everyday entertaining
For this intimate get-together, I made use of a space that doubles as a drawing room and guest room in a spectacular pied-à-terre overlooking Manhattan’s Central Park. The setting and the view of the sunset were simply breathtaking. Of course, not everyone’s home has this vista. But many of us do have access to nice views from somewhere in our house. The point is that it doesn’t have to be the dining room. Variety is the spice of life. Why eat in the same place every night? You can find a nook in the kitchen, living room, den, or on the patio, deck, balcony, or porch, and set up the area for dining.
I positioned the table right in the window to take advantage of the gorgeous view and sunset for an early dinner before we went to the theater. We had four great tickets to see an amazing show, so we didn’t want to eat anything very heavy.
The decor of the room followed an edgy black-and-white scheme, so I decided to take that idea and run with it. I had a tablecloth in mind that had big, bold, black-and-white stripes. As I visualized matching china and flatware, I began to realize this was a real flashback to the early 1960s, so that’s where I decided to go with the menu. Beginning with the Shrimp Avocado Ritz, followed by the stuffed cornish hens, and right through to the dessert, which features Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur, it’s a meal that harks back to the glory days of that fabulous decade. It’s the sort of menu that Jacqueline Kennedy would have served for a dinner in the White House at the height of Camelot.
Timing
The hens take 1 hour to roast and about 30 minutes of preparation; get them ready in advance and put them in the oven just before the guests arrive. The Bailey's Irish Creme Mousse needs to be chilled for 3 hours, so it should be made in advance—the night before or the morning of. Prepare the cocktail sauce in advance, if you like, and store it in the fridge like mayonnaise; the rest of the first course can be pulled together quickly, after you put the hens in the oven. Cook the two types of rice in advance, then mix and sauté to warm them just prior to serving.
Menu
Black Russians and White Russians
Shrimp Avocado Ritz
Stuffed Cornish Hens
Black and White Rice
Bailey's Irish Creme Mousse
Tips
The Magnificent Avocado
Cooking Rice
Dressing Up Sorbets
