A Housewarming!
I keep moving, which means several housewarming parties. And since I’d been in the Vertigo long enough to unpack my boxes, paint at least one wall and make it feel like home, it was time.
Usually, I spend the day cooking, preparing food, arranging trays, making drinks. Time was short, and I made an executive decision: I ordered trays from Whole Foods. This was definitely a good idea - the food was delicious, and while I still spent time in the kitchen, the party prep wasn’t as stressful as it has been in the past (even though Carrie and Pete may disagree with that statement). And, since Carrie was in town, it gave me more time to hang out with her (until I think I gave myself a concussion, but that’s a whole other story).
I did make dessert: chocolate cupcakes with coffee frosting, chocolate chip cookies (from Elizabeth Falkner’s new and excellent Demolition Desserts) and almond cookies. Carrie assembled the requisite cheese tray and a I threw a warm artichoke dip in the oven. From Whole Foods, a charcuterie tray, grilled veggies on bread and mushroom skewers with aioli. I also made French 75 cocktails (champagne, gin, lemon, something else), which disappeared in about 5 minutes.
Carrie attempted the newest Cooks Illustrated pie crust involving flour, salt, butter, shortening and vodka from, in order to make her famous caramelized onion and blue cheese tart. It’s always interesting to watch others in the kitchen – our methods differ, but the end always turns out. Sadly, the pie crust didn’t come together that night, although we did make the tart the next night, and it was simply amazing: layers of flaky pie crust that crunched nicely in the mouth, with the sweet onions and tart blue cheese.
The party was a ton of fun. Cleaning up bottles the next day, I realized that it was a fairly hard drinking crowd. Several bottles of beer, a few bottles of wine, a bottle of vodka, 5 bottles of champagne and some other assorted liquor were consumed. Someone told me that when she left at midnight, it was clear that the party wasn’t ending anytime soon.
Happy Housewarming!