Seasonal Hospitality: Ch. 2 - Cooking with Caitlin (& Bacon!)

This next example of Seasonal Hospitality is a very delicious one indeed!

Do you know this team of fun foodie professionals - Cooking with Caitlin - who we are so pleased to partner with for Foodies' Night In (#FNIchat) every Monday?

If this is your first introduction to this dynamic team of charming culinary creatives, here's how they describe who they are and what they do:

Music To Be Grateful For!

With not one but TWO Thanksgivings to plan for, we're scurrying about getting our gameplan in gear.

One of the most fun - though often overlooked - entertaining essentials is creating ambiance.  Music, key to ambiance in our opinion, is such an easy way to add a little something to the gathering.  The right music gets toes tapping, can trigger a smile, and can fill the room.

For Thanksgiving, we're pulling out a few old favorites - and some new musical friends - to set our stage.  Take a listen (directions below) and see if your hearth fires burn a little more brightly.

8 entertaining essentials

The Savvy Host believes that entertaining is most simply gathering people together in enjoyable surroundings ~ offering good food & drink ~ to share stories, ideas, & laughter,...life

The Savvy Host’s 8 Entertaining Essentials© will inspire entertaining of all types - dining in or out, gourmet cook or not, large party or intimate dinner.

Packed with creative ideas, budget conscious hints, and time-saving tricks, 8 Entertaining Essentials© can save a little of your sanity - and a few of your hard-earned dollars! Inside you'll find a step-by-step guide with easy-to-use checklists, interesting resource references and recommendations from Savvy Host.

Chatting with Housewife Bliss: Entertaining & Crowd Control

We're back with the very charming Housewife Bliss swapping stories and ideas for holiday entertaining - this time we're sharpening our hosting toolkit to address CROWD CONTROL - aka. Large Group Entertaining.

7 De-Stress Techniques...when the Holidays HIT HARD!

Colette Candle Grande $25.95

With a lot of business travel, busy SavvyHostMarket season, and holiday entertaining looming on the horizon, no wonder The Savvy Host has been stocking up on techniques to DE-stress!

Here's a short list of tips and tricks shared with us, or that we've discovered, for getting back our "zen".  Keep a few on file to fight off holiday hosting stress!

Go-To Gifts for the Season | Holiday Workshop

Fusion Lumieres

And what is The Savvy Host offering in the way of holiday entertaining know-how?  Read on...

Go-To Gifts for the Season
Mid-October through early January, there's seldom a few extra minutes to spare.  We always like to be prepared (yes, there is Brownie-turned-Girl-Scout training in our past).  Not that this happens regularly enough - no we're not THAT good - but isn't it an alluring concept?

With so many dinner parties, cocktail events, family gatherings and holiday merrymaking, it is hard enough to coordinate schedules, hosting details, and sassy attire!!  Often overlooked - and then a source of discomfort - is how best to prepare for unexpected or last-minute gift-giving needs.

This is not a lesson in the etiquette of gift-giving (see Don't Forget a Gift for the Host!).  Instead, we offering our list of Go-To Gifts to keep on hand to ensure that WHEN (never IF unfortunately) you unexpectedly need "a little something", YOU are PREPARED with an appropriate gift for the host, teacher's gift, special co-coworker, Secret Santa, ... remember last year?

Six Go-To Gifts - along with savvy tips to help budget while you stock up -  can be pulled together whether your budget is $100 or $15.

Save yourself a little bit of frantic this season - keep a few tucked away in a "gift closet" (or pantry - or guest room...)

AND, the best way to make any gift a true success is to customize...even just a little bit.  MAKE IT SPECIAL with special accents or pairings to create an interesting, tailored gift-set.  Highlights the savvy-ness of the giver.  Brings an appreciative smile to face of the giftee. Take a look...

1. Wine

An ever-traditional host or thank-you gift.  Red, white, pink or SPARKLING champagne, we always enjoy receiving a special selection to enjoy around the holidays.

Napa Vines Spreaders

SAVVY TIP - Now's the time to watch the store specials to find an extra-special VALUE you'll be proud to share.  Buy a set of 6 or more and often you'll save an additional 10%!!


MAKE IT SPECIAL - Feeling festive? Add an ornament or other seasonal decoration tied around the neck with holiday ribbon.  Prefer functional? Wine charms, champagne stoppers, or other specialty wine tools add a little something extra.

2. Spreaders
Ever-so-useful for any entertaining occasion!  We love the diversity of styles, colors and shapes of cheese and other spreaders.  Use for spreadable hors d'oeuvres or to pass with the butter or to serve certain condiments at the table. 

SAVVY TIP - Often packaged as a set of four, look for sets that you can break into pairs, perfectly appropriate to have on-hand for a Go-To Gift (and allows you a little budget to make it special!)

MAKE IT SPECIAL -  Add a specialty mustard - preserves - or even jam to a package with two spreaders for a unique pairing.  Trader Joe's, iGourmet and Gourmet Delights are all offering wonderful gourmet additions to fit any budget.

3. Salt Server or Condiment Bowls
Something a little elegant, we love the trend to serve fine sea salt, or other specialty condiments, from specialty serving dishes.  Salt pigs, salt servers or specialty condiment bowls are a unique gift - often made of stone or olive wood.


SAVVY TIP - Keep your eye out for those servers and bowls that include a matching spoon. Typically at no additional cost, the tiny spoon is quite a value-add!

MAKE IT SPECIAL - As a starter, complete the set by adding a package of Fleur de Sel. Or specialty salt - we love Secret Stash Salt's Lavendar Rosemary and Bloody Mary Salt.  Or, consider adding another favorite - Truffle Salt.

4. Specialty Serveware
A special serving pair - soup spoons - cheese knives - or pasta tongs - elegantly boxed and tied with a festive bow, will fit the Go-To Gift occasion (whatever that may be!). 

High-Heel Cake Server

SAVVY TIP - Keep your eye out for serveware items already pre-packaged in box, saving you the trouble of trying to box and wrap.

MAKE IT SPECIAL - There are so many unique serveware items - consider investing in a decor theme that is meaningful to you in some way - or buy a few MUST-haves that you wouldn't mind having at your entertaining disposal.  Need a really creative idea under $20?  High-Heel Cake Servers (see left) never miss the mark in Decadent Diva - Gourmet Glam and so many other styles.  Also love gourmet cooking MUST-haves including NexTrend Garlic Twist Mincer and Sous Chef.

5. Tea/Coffee Service
A tin of gourmet tea or package of specialty coffee beans are an energizing treat! Added to a special cup & saucer, or demitasse set - this will forever be an afternoon break in your honor. 
SAVVY TIP - Buy a special roast or leaf in bulk - and then package in smaller portions for your Go-To Gifts.  Similarly, find a set of tea cups or mugs - and package individually or in pairs!


MAKE IT SPECIAL - There are so many new shapes, sizes and styles of coffee and tea service - seek out unique demitasse cup sets or glass coffee cups that work for both coffee and tea.  Design conscious pieces will pair well with a small portion of specialty tea or coffee to make a wonderful impression.  Take it up a notch by adding flavored sugar spoons.

Rondo Cappuccino and Espresso Sets

6. Votives & Candleholders
Hard to go wrong with a lovely glass or crystal votive or decorative candleholder.  Opt for something seasonal if you like or stick with an all-occasion style – be it contemporary, traditional or glitzy.  Perfect decorative element for dining décor - for the powder room - or bedside, your recipient will enjoy this special touch.  We find beautiful options at a full range of budget pricing.


SAVVY TIP - There are enormous savings to be had in buying sets of the candles in bulk - and then being generous enough to include more than one candle with your gift!


MAKE IT SPECIAL - If you are crafty (we're not), creating custom candleholders is a way to make it personal and unique - often on a very limited budget!  We rely on Martha Stewart for these types of how-tos. Another way is to include specialty candles. We love Oak Forest Designs festive square glitter tapers or the unique soy-based scents from Colette Candles. Another alternative is Bright Endeavors – beautiful candles that offer a special chance to support a great cause!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

May you remember to give as you would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers. ~ Seneca

We are thrilled to be part of this season's Holiday Workshop hosted by the ever-charming Housewife Bliss!  Drop in to pick up all you need to know to prepare for the holidays from some these favorite savvy resources!!

2010 Holiday Workshop - 10/6 Sessions

• Mindy Lockard Tips for Holiday Tipping
• Pemberley Collections The front door: Make a statement
• The Entertaining House
• Lily Lemon Tree Cracking the Code: The Blissful Guide to Dress Codes for Holiday Parties and otherwise...
• AB Home Interiors Holiday Survival Guide- 5 tips for effortless decorating
• Tatertots and Jello  Creating inexpensive and beautiful feminine gifts
• Lucky Life Parties Invitations 
• The Daily Basics Plan Ahead Hand-Made Gifts
• Housewife Bliss Planning the perfect gathering

Mark your calendar to check back next week to gather the insights from our fellow Holiday Workshop participants! 

Enjoying a visit with Housewife Bliss...

Had to share what a fantastic time we're having getting better acquainted with lovely and charming Housewife Bliss.  If you don't know her already, she's a definite GO-TO for the finer points of nesting & the delights of a modern traditionalist housewife.

We're spending time with dear Mrs. Bliss this month (and each month through the holiday season) to plan together our approach for Fall Entertaining.  She's dubbed this "The Savvy Host Series".  We're thrilled!  Our first feature is Stress Free Fall Entertaining & a Giveaway.

To help fellow hosts along in September, we've focused on Fall Entertaining: Checklist for a savvy host...over a dozen items we're suggesting you might want to "squirrel away" to be prepared for whatever this entertaining season may bring your way...

AND...this month only there is a special giveaway to get help you along with your entertaining creativity.  You'll just have to wander over there to get the full story ;-)

Happy (Fall) Entertaining!

Foodies' Night In Special Event 8/30 - Chicago's Macello

We are so excited to share the fun of Foodies' Night In (#fni) - our weekly Twitter party with Cooking With Caitlin all about FOOD - with fellow Chicago friends!

On Monday, 8/30 we will be co-hosting Foodies' Night In with our Cincinnati-based delicious dynamos, Cooking with Caitlin, from Macello Ristorante in Chicago!

This week's mouth-watering topic is The Dinner Party Menu - and we'll chat about everything from the inspiration that spills from the cocktail menu to the guidance that the main course lends the entire evening...

"Sterling Cooper and You” How to Throw a 1960s Mad Men Inspired Party

We have the great pleasure of introducing a very special guest contributor.  Embodying the perfect mix of class, savvy & sass, Auntie Carrie's Speakeasy offers a spot-on perspective about entertaining.  Read on to enjoy her take on the quintessential 1960s "Mad Men" themed party.

Unless you are like Auntie and I, who run our own Speak Easy, (no address given. So please don’t ask), the theme of 1920s is so done. But what’s sexy right now? An equally inebriating decade: the 1960s. Throwing a 1960s Mad Men themed party will make you the talk of the town. This is how Auntie Carrie’s Speak Easy would do it: Of course, our simple “How to a Throw Party” rules apply.

1. The Classic Cocktail: Familiarize yourself with the drinks of the times. Unless you have a head for bartending, just learn how to make three Classics (proportions courtesy of Drinks Mixer. We would suggest a Martini, Tom Collins and a Manhattan. The Mad Men Site has a wonderful collection of drinks from the period. However, I take issue with their listing vodka as the primary ingredient in the Martini. Do have vodka as an option but do be prepared to make a classic Martini. Also, make sure to have a healthy supply of scotch, champagne, garnishes (cherries, lemons, straws, umbrellas, plastic monkeys) and a top notch looking bar.

Martini

75ml (or approx 2+ 1/2 oz) Gin

15ml (or approx 1/4 oz) Dry Vermouth

1 green olive OR a twist of lemon peel

Tom Collins

2 oz gin

1 oz lemon juice

1 tsp superfine sugar

3 oz club soda

1 maraschino cherry

1 slice orange

Manhattan

3/4 oz sweet vermouth

2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey

1 dash Angostura® bitters

1 maraschino cherry

1 twist orange peel

2. Party Punch.We believe every party should have a signature drink. Sometimes your friends have no idea what they want. Why waste time deciding when they should be drinking? We suggest a Brandy Punch:

A Year of Celebrations (& a Giveaway)

September - Back to School

How lucky we are to have discovered the amazing celebration and party ideas available through PurpleTrail!

Talk about a key resource for a savvy host - PurpleTrail is a one-stop-shop for not only party details such as online invitations, printed cards, photo albums...but also a creative cornerstone for occasions to entertain with their holiday ideas, party basics, invitations wording ideas, and other celebration details!

We are thrilled to feature a FULL YEAR of celebration ideas that PurpleTrail shared with us as part of our series of Savvy Experts to rely on for your entertaining. Don't miss the very special PurpleTrail GIVEAWAY offering 3 prizes to our lucky readers.  So many reasons to celebrate!

August - Camping

We all know the major holidays to celebrate, but what about all those days in between?  Life is full of reasons to celebrate.  Even if there isn’t a holiday in sight, there is always a reason to gather with the ones you love.  In fact, at PurpleTrail, we think there are at least 12 reasons to celebrate every year outside of the holidays.  Starting now - this month - get inspired by these celebration ideas.

What's a savvy host to do about Double-Dipping?

Continuing to share some of the best, brightest & most creative resources for entertaining - and overall savvy perspectives - let's introduce Saucy Dipper, an expert in Hosting your Own Dip Party, who's bringing some focus to an issue of etiquette (and guest health ;-) - asking "What's a savvy host to do?".

The human mouth has somewhere between 10 to 50 billion bacteria hiding out (source NPR), which includes up to 100 different species of bacteria. Some bacteria protects you mouth and health, but the bad bacteria—the kind that will rot your teeth or cause illness—is swimming around in there, too.

This kind of information is not necessarily useful to the average person, except when you are a savvy host and have 12 mouths to consider at your dinner party. The truth is that you don’t know what’s happening inside your fellow party-goer’s mouth, and this is cause for a strong stance against double dipping. In case you don’t know, double dipping is the practice of dipping a single chip or single veggie into a bowl of dip more than once.

In 2008, Clemson University published a report in the Journal of Food Safety that was inspired by a Seinfeld episode. In the episode, “The Implant,” Timmy, an incensed party goer, becomes enraged with George Costanza saying: “That’s like putting your whole mouth right in the dip!”

Don't miss Foodie's Night In - We're Fine Cooking at Home!!

Today is going to be such a DELICIOUS day...and could be a very LUCKY one for you!!

We've got a full roster of Fine Cooking editorial expertise lined up to join us for today's Foodies Night In (#fni)!  If you missed Editor Laurie Buckle on What's Hot Radio hosted by Cooking with Caitlin, here's a second chance to get to know a creative force behind Fine Cooking.  What a huge treat!

Here's the full line-up of experts ready to help all savvy hosts and fellow foodies with our fine cooking at home interests, issues and questions:

~ @finecooking and @FC_Laurie - the epicurean editorial team of Fine Cooking including @FC_Laurie @FC_Lisa @FC_Juli @evanbarbour and others!
~ @DorieGreenspan - author of Around My French Table
~ @AbbyDodge - author of Desserts 4 Today
~ @MaitreFromager - Max McCalman, author of Mastering Cheese: Lessons for Conoisseurship from a Maitre Fromager
~ @midwestculinary - The Midwest Culinary Institute
~ @foodandstyle - culinary creative Viviane Bauquet Farre of Food & Style

AND, if that's not enough to get your mouth watering, Kitchen Aid is joining the party with a fantastic PRIZE for the giveaway...keep reading!!

A Toast To The Hosts: Organize a Drink-Themed Progressive Dinner!

Photo credit: Sebastian Pothe

Introducing our next guest contributor in the Savvy Experts in Entertaining series, author Felicia Coley of The Well-Heeled Society. Sign us up for this dinner party idea!

It may take a village to raise a child, but it only takes a few swanky neighbors to raise a toast to a drink-themed progressive dinner party! 

Photo credit: Gözde Otman 

In keeping with the state of the economy, a progressive dinner is the poshly frugal answer to group entertaining.  Done in the radius of a neighborhood block, condo highrise or apartment building, each host has a minimal monetary obligation.  This list of recipes for five hosts will serve at least eight people, providing the fact that the hosts may involve singles and couples (adjust accordingly for your event).

Once a date and time is confirmed by all neighbors involved, it's a matter of deciding which hosts serves what.  Cheers! 

Dull conversations? NOT at MY parties!

Consider this your lucky day!  An all-time favorite weapon of The Savvy Host to prevent boring, dull discussion at any entertaining occasion is being made available to one very special reader.

A MUST-have for entertaining, TableTopics are packaged sets of specific questions to help elevate the status of your next party from ho-hum to happening.  We've been fans of these creative little cards for years!  They are perfect savvy host helpers to break the ice and encourage lively - and often VERY provocative - conversations.

As all savvy hosts know, the main course in entertaining isn't really about the food or the wine.  It's the sharing of ideas, laughter, and life between and among guests and host.  How you handle this critical part of your entertaining can make or break an otherwise perfect gathering!  We are thankful to TableTopics for coming to the rescue on more than one occasion!

Savvy Experts to inspire your next party

Part of savvy hosting is relying on the expertise of others - from recipes to decor to table settings to invitations - to create your personal entertaining style.

(respectfully) We suggest that it's really ONLY Martha that can be Martha Stewart... amazingly, all-around talented as she is, she continues to inspire us though it's perfectly clear that only a very few will ever have her range and depth of capabilities.  And we're not eligible for that club ;-)

A truly SAVVY host shouldn't get overwhelmed - or obsessed as we often become - by the need to do or create everything - from scratch - on your own - to that the degree of perfection suggested by the book, magazine, blog or Food Network celebrity that inspired us in the first place.

If the goal is to arrange a gathering of friends, family and/or colleagues, where ideas, laughter and life can be shared by guests AND the host, then it's only SAVVY to pick and choose what works best for you - be it borrowed or created, homemade or store-bought.

Bonus?  Bringing wonderful creativity of cookbooks, retailers, craftsmen, publications, bartenders, blogs, restaurants, art galleries, photos, design studios and more to your gathering is where your personal entertaining style takes shape.  For us, the availability of all this talent for us to pick and choose from is one of the great treasures and benefits of successful savvy hosting.

What better way to set a perfect stage for entertaining than to ask some of the best & brightest & most creative artisans and experts to offer their insights and perspectives about different entertaining essentials?

So we're practicing what we preach.  We've lined up some very extraordinary Guest Experts over the next weeks to inspire us all with their ideas about many of the entertaining essentials.  Take a look at what's in store...

Taking Your Coffee in Style

We love our morning latte.  Okay, we also love our afternoon macchiato and our evening doppio...even the mid-meeting French press is enjoyable.

It's not (just) the caffeine jolt that is addictive.  It's the ceremony of the coffee.  The ritual we associate with the serving and the sipping of the bean.

One of most social experiences is to share a coffee and a chat - whether at Starbucks, in the corporate break room, at the corner coffee shop, or al bar in Roma.  How diverse can a "coffee break" be? Take a look at 5 Unique Coffee Traditions from Around the Globe - not sure we can check the experience box next to more than two of these traditions.

We also find the offering of coffee to be a significant part of any gathering - whether during brunch or after a luncheon or with cognac following dinner.  There's a trend to get back to basics in our lives - and this means making the time to enjoy the simple things, including each other.

Moral to the story?  Don't underestimate the significance of offering - and taking - your coffee in style.   Add this facet to your plan for organized entertaining.

How you serve and take your coffee is an opportunity to communicate style - do you like oversized ceramic mugs?  Is there a corporate brand on your cup?  Stylish espresso cups & saucers?  Demitasse spoons?  Turkish style in copper pots?  Fine china?  French press?  Carafe?

Good Food Gatherings (Menu #5 - #8)

More about our concept of Good Food Gatherings.

Entertaining for us is most simply gathering people together over good food and beverage in enjoyable surroundings.

Special events and occasions may require party themes, and decorations to match, but a good food gathering is about entertaining at its most basic.  These are the meals we pull together to provide good cuisine, and something to wet the whistle, allowing the time to share laughs and life with those gathered at our table.

Good food gatherings are impromptu business dinners or family weekend lunches or unexpected friends dropping by during the week. 

The trick is to have a menu in mind, incorporating fresh ingredients and flavors of the season, so that the good food part of your entertaining is under control freeing up time and attention to provide AAA hospitality while enjoying your guests.

Good Food Gatherings: in the Beginning...(Menu #1-#4)

So many of you have asked about what we cook every week – whether we’re hosting a small gathering, family dinner/brunch or an impromptu dinner party.

Overall, our focus is simply good food (#goodfood) ~ straightforward recipes allowing us to take advantage of the best flavors of the season.  We also like to allow for flexibility ~ to be creative, to deal with last-minute mishaps, or to permit us the short-cuts sometimes necessary (if only to maintain sanity).  Lastly, we're planners (or try to be ;-) so we set out a plan for the menus each week to stay focused and take advantage  of limited time and opportunity to get to the market.

An Invitation Gets the Party Started

You’re inspired to host a gathering - - there’s an occasion in mind – perhaps a theme – and you’re ready to set the wheels in motion to entertain guests…

What’s next? The invitation – the tool used by a host to communicate to a potential guest interest in including them in the gathering - and it is most essential for entertaining.

The invitation is the first impression you give to your guests about your event or gathering.   

Use it creatively to share your entertaining inspiration and to give guests a flavor of what they have to look forward to!!

We suggest a few easy steps to achieve invitation success.

20 Groovy Grilling & BBQ Tracks

Planning a grill gathering?

Aside from a cool & refreshing signature cocktail and a top-secret specialty rub, we like a little mood music to keep our toes tapping.

Whether your grilling & BBQ style (aka. religion) hails from the KC, Southwest, Texas, Tennessee or the Carolinas, it's not a bad idea to consider a decent mix of the blues, country, rock (southern, classic & folk), and a little "Special Sauce".

Quick note - this is not necessarily the best opportunity for Chopin or Mozart on the lawn (though maybe Vivaldi if you insist...).

Take a look at our "starter list" of must-play music for a smokin' good time at your next barbeque ~ we've linked each album to make it easy to listen to samples.

Decide for yourself what's groovy enough for your grilling ;-)


1) Bodeans - Best of the Bodeans: Slash & Burn

2) Bon Jovi -  Lost Highway

3) Buddy Guy - Buddy's Baddest: The Best of Buddy Guy 

4) Bruce Springsteen - Greatest Hits

5) Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts

6) Crazy Heart:  Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

7) Credence Clearwater Revival - Chronicle Vol. 2: Twenty Great CCR Classics

8) Doobie Brothers - Very Best Of...

9) Fleetwood Mac - Rumors

10) G. Love and the Special Sauce -  Best of G. Love & Special Sauce

11) Grand Funk Railroad - Grand Funk Railroad: Greatest Hits

12) Grateful Dead - The Very Best of the Grateful Dead

13) Jakob Dylan - Women and Country

14) Kid Rock - Rock n' Roll Jesus

15) Lynyrd Skynrd - Lynyrd Skynyrd All Time Greatest Hits

16) Melissa Etheridge - Greatest Hits The Road Less Traveled

17) Pirate Radio - Original Soundtrack

18) She & Him - Volume One and Volume Two

19) The Big Chill - 15th Anniversary: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

20) ZZ Top - ZZ Top: Greatest Hits