sheraton New Delhi, India
8 tablespoons (1/4 pound) Clarified Butter
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger root
one / half cup cashew nuts
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
3 whole cloves
one/eighth teaspoon cardamom seeds
2 small bay leaves, crushed
6 very thick lamb chops, one/third to one/half pound each, well trimmed of fat
1 cup plain yogurt
three/ fourth teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
one/fourth teaspoon ground cinnamon
one/fourth teaspoon ground cloves
Salt, to taste
Garnish: Chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) or chopped fresh parsley
Place clarified butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, or until onions are golden brown.
Remove onions, garlic, and ginger from the hot butter and place them in a blender or food processor. Puree these ingredients, along with the cashew nuts and poppy seeds. If mixture is too dry to puree, add a few tablespoons of water.
Place frying pan back over medium heat. Return spice paste to the pan. Add whole cloves, cardamom seeds, and crushed bay leaves. Add the lamb chops, and fry, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pan now, and again as you continue to cook, and to keep the sauce from scorching.
Lower heat to medium and add the yogurt and ground spices. Fry approximately 10 minutes longer, continuing to turn the chops occasionally. Add one/half cup water and cook the chops 15 minutes longer, or until they are done to your satisfaction. Season with salt. Serve chops coated with yogurt sauce and garnished with chopped coriander or parsley.
Tips From Kathi
My disclaimer as a chef is that I rarely follow a recipe. When I create a dish, I treat it as an original artistic creation. Even if I am experimenting with something that I have not cooked before, I’ll hunt through my cookbook collection for a good sounding version that can serve as a general guideline. Most of the time I find about a half dozen different versions that fuel my inspiration to launch off with my own unique interpretation. It is ok to not like every ingredient in a recipe, just substitute them or delete them altogether.
Cooking should be fun. When it loses its fun, its time to hang up your apron and make a reservation at your favorite restaurant. Who knows maybe after dining on someone else’s artistic creation you’ll be re-inspired to return to the kitchen with a new blazing fire in your belly to create new culinary masterpieces.
Kathi Dameron teaches private cooking classes and is a personal chef. She owns Kathi Dameron and Associates.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Entertaining with Kathi Newspaper Food Column ~ July 5, 2007
Hollandaise Dresses Up Everyday Dishes
By Kathi Dameron
“Kathi, this is Rhea Chiles,” the caller said.
It was not every day that the First Lady of the state of Florida telephoned me to ask me to cater an important dinner at the Governor’s Mansion.
My heart went from skipping a beat to drumming and fifing under my chef’s coat. I felt like somersaulting through the aisles of the Eastwood Pharmacy, where the pint-sized Canopy Rose Café and Catering kitchen was tucked in a space tinier than a tea loaf.
I couldn’t wait to call my dad to tell him. Even though I was nearing the cusp of forty years old at the time, I still hungered for his approval.
"But are you making any money?” was my financially savvy dad’s response to my high-pitched animation on the other end of the phone. For my dad knew all too well how often I had volunteered my talents through the years.
“Yes Dad! The Governor’s Mansion is always good about paying,” I assured him. Now naturally, I didn’t let on to him that I would have catered the dinner for free. I was not in the mood for another one of my dad’s “save your money” and “pay yourself first” sermons. The bottom line for me as a chef was that I found grand strokes of creative radiance from catering high profile events in places where state history was being made.
Un-intimidated, I completely thrived on the challenge to feed Florida’s top decision makers.
Memories have a way of returning to me at the oddest of times. This remembrance met a happy homecoming last week following a demonstration I did on how to make Hollandaise sauce.
Even though I had whisked many of my own creative interpretations on Hollandaise sauce during my tenure as a caterer and the years preceding my professional culinary calling, Hollandaise sauce is about the last thing that would ever blanket my plate today.
The words ”to die for” literally define Hollandaise Sauce in my opinion. But if fat and calories are not a big concern for you, the rich velvet texture, kissed with a lemony splash of Florida citrus makes Hollandaise Sauce one of the most classic and delicious ways to dress up your vegetables, meats, fish and of course the exquisite and famous Eggs Benedict for a special celebration.
For this particular dinner at the Governor’s Mansion I prepared a Champagne Dijon Sauce that was born from a classic European Hollandaise Sauce. It was ladled over Beef Tenderloin and served by mansion staff in the dining room. There was not a drop of sauce or a morsel of food left on the returning plates!
How To Make A Classic Hollandaise Sauce ~ Basic Recipe
Don’t let the making of a Hollandaise Sauce intimidate you. It is really not all that difficult to whip up if you know the steps. With the basics under your belt, it is a cinch to launch off with your own unique versions. Play, have fun! If you have any left over, just freeze it in individual portions for another sumptuous rich to-die-for meal.
This is a typical ratio. Adapt it according to the number of servings needed. The Internet offers many different How To Make Hollandaise Sauce videos that are helpful to watch and they are free!
1 egg yolk
3 Tablespoons hot water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons butter, give or take an ounce or two depending on size of egg yolk
Salt, pepper, & cayenne to taste
1. Clarify the butter. Set aside
2. Prepare the eggs in a mixing bowl over very low controlled heat. Set the mixing bowl over simmering water and whisk vigorously with the 3 Tablespoons of water until the eggs are at a ribbon stage and the consistency of semi-thick cream. Do not boil or the eggs will scramble.
3. Beat in the lemon juice.
4. Drizzle in the butter very slowly.
5. Season and serve as quickly as possible.
Kathi Dameron teaches private cooking classes and is a personal chef. She owns Kathi Dameron and Associates.
Photo Credit: Marcello U. & SXC
Friday, June 22, 2007
"Entertaining with Kathi" Food Column ~ June 21, 2007
Chewing The Cud Was Elevated To A High Art
By Kathi Dameron
“Chew your cud Bubele,” my Jewish grandmother instructed.
I eyed her suspiciously. Her graying head was bowed and her lipstick-red smile was smacking in exaggerated bites. My recently widowed grandmother was going loopy at 37,000 feet above sea level.
We were sailing through the clouds between Chicago and Miami.
“Grandma, Do you think I’ll be able to swim with dolphins this summer?” I asked as ear-popping visions of Flipper flooded my head. “Daddy said he swam with dolphins when he was a boy.”
Raising her chin up, grandmother began outlining our agenda, one that didn’t embrace swimming anywhere except private club pools.
Still floating in a foggy bubble, our arrival on Florida soil was wrapped in the blanketing heat of Miami and the welcoming arms of Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Arthur, who had arrived to whisk us off in style in their big white air-conditioned Cadillac.
For the remainder of the summer I found myself planted smack dab into the intersection of Leviticus 11:2-7 and Florida Cuisine. Spending the summer with my grandmother equated to the strict observance of rabbinical dietary laws, swimming in chlorinated waters, making brawkha or giving thanks at least a hundred times a day and being educated on the fine art of Keeping Kosher-Florida Style.
I’d already fallen in love with Florida from watching the Flipper television series, but that summers’ adventures sealed my sentiments with a kiss. I was especially enchanted by the elegant tropical lifestyle of my grandmother’s sister, Eve, who for some mysterious reason was always affectionately referred to as “Bobbie”.
“Aunt Bobbie, I want to be just like you when I grow up!” I said one afternoon as Aunt Bobbie and I picked mangos from the tropical paradise that was her backyard.
During my stay at my grandmother’s waterfront condo, we often dined out at legendary South Florida restaurants with a tribe of elderly aunts and uncles and other silver haired friends, but my favorite dinners were the ones that Aunt Bobbie prepared with exotic fruits, vegetables and flowers harvested from her own garden. Even the best Miami restaurants paled in comparison to the magical mitzvah evenings that Eve Burrell staged at her Miami Beach abode.
Down among the sheltering palms of Miami Beach, I found my destiny. I realized that I wanted to learn how to entertain with the elegance and grace that I had experienced at the home of my great aunt where chewing the cud was elevated to a high art and where I learned about the dietary laws of my Jewish roots.
Years later, a bride asked me to cater an indulgent wedding feast on St. George Island.
“You’ll have to do some research. There are a lot of rules and laws,” she said as she explained what she described as the ‘formidable challenge’ of planning a kosher menu that would equally delight her fiancés family that would be arriving from Israel and her own American family.
A genesis of menus began swimming through the backwaters of my memory; I couldn’t wait to dive in to the planning. Months later when several of the groom’s family members came to me during the reception and said, “Kat-tee! We’ve eaten all over the world. We don’t like American food. But the food we ate tonight is the best tasting food we have ever eaten anywhere “ a tear drop slid down my face as I imagined the pride of my grandmother and great aunt in the heavens above, who had taught me well one summer so many years earlier.
Tropical Fruit Plate with Walnut-Stuffed Figs & Dates accompanied by Mango Raspberry Fluff
On a beautiful crystal platter arrange an artistic display of sliced fresh fruit, some delicate sprigs of fragrant pineapple sage and mint leaves and an adornment of walnut-stuffed figs and dates. Serve with an elegant stemmed crystal champagne goblet swirled with a fluffy concoction of Cool Whip, pureed mango and raspberries.
To make the stuffed figs and dates, simply cut out the center of each fig and place a walnut half inside. Slice open a pitted date and do the same. Roll each piece of stuffed fruit in shredded coconut.
(c) Kathi Dameron 2007
Kathi Dameron teaches private cooking classes and is a personal chef. She owns Kathi Dameron and Associates.
The Entertaining with Kathi column is published every other week in the Northeast Chronicle in Tallahassee, Florida.
Photo Credit: Gisela Royo & SXC
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
"Entertaining with Kathi Food Column ~ June 6, 2007
In the June 6, 2007 column, Kathi shares a story about cooking up an edible sunken treasure on the shores of Lake Enemy Swim. If you enjoy reading the Entertaining with Kathi column, you'll love Kathi Dameron's How To Create The Wow Ezine Newsletter. Subscribe at any of the buttons at www.letsentertain.blogspot.com Photo Credit: Julia F. & SXC
Put Down The Hangi
By Kathi Dameron
“Put down the hangi,” the counselor sang out.
With great ballyhoo, half a dozen campers wielding shovels dug into the sandy shore of Lake Enemy Swim in the Coteau Ridge of northeastern South Dakota.
I'd never imagined when I left home for Camp Nesodak with a suitcase and duffel bag full of stitched “Kathi” labels on all my new camp clothes that I would be digging a pit in the ground.
“The thrill is in the experience and in knowing that there is always something new to discover just ahead.” My dad's words were ringing true.
“Keep an open mind. You'll have a wonderful time,” my mother added in those final moments before shipping me off.
Visions of splashing in canoes through icy waters, crafting handmade treasures in rustic Western cabins, trekking through the woods and roasting marshmallows while the sound of Kumbaya or ghostly tales filled the night-time sky had danced across my imagination during the weeks of preparation.
I had been to several summer camps, so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. I knew what I liked and what I didn't like. I didn't like KP. Kitchen patrol was not my idea of fun. In fact, any time I was told to help my mom wash the dishes at home, I became a master at conjuring up excuses to slip away. But at camp I was cabin-smart enough to understand that the things I could get away with at home with my liberal softy mom wouldn't work with my peers at camp. Carrying your own weight was just an unwritten law.
It was the artistic side of camp chores that floated my boat, and hangi fit the bill perfectly. Hangi was fun and totally different from other camp meals. Digging a hangi didn't even feel like KP.
Hangi and its culinary cousins - Pachamanca, Kalua and a New England clam bake - are all related by their manner and style of preparation. They are all based on digging and preparing an earthen fire pit used as a cooking chamber.
Cooking a meal underground might appear quite novel to a modern-day world, but the roots of such cooking are perhaps as old as man.
If the concept of cooking a sunken treasure captures your imagination, then the next step is as easy as unearthing a theme.
For a New Zealand Maori-inspired soiree, lay a hangi. For a Peruvian celebration, follow the old Inca tradition with a Pachamanca. If a Hawaiian flavor is desired, go with a sun-kissed tropical Kalua, or if an American theme is more your style, why not throw a New England clam bake? Perhaps, you could make it your very own Gulf Coast interpretation that marries our regional cuisine with this unusual cookery style for an upcoming summer shindig.
How to put down a hangi
1. Dig a hole in the sand.
2. Light a fire in the hole and heat up the rocks at the bottom. Don't tarry at this point; you'll need to work fast.
3. Place prepped food inside a soaked muslin or white-cotton bag, then place it inside a wire basket. Chicken, meat, potatoes, onions and corn all taste delish cooked in this manner.
4. Cover the food, as well as the entire fire pit, with sand.
5. Allow the food to cook for two hours.
6. Don't forget where you buried your dinner.
7. Check local ordinances and be responsible when playing with fire.
(c)2007 Kathi Dameron
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
"Entertaining with Kathi" Newspaper Column ~ May 23, 2007
This article was originally published in the newspaper, in the "Entertaining with Kathi" column on May 23, 2007.
Are you interested in running The "Entertaining with Kathi" column in your newspaper or magazine?
Original food stories/ memoirs, custom-written culinary features and photo and food styling by Kathi Dameron are available through Kathi Dameron and Associates. Ask about the different options. Contact Kathi 
New Orleans Cuisine Hops Onto The Menu
By Kathi Dameron
“Katherine, one bite won't kill you!” my dad said.
“Forget it. I'm not eating those frog legs!” I responded, with the sulky attitude of a 7-year-old. “And I'm not eating that yucky shrimp either. I want some fried chicken.”
“Honey, not all restaurants serve fried chicken,” my parents chimed together in atypical unity.
“Fine. I just won't eat then,” I said before plopping my little hands over my mouth.
I'd lost my appetite anyway as soon as I learned that the menu consisted of such items as frog legs, turtle bisque, snails and fried alligator. All I could think about was the playful frogs, toads and turtles back at home in the dusty small, Nebraska community that my family had relocated to for a portion of my formative years.
When my two older brothers got wind of the notion that I was bothered by the food being served at the pompous red-and-gold New Orleans restaurant, they grabbed hold of that opportunity to tease me, in the way siblings often do.
“Kathi, for your birthday, we are going to get you a frog legs and shrimp cake,” John blurted out as he honed his emerging skill of stirring things up even more.
Trying to impress our older brother, David leaned in and said, “We won't be able to celebrate
your birthday, Kathi, because we are going to trade you in for those alligators we saw today.”
Later, as we were all settling in for the night at an inn in the French Quarter, David, in a stroke of compassion, hugged my neck and whispered, “We wouldn't trade you in. We love you, even though you won't eat frog legs and you won't try new food.”
“Momma, why do folks in the Deep South eat such odd stuff?” I asked while kneeling with my mom beside my little cot.
“They don't think their food is odd. They probably think some of the things we like to eat are odd. Keep an open mind. There is a great big world out there, and it doesn't revolve around us,” she said as she tucked me in for the night.
By Kathi Dameron
“Katherine, one bite won't kill you!” my dad said.
“Forget it. I'm not eating those frog legs!” I responded, with the sulky attitude of a 7-year-old. “And I'm not eating that yucky shrimp either. I want some fried chicken.”
“Honey, not all restaurants serve fried chicken,” my parents chimed together in atypical unity.
“Fine. I just won't eat then,” I said before plopping my little hands over my mouth.
I'd lost my appetite anyway as soon as I learned that the menu consisted of such items as frog legs, turtle bisque, snails and fried alligator. All I could think about was the playful frogs, toads and turtles back at home in the dusty small, Nebraska community that my family had relocated to for a portion of my formative years.
When my two older brothers got wind of the notion that I was bothered by the food being served at the pompous red-and-gold New Orleans restaurant, they grabbed hold of that opportunity to tease me, in the way siblings often do.
“Kathi, for your birthday, we are going to get you a frog legs and shrimp cake,” John blurted out as he honed his emerging skill of stirring things up even more.
Trying to impress our older brother, David leaned in and said, “We won't be able to celebrate
your birthday, Kathi, because we are going to trade you in for those alligators we saw today.”
Later, as we were all settling in for the night at an inn in the French Quarter, David, in a stroke of compassion, hugged my neck and whispered, “We wouldn't trade you in. We love you, even though you won't eat frog legs and you won't try new food.”
“Momma, why do folks in the Deep South eat such odd stuff?” I asked while kneeling with my mom beside my little cot.
“They don't think their food is odd. They probably think some of the things we like to eat are odd. Keep an open mind. There is a great big world out there, and it doesn't revolve around us,” she said as she tucked me in for the night.
Clapping his hands together in authority, Dad instructed, “Lights out in five minutes. We have a full day of activity ahead of us tomorrow.”
Ah, the family vacations and the memories that they etch upon one's memories. I don't think I remembered too many of the “educational” things I was supposed to. Yet, my recollections are well-anchored in the rocky, frolicking antics and the 1960s-style dysfunctions of my family as we jaunted to historical sites from coast to coast in mom's maroon Vista Cruiser.
Dad was a history buff, and family vacations for five often took on the flavor of battles and strategies, clashes and camaraderie, declarations of war and promises of peace, not unlike the places we visited.
But somehow we survived, and I was left with a collection of all-things-food stories. Unbeknownst to all of my family, some of these stories would later re-emerge in print. Better be careful of the memories you are making!
That mid-1960s summer vacation was my first introduction to the foods of New Orleans. Not immediately, but through the years, I developed an appreciation for the rich and varied cuisine of the Bayou.
Cajun and Creole would become popular themes at many a Canopy Rose celebration, quietly stirring for this chef a gumbo of old recollections smack-dab in the middle of whisking a roux.
Here is a vintage recipe for frog legs from the kitchen of Mrs. C.W. Schooley III of West Palm Beach as it appeared in the 1972 collection "Southern Living: The Creole Cookbook," published by Oxmoor House.
Frogs' Legs Elegante
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Pressed garlic to taste
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup white Rhine wine
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lb. frog legs
Flour
Combine all ingredients except frog legs and flour in a skillet and heat. Dredge the frog legs with flour. Cook in the butter mixture until brown, turning frequently. Serve at once.
(c) 2007 Kathi Dameron
Kathi Dameron is a former Tallahassee, Florida caterer and special event designer. She now owns Kathi Dameron and Associates, is a freelance writer, blogger and occasional teacher of cooking classes. She is seeking a full-time career position in the creation and production of workbooks, magazines, books, videos, radio or tv programming with a culinary flavor. To talk with Kathi about a project e-mail her or call her at 850-422-3599.
Photo Credit: Kira Butler & SXC
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
"Entertaining with Kathi" Food Column ~ May 10, 2007 A Taste of Morocco
This "Entertaining with Kathi" column was originally published on May 10, 2007 in the Northeast Chronicle newspaper in Tallahassee, Florida. If you would like to have Kathi's food and entertaining column in your paper or magazine please contact food writer, Kathi Dameron at askkathidameron@aol.com
A Taste of Morocco by Kathi Dameron
“You rode an elephant?” I asked, my eyes popping in sheer amazement at the photographs taped to the black pages of the scrapbook.
Colorful images of a North African bazaar, elephant and camel riding, tents in the Sahara Desert and cooking over open fires were just a few of the fascinating images that captured my imagination. That scrapbook chronicling several years of far-flung adventures belonged to my dad's second wife.
During a portion of my junior and senior years in high school, my dad was married to Joyce, a jet setter he met on a barefoot Windjammer cruise.
Arriving home from school during that interlude of time, I would sporadically be greeted by a mŽlange of rich, captivating and unusual aromas.
On those occasions, my dad's vivacious red-headed wife would be in the kitchen with a crisp, perfectly coordinated apron tied around her tiny waist, moving effortlessly to the beat of foreign lyrics that drifted in from the living-room stereo as she stirred a fragrant pot or chopped ingredients on a butcher block near the sink.
“What are you cooking?” I would ask.
She'd respond with something that sounded foreign and exotic, such as, “Bisteeya. It is a very special Moroccan dish. I thought you and your dad would enjoy it.”
“Can I help?” I would ask, pleased by the possibility of learning how to cook something interesting and unusual.
“Come, see what I bought today,” she'd say, grasping my hand and leading me to the newest treasures she'd collected that day. On that day it was tabletop dŽcor, fashions and costume jewelry with a Moroccan flavor.
Joyce was the eponymous prototype for the “shop till you drop” lifestyle. To say she was a shopaholic would be an understatement. But she had the discriminating taste of an aficionado and always remembered me with hip finds during her daily boutique jaunts around the Chicago area. My daddy was so enamored by her in the beginning that he didn't seem to mind that she went on shopping sprees every single day that they were married.
Home life was an audacious eyeful when my dad and Joyce were in town. On that particular night we were in for a taste of Morocco.
A Moroccan dinner party is great fun. But you don't have to go to an expensive boutique and spend boatloads of money or wander through the Kasbah to find your inspiration. Get creative! You might just have everything you need already. Scarves and other fashion accessories from your boudoir can do double duty as decor for this fun party theme.
How To Host A Moroccan Dinner
The cuisine of Morocco is one of the most eclectic cuisines in the world. It draws on a mixture of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, African, Berber and Moorish inspired dishes.The Moroccan menu is one that you can have great fun playing with. Here are a few ideas to get you started. But don't be afraid to launch off with your own creative interpretations. Your guests will love this party!
1. Use a low table and arrange colorful cushions on the floor for seating. No colorful cushions? Just tie some scarves or fabric squares to pillows.
2. Dress the table with a festive brocaded cloth or fashionable scarves and colorful dinnerware. Make a fresh floral bouquet runner. Add small votives. Trim with some beads, tassels or vintage pins.
3. On a nearby table, set up an edible centerpiece, perhaps skewered seafood or fruit kebabs on a pineapple or melon. Include an elegant plated collection of the foods you will be serving - hummus with pita-bread wedges, exotic spiced goat cheese and pistachio purses, mixed greens with peppered and dried fruits drizzled with raspberry champagne vinaigrette, couscous with roasted vegetables, small wedges of bisteeya or a lamb tangine, bite-sized diamonds of almond and honey-roasted pear baklava, orange-coconut macaroons, raspberry-streusel fig bars, fresh fruit - and don't forget to brew up plenty of the quintessential Moroccan beverage, mint tea. Arrange candles all around the room.
4. Provide your guests with thick, color-coordinated towels to cover their laps.
5. Perfume a silver pitcher of warm water with a drop or two of nice aromatic essential oil. Treat your guests to the Moroccan custom of pouring a little water over the fingers of each guest to signal the beginning and end of the meal.
6. Play Moroccan music in the background.
7. Watch the movie "Casablanca" for more inspiration.
(c) 2007 Kathi Dameron
A Taste of Morocco by Kathi Dameron
“You rode an elephant?” I asked, my eyes popping in sheer amazement at the photographs taped to the black pages of the scrapbook.
Colorful images of a North African bazaar, elephant and camel riding, tents in the Sahara Desert and cooking over open fires were just a few of the fascinating images that captured my imagination. That scrapbook chronicling several years of far-flung adventures belonged to my dad's second wife.
During a portion of my junior and senior years in high school, my dad was married to Joyce, a jet setter he met on a barefoot Windjammer cruise.
Arriving home from school during that interlude of time, I would sporadically be greeted by a mŽlange of rich, captivating and unusual aromas.
On those occasions, my dad's vivacious red-headed wife would be in the kitchen with a crisp, perfectly coordinated apron tied around her tiny waist, moving effortlessly to the beat of foreign lyrics that drifted in from the living-room stereo as she stirred a fragrant pot or chopped ingredients on a butcher block near the sink.
“What are you cooking?” I would ask.
She'd respond with something that sounded foreign and exotic, such as, “Bisteeya. It is a very special Moroccan dish. I thought you and your dad would enjoy it.”
“Can I help?” I would ask, pleased by the possibility of learning how to cook something interesting and unusual.
“Come, see what I bought today,” she'd say, grasping my hand and leading me to the newest treasures she'd collected that day. On that day it was tabletop dŽcor, fashions and costume jewelry with a Moroccan flavor.
Joyce was the eponymous prototype for the “shop till you drop” lifestyle. To say she was a shopaholic would be an understatement. But she had the discriminating taste of an aficionado and always remembered me with hip finds during her daily boutique jaunts around the Chicago area. My daddy was so enamored by her in the beginning that he didn't seem to mind that she went on shopping sprees every single day that they were married.
Home life was an audacious eyeful when my dad and Joyce were in town. On that particular night we were in for a taste of Morocco.
A Moroccan dinner party is great fun. But you don't have to go to an expensive boutique and spend boatloads of money or wander through the Kasbah to find your inspiration. Get creative! You might just have everything you need already. Scarves and other fashion accessories from your boudoir can do double duty as decor for this fun party theme.
How To Host A Moroccan Dinner
The cuisine of Morocco is one of the most eclectic cuisines in the world. It draws on a mixture of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, African, Berber and Moorish inspired dishes.The Moroccan menu is one that you can have great fun playing with. Here are a few ideas to get you started. But don't be afraid to launch off with your own creative interpretations. Your guests will love this party!
1. Use a low table and arrange colorful cushions on the floor for seating. No colorful cushions? Just tie some scarves or fabric squares to pillows.
2. Dress the table with a festive brocaded cloth or fashionable scarves and colorful dinnerware. Make a fresh floral bouquet runner. Add small votives. Trim with some beads, tassels or vintage pins.
3. On a nearby table, set up an edible centerpiece, perhaps skewered seafood or fruit kebabs on a pineapple or melon. Include an elegant plated collection of the foods you will be serving - hummus with pita-bread wedges, exotic spiced goat cheese and pistachio purses, mixed greens with peppered and dried fruits drizzled with raspberry champagne vinaigrette, couscous with roasted vegetables, small wedges of bisteeya or a lamb tangine, bite-sized diamonds of almond and honey-roasted pear baklava, orange-coconut macaroons, raspberry-streusel fig bars, fresh fruit - and don't forget to brew up plenty of the quintessential Moroccan beverage, mint tea. Arrange candles all around the room.
4. Provide your guests with thick, color-coordinated towels to cover their laps.
5. Perfume a silver pitcher of warm water with a drop or two of nice aromatic essential oil. Treat your guests to the Moroccan custom of pouring a little water over the fingers of each guest to signal the beginning and end of the meal.
6. Play Moroccan music in the background.
7. Watch the movie "Casablanca" for more inspiration.
(c) 2007 Kathi Dameron
Photo Credit: Brian S. and SXC
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
"Entertaining With Kathi' Food Column ~ April 26, 2007
Did You Know You Have Cousins In The Lapland?
By Kathi Dameron
“Did you know that you have cousins in the Lapland?” my dad would say with a hint of mystery and intrigue in his distinctive booming voice, as he referred to my mom’s side of the family. Lowering his tone just an octave he would add, “they dance with reindeer, I’m told.”
While I was growing up, my quiet and reserved mother never talked much about her Finnish heritage or the Arctic region where the sun does not rise on the winter solstice, nor set on the summer solstice, and she certainly never painted images to me of her family dancing with reindeer. Perhaps being a first generation American born to an immigrant father and his worldly American wife, was at the crux of my mother’s reason for keeping this faraway land at an emotional distance.
But in recent years, my dear elderly mother and my two older brothers have come to embrace the land of the midnight sun.
A world away from the shores of Helsinki, Finland my oldest brother, John, a blue-eyed, rocky mountain resident, with the heart-breaking and rugged good looks of a western playboy, felt a call to retrace the shrouded roots of our blood.
“I’ve met over fifty of our cousins in our age range!” John e-mailed me from his Scandinavian sojourn.
Now Finnish inspired gifts have become a new way of life within my family.
Both brothers seem to enjoy sending me Finnish cookbooks on the traditional gift giving days.
My favorite thing about these books is the old memories they stir for me. They remind me of the primitive wooden plates that once graced the kitchen wall of my childhood home. A gift to my parents, these hand-painted folk art treasures with the words “auta itsesi” and “hyvaa kafia” were in essence the philosophy of my grandfather’s lifestyle in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where old world hospitality reigned supreme for him with his Finnish sweetheart-grandpa’s favorite wife, Katie.
Vacationing in the U.P. as a child was always an adventure, especially a culinary adventure. Katie was an incredible cook. Coffee time was her art. “Auta itses” or help yourself and “hyvaa kafia” or good coffee were proverbial expressions
With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, an idea is born. I’m going to roll up my sleeves, tie on my apron and do some baking. Mom will be receiving a homemade batch of Finnish cardamom cookies from me this year alongside a collection of assorted coffee.
Cardamom is a popular spice used in Scandinavian baked goods. It has an unmistakably intense aroma and unique taste.
Upon revisiting the pages of these new cookbooks from the international shelves of my culinary library, I hunted for a recipe that would travel well. Cardamom Rusks, a recipe by Taimi Previdi, from her book, “The Best of Finnish Cooking” might just be the ticket for mom this year. I’m getting a head start on this project.
I hope to find some Finnish literature to send to my mom, too. For even though my mother who always colored inside the lines and never spun tales of her Father’s faraway Finland, she would share nightly her love of literature and reading with my brothers and me, when we were growing up. Next to the gift of life that she gave us, I count this gift – this gift of reading as a most cherished and priceless gift. While it costs so little, just a portion of an hour or so a day, over time it adds up to something so priceless. Something that regardless of what happens in the world can never be snatched away from the recipient. Those stories lodge deep in the subconscious mind, building an appreciation and curiosity for the magic of literature and the mystery of life.
How To Host An Old Fashioned Finnish Coffee Party
Five times a day, Grandpa and Katie laid out the old-fashioned coffee party table during my family’s visits. That was their culture. My daddy thought it was too much of a good thing, but I loved it! Nowadays, I would have to agree with my dad. Too much sugar is not a good thing, but for a very special occasion, an Old-Fashioned Finnish Coffee Party is a lovely way to entertain visiting family and friends.
1.Bake up a dazzling collection of sweet confections.
2. Invite family and friends to stop by and partake of the treats.
3. Prepare a variety of sugar-less open-faced tea sandwiches.
4. Brew plenty of strong coffee and serve it with sugar and cream in small dainty demitasse-sized cups. Include milk, tea and mineral water.
5. Lay out your prettiest table with fine lace, old-world serving pieces and a bouquet of cut flowers from the garden.
6. Share stories, enjoy inspired conversation and engage in competitive, yet friendly old-fashioned family games.
(c) 2007 Kathi Dameron
Photo Credit: Jason Nelson and SXC
Kathi Dameron is a former caterer and event designer. She owns Kathi Dameron and Associates and is seeking a full-time career as a program producer. See my resume.
(This is my unedited version of my April 25, 2007 "Entertaining with Kathi" newspaper food and entertaining column. Columns are often shortened so that they can fit into the space allotted. While the newspaper does a great job of editing, the editing process removes some important parts of the story. Those are the realities of newspaper publishing. The best solution obviously would be for a food writer to limit their text to a lesser number of words so nothing gets cut out. Maybe if I have time later I'll come back and highlight the parts of the story that were used in the column. Well John, you got your wish and the editors cut out that you were a playboy!)
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
"Entertaining with Kathi" Food Column ~ April 12, 2007
This story is scheduled to be published in the newspaper on April 12, 2007.
“Art is his raison d’ etre!”
“Raison d’ etre?” I repeated, “What is that?”
Rolling her eyes at my naivete, my design school roommate said, “ his basic reason to exist.”
“Oh, I see.” I responded. But what I really saw was how much I had to learn in order to try to fit in to my new life in New York City.
“I like his invitation. It’s different in an avant garde sort of way,” I said as I propped the elongated and zany zebra-stripped invitation, to my very first Manhattan soiree, on the overly crowded surface of the standard-issue dormitory chest.
I glanced at the photo beside it that had been snapped six months earlier. My eyes misted at the shot of graduation caps flying in the air in front of the chapel of Cottey College, the small private woman’s college near the Ozarks of Missouri that had been the setting of my previous collegiate life.
But during this particular time frame I was in a setting where eyes shouldn't mist and where little time was allowed for nostalgia. I was on a fast track, trying to acclimate to four seasons of culture shock in a concrete jungle.
The artsy invitation was my first clue that this party would be worlds removed from anything I had ever experienced up to that point in my young life. Imagine if you will, a SOHO loft in the 1970’s where fashion, art, safari and theatrical finesse come together for a good cause in a fun, fabulous and outrageous soiree.
Perhaps it was at that event and subsequent other chic parties during my New York City design school days that the first true kernels were planted in my imagination for a lifetime attraction to food and entertaining as art, and to the skillful mixing of contrasting mediums in ways that surprise and delight the senses.
Servers in antiquated artiste frocks with palettes as trays, served elegant hors d'oeuvres that tasted as though they had dropped from the heavens above. Tour guides decked-out in safari attire discussed the mediums used to create the bigger than life renditions of wild zebras, tigers and elephants that roamed the jungle-like walls of the loft. Overhead three-dimensional monkey sculptures clung to a whimsical forest canopy while unusual and striking sounds drifted through the party space.
The piece de resistance and grand finale was the intricate spun sugar sculptures that adorned decadent chocolate, forbidden sweet and exotic fruit displays arranged on a magnificent candlelit and star-studded rooftop garden. Hidden away in this spun-sugar dream, the surrounding city looked like a harmless out-of-this-world charming fantasy of dazzling sequined lights.
The take-away lesson for me came from witnessing the host’s stroke of brilliance in UN caging his creativity to benefit a bigger-than-life cause. The night came alive and roared with its own unique artistry- it’s own raison d’etre.
More About Spun Sugar
That event marked my first conscious memory of spun sugar. But spun sugar is by no means a twentieth century invention. As far back as 16th Century Italy, intricate spun sugar sculptures were all the rage in the dining rooms of the affluent. In retrospect, it is no wonder that my artiste friend, a tall, dark and drop-dead gorgeous man of Italian and French ancestry would dabble in sculptures of spun sugar.
Visually, spun sugar is a gastronomic embellishment that will create a sense of WOW to your next soiree. Here is the secret for making spun sugar in your own kitchen.
Spun-sugar is fairly easy to create. Simply cook sugar, water and cream of tartar in a saucepan to a hard crack stage. The next step involves dipping a fork into the hot sugar syrup and drawing out fine threads. But be careful, you don't want to burn yourself. These threads can be swirled directly onto the dessert or they can be transferred to a wax paper-lined surface until the dessert is plated. Spun sugar should be made the day of the event.
Just a whisper of these shimmering, golden strands of spun sugar will add a spectacular flourish of artistry and a fashionable crowning touch to a luscious edible white chocolate basket of fresh strawberries or most any spring dessert. Bon Vivre!
I love hearing from readers. Your kind words make my heart leap with joy! Please feel free to contact me at askkathidameron@aol.com with any questions or comments.
(c) Kathi Dameron 2007
“Art is his raison d’ etre!”
“Raison d’ etre?” I repeated, “What is that?”
Rolling her eyes at my naivete, my design school roommate said, “ his basic reason to exist.”
“Oh, I see.” I responded. But what I really saw was how much I had to learn in order to try to fit in to my new life in New York City.
“I like his invitation. It’s different in an avant garde sort of way,” I said as I propped the elongated and zany zebra-stripped invitation, to my very first Manhattan soiree, on the overly crowded surface of the standard-issue dormitory chest.
I glanced at the photo beside it that had been snapped six months earlier. My eyes misted at the shot of graduation caps flying in the air in front of the chapel of Cottey College, the small private woman’s college near the Ozarks of Missouri that had been the setting of my previous collegiate life.
But during this particular time frame I was in a setting where eyes shouldn't mist and where little time was allowed for nostalgia. I was on a fast track, trying to acclimate to four seasons of culture shock in a concrete jungle.
The artsy invitation was my first clue that this party would be worlds removed from anything I had ever experienced up to that point in my young life. Imagine if you will, a SOHO loft in the 1970’s where fashion, art, safari and theatrical finesse come together for a good cause in a fun, fabulous and outrageous soiree.
Perhaps it was at that event and subsequent other chic parties during my New York City design school days that the first true kernels were planted in my imagination for a lifetime attraction to food and entertaining as art, and to the skillful mixing of contrasting mediums in ways that surprise and delight the senses.
Servers in antiquated artiste frocks with palettes as trays, served elegant hors d'oeuvres that tasted as though they had dropped from the heavens above. Tour guides decked-out in safari attire discussed the mediums used to create the bigger than life renditions of wild zebras, tigers and elephants that roamed the jungle-like walls of the loft. Overhead three-dimensional monkey sculptures clung to a whimsical forest canopy while unusual and striking sounds drifted through the party space.
The piece de resistance and grand finale was the intricate spun sugar sculptures that adorned decadent chocolate, forbidden sweet and exotic fruit displays arranged on a magnificent candlelit and star-studded rooftop garden. Hidden away in this spun-sugar dream, the surrounding city looked like a harmless out-of-this-world charming fantasy of dazzling sequined lights.
The take-away lesson for me came from witnessing the host’s stroke of brilliance in UN caging his creativity to benefit a bigger-than-life cause. The night came alive and roared with its own unique artistry- it’s own raison d’etre.
More About Spun Sugar
That event marked my first conscious memory of spun sugar. But spun sugar is by no means a twentieth century invention. As far back as 16th Century Italy, intricate spun sugar sculptures were all the rage in the dining rooms of the affluent. In retrospect, it is no wonder that my artiste friend, a tall, dark and drop-dead gorgeous man of Italian and French ancestry would dabble in sculptures of spun sugar.
Visually, spun sugar is a gastronomic embellishment that will create a sense of WOW to your next soiree. Here is the secret for making spun sugar in your own kitchen.
Spun-sugar is fairly easy to create. Simply cook sugar, water and cream of tartar in a saucepan to a hard crack stage. The next step involves dipping a fork into the hot sugar syrup and drawing out fine threads. But be careful, you don't want to burn yourself. These threads can be swirled directly onto the dessert or they can be transferred to a wax paper-lined surface until the dessert is plated. Spun sugar should be made the day of the event.
Just a whisper of these shimmering, golden strands of spun sugar will add a spectacular flourish of artistry and a fashionable crowning touch to a luscious edible white chocolate basket of fresh strawberries or most any spring dessert. Bon Vivre!
I love hearing from readers. Your kind words make my heart leap with joy! Please feel free to contact me at askkathidameron@aol.com with any questions or comments.
(c) Kathi Dameron 2007
Photo Credit: Shane Atkin & SXC
Kathi Dameron is a former caterer and event designer. She owns Kathi Dameron and Associates.
Kathi Dameron is a former caterer and event designer. She owns Kathi Dameron and Associates.
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