Just For Fun

Bonnie: Parties that are different from the norm (whatever that is), provide lasting effects, meaning your friends will talk about them for years to come. I know mine do.

For your next gathering — whether during the holidays or throughout the year — party plan with a twist. Not just the food, but the event.

For example, consider my Black & White New Year’s Eve party. Hands down, the most fun New Year’s Eve. First, the party was in November. Yes, November. (I had to stage it for a photographer for my weekly newspaper food feature.) And unlike the actual holiday, the gathering contained absolutely no pressure to have fun.

I asked attendees to don black and white. Men enjoyed an excuse to dust off their tuxedos; women easily grabbed a black dress. Everything was black and white — from table settings and decorations to the food — except the fresh red rose I placed on each woman’s black dinner plate. (That touch of red could also be from a tomato skin rose garnishing the main plate.)

The food? Truth is, I had to dig out the newspaper article from the 80s to remember! It contained recipes and alternative menu suggestions, including Belgian endive Romanoff (caviar topped endive), vichyssoise or a smoky flavored cream of chestnut soup, filet mignon with a blue cheese sauce, duchess potato cups filled with garlic mushrooms, fennel and cucumber salad, and a chocolate mousse cake or a white Russian cake decorated with chocolate shavings.

Today, I’d do a black and white meal differently. Caviar and vodka to...

Bryan: As I’ve mentioned before, holidays are all about food, and holiday entertaining is no different. Food and beverage, of course, makes all the difference when it comes to creating a memorable party experience for you and your guests. There are two very different kinds of holiday season entertaining in my opinion – family vs. friends. Family gathers around the table for the religious holidays (Christmas, Chanukah, etc.); it’s a chance to revisit familial...

Eric: It seems as though we’re on a holiday writing kick, and with good reason. With the ensuing Christmas season, and the always provocative aftermath of the New Year’s Eve celebration, it seems right to put aside the culinary talk and focus on the traditions (or lack thereof) that we usually look forward to enjoying. From reading my mother’s and brother’s comments, you can easily put together an...