SHIFTING GEARS BUT AVOIDING REVERSE

by Linda Abbey

“Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure a year?”
Seasons of Love from Rent

Well for me the year 2020 was measured in long walks taken, “Schitt’s Creek” episodes binged, fancy cocktails shaken, Sam Sifton recipes cooked, and in shepherding clients to safely enjoy hospitality in intimate groups under the weight of COVID restrictions.

One such opportunity presented itself earlier this year – the retirement of a firm’s CEO involving a multi-media program with virtual and in-person elements, and necessitating hospitality in tandem with their intent to strictly adhere to the COVID gathering parameters in place at the time.

We needed to:

  • Observe six feet of social distancing between attendees
  • Limit attendees to 50% of the location capacity
  • Provide take out style food preventing interaction between guests
  • Require masking unless eating or drinking
  • Ensure that guests were seated while eating or drinking to prevent clustering at a bar or buffet

The location was the firm’s place of business in a classic upper East side town house. The guest count was limited to 24, falling well below the 50% capacity of the space.

For this milestone occasion, champagne and elegant hors d’oeuvres were the order of the day. The challenge presented was how to provide white-glove service, without providing service in the literal sense of the word.

To simulate a take-out scenario, and to ensure the highest food quality, our Chef arrived several hours prior to guest arrival. Working solo in the pantry area, he prepared and assembled an array of savory bites in a pressed bamboo box with personalized labels for each guest, departing before the event began.

A front-of-house customer service professional was also on site, in advance, to set up the seating tables and position the food boxes at each place.

To fulfill the 6’ social distancing mandate, eight 72” round tables (typically used to seat twelve) were set to accommodate but three guests per. Since fire code was 150 guests, the meeting set up was well within the approved gathering parameters of 50% capacity.

As guests arrived, they were able to help themselves to splits of chilled Brut Rose from hammered silver tubs, and then immediately take a seat where their box of bites, secured with purple ribbon to match the anemones in the centerpieces, awaited them.

The Artisanal Box

  • Lobster Roll
  • Hudson Valley Succotash Tart, Sunchoke Puree, Crispy Kale
  • Smoked Salmon Napoleon
  • Goat Cheese Bon Bons
  • Organza Sachet of Roasted Mixed Nuts
  • Smoked Turkey Aioli, Cheddar Biscuit

And thus the meeting kicked-off with camaraderie and a sense that coming together, in even small groups with restrictions, was a glimmer of things to come.

A packaged take-away treat, our signature Chili Chocolate Bark, brought the afternoon to a close. The gathering lasted merely one short hour but, after a much too long hiatus from in-person events, was as sweet as the chocolate bark.

COLOR YOUR OWN MOTHER'S DAY CARD

Show your love for mom by printing, folding, and coloring in these Mother’s Day cards! It’s the perfect activity for younger family members.

How to Fold Your Card

 

Summer squash and zucchini are ubiquitous in the summer and we’ve even heard stories of people dropping bags of zucchini on neighbor’s front doors in an attempt to offload them. Please, send them our way! High in moisture content with a tender, edible skin, they’re an unsung hero of summer and can be incredible versatile.

Here we’ve got an easy salad featuring grilled zucchini that will reduce your time in the kitchen. The only heat is from the grill or grill pan to char the zucchini, adding an extra layer of flavor to the dish.

 


Salad of Grilled Zucchini, Avocado, Feta, and Mint

Serves 6

 

Ingredients

  • 4 medium sized zucchinis, sliced on bias ½ inch thick

  • 1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • 1 lime, zested and juiced

  • 3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled

  • 6 tbsp thinly sliced mint leaves

  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 lemons, juiced and zested

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

  1. Brush zucchini slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat to char without overcooking. Cool to room temperature.

  2. In a small bowl, lightly salt and sugar the onion rings. Let sit for 5 minutes then add lime juice and set aside.

  3. Cut each avocado half into 6 slices. You should have 36 slices total.

  4. On six chilled salad plates, carefully arrange the grilled zucchini, avocado, mint, feta and onion rings. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve cold.


Passover Tips & Recipes
From Our Family To Yours

We asked our friends and family for their favorite Passover Tips & Recipes So This Year’s Sedar is Unforgettable. We hope you enjoy them. 

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Carolina Betancourt

Pistachio Cake

By Chef Saul Bolton I started cooking for Passover over 24 years ago in the west village. My boss’s mom came into the restaurant kitchen

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Carolina Betancourt

Thai Noodle Kugel

By Chef Saul Bolton I started cooking for Passover over 24 years ago in the west village. My boss’s mom came into the restaurant kitchen

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Carolina Betancourt

Gefilte Fish

We asked our GP family for their Easter and Passover food memories. We hope you’ll take inspiration from them!

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Valentine’s Day

Recipes & Tips

Mother’s Day

Recipes & Tips to make this Mother’s Day truly special.

Easter

Recipes & Tips

Passover

Recipes & Tips

Thanksgiving

Recipes & Tips

Rosh Hashanah

Recipes & Tips

Oven Roasted Cabbage with Apples and Warm Rosemary Walnut Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 2 heads of Green Cabbage, cut in 1/8ths
  • 1 1/2 cups Walnuts
  • 3 cloves of Garlic, grated on a microplane or box grater
  • Rosemary Sprigs, leaves removed
  • 1/4 cup Butter
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Sea Salt, to taste
  • Black Pepper, to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 450F degrees.

2. Toss the cabbage with 2 tbsp of olive oil and a large pinch of salt

3. Divide the cabbage between two lined baking sheets and roast in the oven until the cabbage is browned and tender, 30-45 minutes.

4. When the cabbage is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool while you are making the vinaigrette.

5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet toast the walnuts over medium heat until they are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, rosemary, and garlic and cook until the butter is lightly browned. Add the olive oil and vinegar and simmer until the vinegar is slightly reduced and the dressing is emulsified.

6. Season the vinaigrette with salt and black pepper and spoon over the roasted cabbage to serve.

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Chefs’ Choir: Chef Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel’s Russian Pelmeni

For Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel, making pelmeni is more than just cooking—it’s a cherished family tradition. She grew up rolling out these hearty Russian dumplings alongside her mother and grandmother, filling the kitchen with warmth and conversation. Now, she hopes to pass the tradition on to her little one, sharing the joy of homemade comfort food, one bite at a time.

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Katchkie Spice Roasted Turnips and Tops

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 8 tennis-ball sized Turnips with tops (remove tops, wash, spin dry and rough chop, peel the turnip itself and cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 3 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 3 tbsp Honey
  • Sea Salt
  • Fennel Seed
  • 2 cups White Onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, sliced
  • 2 cups canned Garbanzo Beans
  • 1 tsp smoked Paprika
  • 2 tbsp Cider Vinegar
  • Toss turnips with 1 tbsp coconut oil & honey. Season with sea salt, Bake at 350F until tender and caramelized
  • Heat sautee pan. Add 2 tbsp coconut oil and garlic. Toast garlic until well browned. Add onions, fennel seed and cook until translucent.
  • To finish, add roasted turnips, turnip tops, & garbanzos to onion mixture. Season with cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and salt to taste. Serve warm as a side.

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Chefs’ Choir: Chef Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel’s Russian Pelmeni

For Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel, making pelmeni is more than just cooking—it’s a cherished family tradition. She grew up rolling out these hearty Russian dumplings alongside her mother and grandmother, filling the kitchen with warmth and conversation. Now, she hopes to pass the tradition on to her little one, sharing the joy of homemade comfort food, one bite at a time.

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Thanksgiving Green Tomato and Walnut Chutney

 A great change of pace from the classic cranberry relish.

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 5 cups Green Tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup Onions, finely sliced
  • 1 medium-size fresh Jalapeno, sliced
  • 1 cup Cilantro, rough chopped
  • 1 cup Walnut pieces
  • 2 tbsp whole Coriander Seeds
  • 3 whole Green Cardamom Pods
  • 2 cups Cider Vinegar
  • 2 cups light Brown Sugar
  • 3 tbsp Grate Fresh Ginger (grated with microplane)
  • Zest and Juice of 2 lemons (zest grated on microplane and chopped)
  • 1/2 cup Golden Raisins
  1. Add tomatoes, onions, jalapeno, walnuts, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, raisins, vinegar, & sugar to a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over a low heat.
  2. Cook until thickened to your taste. Remove from the heat.
  3. Add the cilantro, lemon zest, & ginger. Stir. Season to taste with a pinch of salt and lemon juice. Cool. Serve cool or at room temp. Great with Roast Turkey!!

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Chefs’ Choir: Chef Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel’s Russian Pelmeni

For Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel, making pelmeni is more than just cooking—it’s a cherished family tradition. She grew up rolling out these hearty Russian dumplings alongside her mother and grandmother, filling the kitchen with warmth and conversation. Now, she hopes to pass the tradition on to her little one, sharing the joy of homemade comfort food, one bite at a time.

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Green Tomato and Cranberry Pie

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 1 1/2 cups Sugar
  • 5 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 3 cups thinly sliced Green Tomatoes or green Cherry Tomatoes cut in half (4 to 5 medium)
  • 1 cup dried Cranberries
  • 1 tbsp Unfiltered Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Butter
  1. In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cranberries, cinnamon and salt
  2. Add tomatoes and vinegar; toss to coat
  3. Line a pie plate with bottom crust. Add filling; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry; Trim, seal and crimp. Cut an X in the center of the top crust to allow steam to escape while cooking
  4. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is tender. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream or crème fraiche

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Chefs’ Choir: Chef Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel’s Russian Pelmeni

For Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel, making pelmeni is more than just cooking—it’s a cherished family tradition. She grew up rolling out these hearty Russian dumplings alongside her mother and grandmother, filling the kitchen with warmth and conversation. Now, she hopes to pass the tradition on to her little one, sharing the joy of homemade comfort food, one bite at a time.

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