hors d’oeuvres

Parsnip Fries with Cocktails: Sublime!

In early spring, when it’s still cool enough to blast the oven, I make big batches of crisp, chewy, caramelized, amazingly satisfying parsnip fries.

Classic Chicken Liver Pate + An Artfully Lightened Version after Michel Guerard

My Classic Liver Pate, deeply enriched with butter, cream and cognac, makes a divine and satisfying appetizer or hors d’oeuvre. For those that don’t want such richness, I came up with a lightened version achieve with the same luxurious effect.

Thin Lacy Cheese Crisps (You Made Those?!!)

Years ago I learned to make the classic lacy cheese crisps of Friuli Italy called frico, one of those miraculous creations that LOOK really difficult to make, but aren’t. They are the perfect hors d’oeuvre with cocktails, and inspire improvisations; their delectable uses are legion.

Our Updated, “Best of” Holiday Recipes + Strategies

In the run-up to Thanksgiving, we often get calls from friends anxious for easy, foolproof strategies for the big meal. Here’s our updated tried-and-true, “best of” recipe traditions that lend themselves to tailoring and improvising.

Spring Delight: Parsnip Fries

Spring is parsnip season, the spicy-sweet root vegetable that looks like a plump pale yellow carrot. My favorite way to cook them is to cut them into sticks, slick them with olive oil or melted butter and roasted them to make Parsnip Fries. I learned the dead-simple technique from Anne Disrude, one of the best cooks…

Nicoise and Other Black Olives with Fragrant Rosemary Oil

Here’s another of our holiday recipe strategies: black olives that we’ve doctored up with fragrant homemade rosemary oil. We serve them as an instant hors d’oeuvre with chilled wine or cocktails AND pack them into glass jars to give as gifts. The method is simple.