NYC’s Fabulous Hostesses!

The Pineapple is a Symbol of Hostpitality

Not to brag, but…. I happen to have some pretty fabulous friends here in New York. I thought it would be fun to ask them about how they entertain in their own homes. The questions were loose. Do they have any tricks up their sleeves? Challenges they face? Something they always make? Serveware  they always use? Or any other insightful hints..

I think we can learn a lot from each other (I was just talking a few posts ago about collaboration). I will be posting a few of my friends home entertaing responses each week , starting with these two darlings:

Renee Lucas, Executive Editor of CITY Magazine :

Don’t be caught unprepared for guests who happen to be in the area and stop by with little notice. I like to keep the house stocked with an assortment of Illy or Lavazza espresso, as there is something welcoming about the smell and sound of coffee being brewed. I have a set of antique Italian espresso cups and saucers that my grandmother gave to me. Each is a different bright color of the rainbow, and although they have been passed down for years, they are modern looking and always a talking point. To accompany this, keep fresh artisan chocolates in the house. Companies like Compartes Chocolatier hand-paint their truffles and the unusual flavors like maple and wasabi are both interesting and fun. With no cooking required, it’s an easy way to entertain on a minutes notice.

Alexa, www.Dtangled.com :

I absolutely love cooking and having dinner parties! My boyfriend and I usually tackle three or four courses. However, we don’t have a dining room table so when we have lots of people over we throw a bunch of food on the kitchen island and the coffee table and let people wander around. Disco music + cheese platter + good bread + a lot of champagne is a trick I learned from my Brazilian friends. Impossible not to have a good time!

 Regardless of whether I’m hosting an intimate dinner or a group, I always start with a signature amuse-bouche-style small dish that everyone can enjoy. My signature dish in the summer is my version of a refreshing pea shoot salad that I first tasted at ñ in Soho. In the winter, I like to start with my mom’s recipe for leek soup. I serve it in tiny bowls so it’s almost like a hot drink.

For special occasions, I use Christiane Perrochon ceramic dishware that my boyfriend’s mother gifted me – www.christianeperrochon.com .  I would never use them at a party though; they are too precious. Instead, I bluff with look-alikes from IKEA; I like the flat plates and bowls from the Dinera series.

I also have a winter and summer scent scheme to keep the apartment fragrant and not overpowered with food when we cook. I love Diptyque and have blogged about it a bunch: http://dtangled.com/2009/11/03/merchants-of-everything . In the summer I love Diptyque Pink Roses and Figuier; and in the winter it’s Feu du Bois or Foin Coupe since we really wish we had a working fireplace!