The Art of Making Dinner Magic
When I was growing up, we had an antique cabinet in the dining room devoted solely to international décor for the table. Filled with runners, mats, bric-a-brac, candles, and wild miscellanea, my mother had almost every conceivable element to create the ambiance that would correspond with her varied culinary themes. Even a simple meal for the three of us – my parents and me – was cause for decorating the table. This was part of my mother’s artistic expression and it certainly made every dinner festive and interesting.
Dinner parties of course, were exaggerations, with all the themed regalia coming out to show itself in subtle ways throughout the dining and living room. Taking the time to create a little world made the evenings so special, and no guest ever forgot to comment on the care my mother took in making the house just so.
In our busy lives we often forget to take the time for ritual. But it is ritual that allows us to make something quotidian into something memorable. Dinner should be a time when a family or friends disconnect from the day to enjoy a well-made meal in an atmosphere that reflects love and care. Decorating for the occasion makes a dinner magic, even if it is just candles or a bouquet of flowers.
A New York/Indian Dinner Party
On a wonderful visit to Manhattan, I stayed with dear friends in their Chelsea loft. After describing the success I had in cooking Gordon Ramsay’s Chicken Curry some months before, we decided to throw a dinner party for seven based on this dish. We did some research and came up with a great appetizer to go along with it, as well as a dessert that would be the perfect antidote to the spicy flavors of the meal.
What a thrill to be working in an ample kitchen as compared to my tiny space in Buenos Aires…and with sharp knives to boot! Ah, cooking in the modern world!
My friend and I decorated the table in Indian style, using a long runner down the center, many small candles, a beautiful Buddha decorated with necklaces, dried yellow marigold heads tossed in between the pale beige dishes, and small bowls of garnishes: coconut flakes, chopped peanuts, currants, and chutney. We placed bowls of fruit, chipped chili flavored dried mango, and spiced cashews on the low table in the living room where we began the evening, drinking a delicious sparkling Cava brought by two of our guests.
We had two exceptional Californian wines to go with dinner, brought by two more of our guests: a 2006 Chardonnay from Sage Road Cellars, Santa Barbara County and a 2000 Syrah from Beckman Vineyards Estate, Santa Ynez Valley.
My friend and I had dressed for the occasion, wearing Indian tunics and sandals and bejeweled with earrings and bangles. The music featured sitar along with contemporary Indian composers like Nitin Sahwney, Dum Dum Project, and Sheila Chandra. Our guests walked in to a loft transformed, which took them from the NY streets into the candle-lit mood we’d created, lasting throughout the evening. With snappy conversation and appetites whetted for our delicious menu, the evening was a great success.
Menu
Appetizer:
Chipolte Tandoori Shrimp Wraps (www.myrecipes.com)
Dinner:
Gordon Ramsay’s Malaysian Chicken Curry (www.recipezaar.com)
Jasmine Rice
Cucumber Raita (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/104741)
Dessert:
Strips of papaya and mango with lime wedges.
Kheer (http://www.indianfoodforever.com/desserts/kheer.html)
Sesame cookies
Mukhwas, an Indian digestive snack made of fennel seeds, anise seeds, coconut and sesame seeds with aromatic oil, sugar, and food coloring. (Found in most Indian food supply stores)
* adjust all recipes according to amount of guests)
About Michele
CWF co-founder, Michele Kadison is a native New Yorker currently living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A fearless explorer in life, MK has taken far less risks around the stove, contentedly cooking variations on the same recipes for far longer than she cares to admit. She has been known, however, to make the occasional foray into uncharted territories when overtaken by wanton and unqualified attacks of culinary confidence. Since the discovery of guru Jennifer Brenner’s cookbooks, MK has expanded her repertoire considerably, usually cheffing and sous-cheffing with fellow CWFers in her little turquoise and green laboratory known as The Kitchen.
Choreographer, director, teacher, and writer, MK’s extracurricular achievements can be found on her blog: mkadison.blogspot.com
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