Chris Nordquist
During the Holidays, most of us end up in a sort of decorating/cooking/baking/eating/drinking/entertaining hyperdrive. It can be great fun, but it can also be too much, and it comes too fast. This year, with a wide-eyed toddler to entertain, I’ve been looking for ways to streamline and simplify our Holiday preparations and carve out […]
‘Tis the season to find quick, delicious and special little snacks for Holiday entertaining. Here’s one. One of the best things about living just off 10th Avenue in New York City is our proximity to Tia Pol, a tiny, cozy, crowded and wonderful restaurant specializing in tapas and wines of Spain. If I’m in the […]
Julia’s been on tour — last weekend in New Orleans with David to see his family and this week in Tacoma to see mine. We’re all having a ball. Here’s a repost of a Holiday favorite, a traditional Norwegian Christmas cake that I make for family and friends during the Holidays. It looks like something […]
I hope imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or at least of paying a compliment. Earlier this week I dropped by my friend John’s house in San Francisco for a little Holiday cheer (and consultation on his bathroom renovations), and I wanted to bring him a little gift. Early this year, John had brought […]
I’ve found that with entertaining, and especially with Holiday entertaining, the difference between feeling like a charming host and feeling like a galley slave can come down to a little organization. Planning ahead, cooking ahead and keeping menus simple and familiar can save your wits (and save everyone else from a cranky host). When we’ve […]
To me, this tastes (and smells) like the Holidays. Poaching pears in spiced red wine turns the Holiday tradition of hot mulled wine into a light and flavorful dessert. They’re delicious just on their own, or you can add whipped cream, ice cream, shortbread or a slice of pound cake for a more substantial treat. […]
As soon pumpkins start appearing in the Hamptons farm stands, David starts asking for this dish. It’s a favorite in our house –a dish we start making on one of the first truly chilly weekends in October and serve from time to time through the Holidays. The whole roasted pumpkin full of steaming, fragrant filling […]
I love this combination. Last weekend our friends Anthony and David brought over a box of beautiful produce that we used to cook dinner together, including a couple of large bulbs of fresh fragrant fennel. One went into a sauce, but the other I sliced and served with our cheese course, pairing it with two […]
This is a repost of a seasonal favorite recipe for entertaining. These little salads were such a hit at Julia’s first birthday party that we served them at her second. Recently we celebrated our daughter Julia’s first birthday with a small cocktail party at our New York apartment. (Julia worked the room, blew out her […]
Last Saturday in Southampton we had unexpected dinner guests. (Yes, it was a pleasant surprise.) The menu wasn’t a problem –I made grilled steaks with Chimichurri, one of my go-to last-minute dinners– but I didn’t really have anything for the table. While I was out in the garden snipping herbs to make a fresh batch […]
