Monday, July 25, 2011

A New Secret Table on the Books!



THE SECRET TABLE @ BIG RED SUN
Saturday August 27th at 7pm
560 Rose Avenue Venice CA 90291


MENU

Appetizers:
Goat Cheese Crostini with Tomato & Orange Salsa
Salmon and Lime Cakes with Lime Dipping Sauce
*****
First Course:
Chilled Puree of Pea and Tarragon Soup with Crème Fraiche
*****
Second Course:
Pasta With Chilis, Lemon, Pancetta Lardon and Marscapone
*****
Third Course
Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Salad with Feta, Mint and Reduced Balsamic
  
*****
Dessert:
Chocolate Pound Cake with Chocolate Glaze
Whipped Cream and Fresh Mint

Wine & Bubbles
Coffee & Tea

Tariff: $110 per person

Seating is limited. Tickets can be purchased at Http://secretingredients.us. Click on the BUY NOW button and you will be directed to a secure site for payment. Enter the price of the ticket (s) you are purchasing. A confirmation email will be sent to you.

We'll see you around the table

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

SI & Big Red Sun Host a Grand Secret Table This Friday July 22nd


Secret Ingredients  
&  
Big Red Sun 
Invite you to The Secret Table,  
hosted by Big Red Sun 
Friday July 22nd @ 7pm 

The Big Red Sun - 560 Rose Avenue Venice CA 90291

MENU 

Bubbles on Arrival 
Spiced Roasted Chickpeas 
Traditional Antipasti: Prosciutto, Reggiano Parmiggiano, Herbed 
Olives and Roasted Peppers. 
Caesar Salad with Buttery Thyme Croutons 
Basil and Spinach Pesto, Puree of Butternut Squash and Bechamel 
Lasagne. 
Lemon Ricotta Poundcake 
with Whipped Cream and Fresh Berries 
Prosecco, wines and coffee 
$110.00 per person 

Seating is limited.  Tickets can be purchased at http://secretingredients.us.  Click on the BUY 
NOW button and you will be directed to a secure site for payment.  Enter the price of the 
ticket(s) you are purchasing.  A confirmation email will be sent to you. 

We’ll see you around the table. 

Friday, July 1, 2011

Beach to Biscotti

Last Sunday one of my clients who has a place on the beach threw a "Welcome Back to LA" cocktail party and I was so thrilled to cater.  Cocktail parties are fun and easy to enjoy because once all the food is prepped and presented, you can relax and enjoy the crowd.  And in this instance the view.  Summer usually means lots of parties on the beach in Malibu so my work is exponentially more enjoyable when I'm surrounded by surf, sand and sunshine.  Fortunately for me and my lovely host, Andrew, June gloom took what appears to be a permanent hiatuus and the sun shone spectacularly all day bathing our guests in a warm glow.

I was aided and abetted as usual by my zany cohort, Karin, who makes every job we work on together feel like an episode of  "I Love Lucy."  She's truly demented and brings out the best in me even when I'm feeling pressured and pinched. 


In addition to the standard fare of an abundant crudite which by the way morphed into containers of the best chopped salad the next day perfect for drizzling with olive oil and a little sea salt for a crunchy healthy snack, crostini bar with toppings, cheese platter, brandied chicken pate on toasts and some beyond fantastic guacamole, chips and manga salsa, I made dozens of homemade biscotti I'm becoming famous for...





The biscotti I make are studded with slivered almonds, orange cranberries and lemon zest and scented with almond extract.  They are laborious.  I will not mislead you but so worth the effort when you bite into a cookie that flavorful and a true dance of textures between the soft center and crunchy crisp edges.  Once the dough is prepared they are rolled into symmetrical logs and baked for forty minutes until they are golden brown.


Once they are removed from the oven they must cool for a good half hour before they can be sliced on the diagonal and returned to the oven for another fifteen minutes so they can achieve their drier texture. 



They do expand quite a bit so give them plenty of room on the cookie sheet.  And when it's time to cut  them on the diagoal, coax the knife along as you don't want them to fall apart and crumble under the pressure.  When all goes according to plan you'll get the perfect biscotti great for dipping in wine, milk or coffee. 



The day after the party I woke up and realized I had nary a single cookie, just a bite here and there and a crumb or two.  Friends showed up the night I made them and ate the dozen I spared for the kitchen.  And I guess at the party my lovely assistant and friend managed to divvy them up between she and my client and left me with lots of crudite.  So while I munched on chopped salad this week, Karin is enjoying biscotti on the beach in Tahoe.  Well at least my figure thanks her.

Cheers!

Lisa