A Tasty Tray Of Party Bites

 What makes a good party? Some say it's the fun array of cocktails.Others say it's the parking conversations and witty guests. Bottom line is it's the food. Trays of tasty nibbles are te real star. They're what' makes any gathering festive and memorable.

Regular contributor and chef Yewande Komolafe wrote about them as well as giving recipes in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. she brings a Nigerian spin to this from her homeland that makes every bite unique and flavorful. She does have three rules - one is no utensils while the second one is nothing too salty or cloyingly sweet. The third rule is there should be something for everyone. The worst thing is attending a party and there's nothing likable to eat. There are three recipes (and keep in mind that these can be made for a wintry movie night in with the family). Her's is guguru ati epa, or salty popcorn and peanuts. This is popping the corn with not only vegetable oil but mixing the popped kernels with sweet paprika, salt and sugar. Peanuts are added and stirred with a wooden spoon to combine with the popcorn mix. Let it cool for six to seven minutes(actually ten would be better) and break into chunks. It can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days but this will probably be all gone during the first night.

Chef Komolafe also gives a savory holiday nut mix, perfect with cocktails and mock tails This is an elaborate recipe that first starts off with mincing orange zest and whipping egg whites into a kind of meringue. In the meantime, fennel, cumin black pepper and salt. These two blends are mixed with an array of nuts and seeds. She recommends a combination of walnuts. almonds pecans and cashews. Add in pepitas or pumpkin seeds  along with flax and sesame seeds. These are coated and then baked in a 300 degree Farenheit oven. Roast first for around thirteen minutes. take out , cool and taste. Put back in the oven for another ten to twelve minutes. Cool and break into clusters. Coconut can be fun too.Usually anything with this can  be cloying and overly tropical. Not Chef Komolafe'ss recipe. Coconut flakes are added to a simple syrup made of honey ,sugar and water. Ground pepper and cloves along with nutmeg give it eye opening spiciness. These are baked in a 325 degree Farenheit oven for ten to twelve  minutes. They're then cut into squares to be served.

Holiday treats always add to a party. Try these three to spice up any kind of gathering. They're f un, crunchy and good.

A Different Kind Of Cookie

 This is the time of year for cookies. It's usually the same kind. Chocolate chips, Oatmeal Rasin, every kind of butter and sugar. Yet imagine turning th cookie tray upside down with  new twists and new recipes. Sunday's New York Times did just this.  The have an insect loaded with all sorts of interesting sweets.

They offer all sorts of interesting treats in a colorful pull out.They're are triangles of mint chocolate chip cookies that have an Andes mint vibe to them.There's a buttery and silky peanut brown butter cookie.They're even nuttier thanks to rolling the dough balls into first egg and then chopped peanuts. POpcorn bucket cookies have everything from the popped thing to Raisinets M&M's Kitkats and Reeses Pieces.

There is a take on the Dark and Stormy cocktail, which is redolent with cinnamon cloves and cayenne, the last not a typical Christmas cookie ingredient. For something fun and unexpected there are the mortadella cookies, with the pink meaty color being supplied by dried strawberries. These add to the already almond-y, nutty flavor. Coconut lovers will love munching on coconut cake cookies., dipped in rich glaze and then dried coconut.. There is even a brownie recipe made with the added kick of espresso to liven up the taste buds.It also has a kicky coffee glaze too.

These are not the average Christmas cookie. These are fun and zingy. Try them to add some zest to  a bland cookie table.

Sauces For The Holidays

 Sauces add to any dish , savory or sweet. The holidays are a great time to experiment with them as they add to all sorts of dishes. They can be full of spiced or spiced with different liqueurs. 

Savory dishes can definitely benefit from a good sauce. The Piedmontese of Northwestern Italy have a sauce redolent with mustard and surprisingly dried fruit. Frutta mostarda is perfect with bollito misto  boiled beef which cries out for this sauce. It's very easy to make, as you cook honey mustard, sugar, and red wine together with a variety of dried and fresh fruits. These are usually dried apples,cherries, apricots and figs mixed together with a freshly cut pear.  It a  good strong yellow mustard and mustard seeds give it the zing to cut through  that sweetness. Most Piedmontese usually have it over boiled beef (this cuts of beef boiled in beef stock for more flavor) but you could have it over air fried portabello mushrooms since the fungi of have a beefy flavor.Another savory sauce, perfect for chicken and turkey is sauce veloute, preferably one made with chicken stock (although it can be made with either beef or fish stock , the elastic is good for lobster or shrimp dishes). The base is a simple roux, which is butter and flour whisked together. The broth is then added to this and whisked into a creamy sauce. Just remember to not brown the flour while first cooking it otherwise the whole sauce will have a pasty flavor.

Sweets are great to make this time of year. They can be poured warm or hot over ice cream or certain plain cakes like Bundt or pound. Of course the most desirable is the hot fudge which can turn any plain dessert into a decadent one. A good recipe calls for good quality chocolate such as Ghiradelli sixty per cent cacao baking chips, granulated white sugar, light corn syrup for a smooth, silk, texture along with heavy cream, butter and vanilla extract  to give the sauce that richness and glossiness.Combine everything in a sauce pan save for the butter and vanilla, let it bol for a few minutes. Add the butter and vanilla, Stir and take off stove. It's excellent on ice cream but even better pooling around a plain , frostingless slice of  chocolate or vanilla cake.If you want something a bit less intense but still packed with flavor then thick of a fruit sauce laced with brandy or rum. Keep in mind some like apricot or cherry can also be used as a sauce for such meats as ham or chicken. One that would go well with desserts is a sauce made with apricot preserves, peach brandy , butter , preferably a top quality one like Kerry Gold, heavy cream and brown sugar.The brown sugar and butter are melted first in a saucepan and cooked for two minutes. everything else is then added and stirred together. This is perfect , not only on cakes but also vanilla ice cream.Another good fruit sauce is one made with cherries and a splash of rum.

Sauces add to all sorts of dishes. They liven up the flavor of both savory and sweet dishes. They will definitely add to any holiday meal.

Nibbling Around The Christmas Tree

 One for the most fun parties of the season is the tree trimming one. friends and family come over for good food and good stories. Unlike other holiday get togethers this is an informal one. dress can be pajama pants or a goofy tee shirt. The food should be as casual too.

You can never go wrong with a charcuterie board. Try a Christmas one in the shape of a tree or wreath. They both have the same ingredients as a regular charcuterie board  - well except there may be more red and green. Serve cold cuts that are perfect with French or Italian bread rounds along with crackers. Salami is perfect here along with pepperoni and folded over mortadella and prosciutto. Cheese is important too. Try a mix of hard and soft ones. Brie is excellent here  but you can also have Camenbert too. As for the had cheeses Swiss and Gruyere are great options and perfect just on their own. You could create a flavored cream cheese, perfect with crackers or pita chips. Make a chive and onion one or Boursin style with garlic and herbs. For zing add jalapeno along with cheese for a take on those fun jalapeno poppers.A tablespoon or two of presto stirred in creates a Northern Italian flavor, perfect on plain focaccia. What about adding red and green? Cherry and grape tomatoes are festive along with being refreshing. Add some broccoli , another fresh flavor for tree or wreath greenery.

A tree trimming party can also have hot food too. Keep it fun with a choice of chilis. You could serve the traditional red , made with beans and chopped beef. or white , usually made chicken and green chilis. Serve both with fresh made or bought (try Acme's) cornbread or even rice. Another hot dish that's both filling and fun is the classic bricklayer nachos. These are layers of tortilla chips filled with beef, bacon and chorizo along with queso, creamy avocado and crunchy scallions  , add fire roasted tomatoes (try Lidl) for this , giving the nacho a sweet , earthy flavor.Hot nibbles are a must too. Think pigs in blankets and a variety of dipping sauces  like barbecue and hot mustard, to add to them. Chicken wings, both hot and mild are fun. Although with these have plenty of wet napes around so that ornaments aren't ruined by grease marks. What about drinks? Egg nogs and hot toddies work afterwards as a kind of dessert. Cranberry cocktails and mock tails are perfect for these. A fun cranberry punch has the juice or a cranberry-fruit mix, flavored seltzer and chunks of orange and lemon. Add plenty of ice for a cooling sip.

A tree trimming party is a fun one. Have  fun foods and a tasty punch t make guest feel festive. They'll have a great time , creating more holiday memories.

Hot Foods For Cold Days

 The temps are freezing in most parts of the country and the world right now.There's nothing like a spicy Mexican hot chocolate or a Berber spiced laced Ethiopian stew to warm the blood right now. These drinks and food are perfect for starving off that chill feeling.

Here s the question - what fiery foods or drinks do you like to heat up? Is it Szechuan cuisine, rifw with zingy pink peppercorns? A five alarm chili? Jalapeno poppers? To me nothing says fire and spice than a chili (a two alarm in my case. I can't handle a five a alarm spice fire). Of course ti has to have a good bed of rice or crumbled cornbread underneath to absorb some of that zest.

What is your body warmer? Let us know . 

A Warm Stew For A Frigid Night

 This is the type of weather where a big pot of stew  bubbling away on the stove is a must.It's the perfect comfort food, warning the body and the soul One is the fancily named designer stew. It is flavorful and filling, perfect after a hard day. 

Regular contributor and chef Yewande Komolafe contributed two variations of this stew in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Obe Onibu or designer stew is a salve to those who eat it and to those who make it. Her grandmother, Iya,Agege, a successful women in her family's cloth a nd dying business would first use her grinding stone to cut up what their Igbo people called tatase a ti shomibo or red peppers and cayenne.Also added were red onions - alubosa and at rodo to red Chile. She would heat up the red palm oil until it smoked but retained its' bright orange hue.Bite sized pieces f beef and a local bean that's fermented - iru-  are cooked then softened, The stew was simmered and then fried, leaving a wonderful aroma to permeate the house.Chef Komolafe has added her spin by adding beef tendons, short ribs and oxtail similar for a few hours (Chef komolafe recommends cooking all this the day before serving)) She also added dried shrimp and miso along with anchovies for a unami flavor . The second recip there is a hard boiled egg added for more flavor and substance.

This is an easy recipe chock full of ingredients and flavors. The ribs and oxtails are trimmed of the extra fat. There are the bell peppers along with green scallions for color and pungency. There should be a pound of the peppers and in any color . You many want to use all three colors for flavor subtleties and color. onions and garlic are also added a long with tiny dried fish soaked to rehydrate. If you prefer a stronger  flavor then add anchovies. to give it some intense heat then add Scotch Bonnets or any super hot Chiles if you want.It would be best served over rice but spinach or fried plantains work just as well. As for the recipe with the eggs. Six to seven are used for this and their mild flavor can make a perfect foil for the other ingredients. They have to be hard boiled and peeled, then are added to the sauce. This is gently poured on them and then the eggs are transferred to individual plates. As for the sauce itself, it should be stirred until it's thickened and jammy.It should also be caramelized and slightly darkened at the end. Obe Oniub can be stored for up to five days in an air tight container.

This is the perfect stew for right now.I'ts easy to make  despite the large range of ingredients. A warm bowl of will be satisfying and comforting.z

A Night Put With A Good Drink

 Nothing says holiday time than dressing up and heading out for a good drink. This is the time to put on sequins and silk, suit and cocktail dress. There are several bars throughout the most Christmas-sy city of all- New York. Enjoy a good sip and good conversation.

Food section editor Nikits Richardson compiled this must visit list for today'sNew York Times Wednesday Food Section. December's night and especially weekends were made for going out Here any fan of mixed drinks can hot borough hangouts and brasseries for a delicious glass of something heady. The island of Manhattan has always been a sophisticated one and a martini symbolizes this. Try the house one at Bemelmans Bar at the famed Carlyle Hotel.They even have an entire menu page dedicated to all sorts of variation,If the classic is too tame , then try their espresso one or their JFK (!!!) one.  There is also  the cocktail onion variation called the Gibson at Dear Irving at the always classy Gramercy Park. For the truly exotic there is the saffron flavored Martini Our Way at Le Veau D'Or.It comes with a  sidecar of vermouth and Vichy water. For a classic James Bond experience sip the undiluted Dukes Martini at the American branch of  Dukes in the Hotel Chelsea.Whether gin or vodka is ordered, the bottle comes in cases in ice.

The  holidays call for classic drinks as well. Try the Negroni that marriage of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth at BarPisselino in the West Village. The bar, reminiscent of what you would see in Milan or Turin, offers this mix of Prosecco, Aperol and soda water. Drinkers can also indulge in the American classic, the old fashioned at the interestingly named Death And Company, one of the world's most top rated cocktail bars. For an after dinner drink try the Irish coffee at Water Streets The Dead Rabbit, the Irish bar chain.Of course Brooklyn has its; share of trendy drinks and bars too. Definitely get the Cranberry juice spiked Cosmopolitan at Long Island Bar in the Cobble Hill section of the borough. Thrusting for something unusual? Then stop at another Brooklyn Bar,  the Grand Army for the Hard Start. This is a bracing mix of two bitter Italian amari or bitter herbal drinks.Fernet Branca and Fernet Menta.

These drinks are the perfect festive sip for the holidays. Head to the city to enjoy them. Dress up and go wild with a tasty cocktail.