I learned a lot about hospitality from Laura Bush. She understood and exemplified the desire to give every White House guest a memory of a lifetime, and beyond, because each guest’s visit becomes a part of their personal family history. She thought carefully about every event she hosted: how it could be exceptional, how the food and flowers could in some way reflect the occasion, how the calligraphy honored the attendees – it was a package of small but important […]
Lamb and Barley Stew Serves: 6 Prep time: 1 ½ hours
There are few things more satisfying on a wet, bone-chilling evening than a hearty pot of soup. This lamb and barley stew is the kind of one-dish meal that is even better the next day as leftovers.; all it needs is a slice of rustic bread, a green salad, and a glass of burgundy to round out the meal. We’ve been eating this stew for so long that I don’t know where the original recipe came from. During our recent […]
Occasionally I come across young event planners doing creative, highly-individualized events that are so good I just have to tell you about them. Virginia Edelson runs Bluebird Productions, an event coordination and design firm based in Aspen, Colorado. She works throughout the West, specializing in innovative, personalized events, and she revels in making every detail of a party or wedding unique and memorable. Photo by Rebecca Sanabria Virginia manages all aspects of her events, from design to budget to selecting the […]
Pear Clafoutis Serves: 8-10 Prep time: 1 ½ hours, plus 2 ½ hours for dough to chill For the pastry dough: Note: This is more dough than you will need for a single 9-inch pie pan. However, if you use a spring form pan, as I did, and you want to push the dough up the sides of the pan, this will give you enough dough to do that. For the poached pears: Glaze for pears:
