Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations

I just finished reading my review copy of Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations: Entertaining at Home with New York's Savviest Hostesses. I love to curl up in bed and read cookbooks...and sometimes cook from them too. This one came along at a fortuitous time as the holidays are right around the corner.

Members of The Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have contributed their favorite recipes that they rely on to celebrate holidays and the seasons. There are menus and recipes for Valentine's Day, Passover, Derby Day, and of course what I'm thinking about now: Christmas. I haven't tried any of the recipes, but I thought the Society's previous effort was a success so I'm anxious to try my hand at a few of these dishes. (Also, the fact that Florence Fabricant is associated with this book is like a seal of approval.)

I've included a dessert recipe below that I'd like to make, but if you're not someone who enjoys cooking or reading cookbooks, you should at least look at the photos of the gorgeous interiors and tablesettings. You just might be inspired to get into the kitchen and whip up something to celebrate.

Roaring Twenties Coffee Bavarian Cream (Makes 12 or more servings)

2 packets plain gelatin
1 cup whole milk
1 cup brewed espresso
1 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy cream
Small chocolate truffles for decoration, chilled

Place the gelatin in a 4-cup glass measuring cup and stir in the milk. Bring the espresso to a boil and whisk it into the milk mixture. Stir in the sugar. Transfer the mixture to a metal bowl and place it in a large bowl filled with ice and water. Stir from time to time as the mixture cools. When the mixture starts to thicken, transfer it to the bowl of an electric mixer.

Beat the mixture at high speed until it is smooth and fairly thick and lightens in colors. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold peaks but are not dry. Fold the egg whites into the gelatin mixture.

Whip the cream until stiff and fold it into the gelatin mixture. Transfer the mixture to an 8-cup metal ring mold or another fancy mold. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

To serve, unmold the mousse and decorate it with chocolate truffles, if you like, which can also be piled into the center of the unmolded dessert.








(Recipe and photographs from Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations: Entertaining at Home with New York's Savviest Hostesses, Rizzoli New York, 2009, photographer Ben Fink.)

John Pawson and My New Dream Cookware

Dare I admit that I place more emphasis on the aesthetics of the cookware I buy? I know, I know. The way it conducts heat is important. And so is the construction of the pot or pan. Oh, oven proof handles are important too. But while I do cook, I'm no Julia Child, so I can justify choosing cookware based on the way it looks.

I still love my Le Creuset dutch oven and gratin dish- in Flame, my favorite color. Although, the new Slate color is awfully appealing too. I'd love some copper cookware, but it's a bit pricey and maintenance is rather labor intensive. I like my Calphalon for non-stick cooking, and I do have some stainless cookware that looks perfectly acceptable on the top of my range.

But the latest cookware that has stolen my heart is that designed by John Pawson for Demeyere. In fact, I might give my right arm for some of it, although cooking might prove to be difficult as a leftie. Just look at it! It's sleek, sexy, and supremely glamorous. It has a look that fits in with the 1930s aesthetic that I love so much. This is cookware that looks so darn good that you might not want to mar it with extensive use. And with a six piece set costing around $1000, the price is a little hard to swallow. So, in the meantime, I'll continue to use my Le Creuset and Calphalon, but I'll be dreaming about the Pawson cookware.

(The John Pawson line can be purchased at Moss and on various cookware websites.)







Image at top: Julia Child's Kitchen, now on display at the Smithsonian. Julia would have found this whole post ridiculous!