Dinner Parties

There's something magical about dinner parties. I hope these posts put a little fête in your feet and inspire you to throw your own!

TYT Supper Club: Chicago Edition (+ A $500 Whole Foods Giveaway!)

UPDATE: I'm extending the $500 gift card giveaway two more days! I'm going to send out my Supper Club newsletter Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. EST, and will announce the winner then! To kick off the fall – and the first weekend of October! – I'm thrilled to share photos from our first official Yellow Table Supper Club! As I announced a few weeks ago, I'm launching a monthly supper club in partnership with Whole Foods Market, and I'd LOVE for all of you to join. All you have to do invite 6-8...

Feed Your People: A San Francisco Dinner Party (+ An Amazing Kickstarter!)

After 7 flights, 5 cities, and 3 weeks on the road, I'm finally back home in Brooklyn. Sorry for the lack of blog posts lately...between the move and the book tour and freelance work (not to mention pregnancy fatigue!), it's been all I could do just to keep up. Last week, B and I met up in Traverse City for a much-needed little anniversary trip/babymoon. It was so relaxing and rejuvenating...just what we needed after a busy summer and an even busier fall. But now that I'm home, I have SO much...

Introducing: The Yellow Table Supper Club (+ a Whole Foods Giveaway!)

[9/11 UPDATE: We have two winners! Scroll down to the bottom to see who won!] Hi friends! I can't believe a month has passed since my last post...I have so many things to tell you all. Between being pregnant, moving apartments (after five years!), and kicking off my book tour, it's been a time of intense transition. Frankly, I've been a bit overwhelmed by it all, and am just starting to process how I feel. Stay tuned for next week's Monday Musings post. Bring a cup of coffee, and we will have...

Black & Blue Burgers (+ other recipes to celebrate Dad!)

Hi friends! So you probably all know by now that this Sunday is Father's Day. Well, I somehow did not get the memo, because I called my Dad last Sunday, thinking it was a week early. Oh well, better a week early than a week late, I suppose! Though I sadly won't get to spend this Sunday with my amazing Dad (he's in Nashville and I'm in NYC), if I were going to be with him, I'd make him these Black & Blue Burgers. If you have The Yellow Table Cookbook, you know my secret to making really good...

Tuesday Musings: The Importance of Community

Happy Tuesday friends! This post was meant to be a Monday Musings one, but I just got back in town late Sunday night after 10 days away, and my mile-long to-do list took over yesterday. I've still got piles of laundry to do, the fridge is empty, and I'm behind on emails – alas, back to real life! As promised, I want to announce the 5 winners in our Secrets from the La Varenne Kitchen giveaway! We had so many entries, and I LOVED reading about all the delicious French recipes that you all want...

A Provençal Rose-Themed Picnic (featured in Saveur!)

Happy Friday, friends!! I've spent the past week in Texas, and I'm having a ball. I started in Waco for a wedding last weekend, spent a few days in Dallas and Austin visiting friends, and now I'm in San Antonio for the weekend to teach a cooking class (and see more friends!). The sunshine, warm weather, insanely good food, and great company have been good for my soul. It finally feels like summer! [recipe:best-raspberry-financiers-recipe]Just in time for the weekend, I wanted to share with you...

An Inspiring Evening (+ Zucchini Goat Cheese Tian)

Hi friends! I've missed you all!! I apologize for my silence on the blog. I promise I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. The past few weeks, I've been pouring every drop of my energy into a very exciting project (that I'll be able to tell you about very soon!), but it's left me emotionally and physically unable to do much else right now. It's killing me not to spill the beans, but in the mean time, thanks for bearing with me during these lapses in blog posts. Good things are around the...

Spring Pea Ravioli with Pea Shoots & Prosciutto

Happy Friday friends! I'm back at the counter in my mom's pretty kitchen, sipping coffee and enjoying the beautiful morning light. I have to say, I'm kind of digging the suburban life for a few days. Grocery shopping with a car (!!), going for hikes at Radnor Lake, cooking with friends in their huge kitchens. Living in NYC kind of feels like living on another planet by comparison. As promised, I have a special treat for you: a recipe for spring pea ravioli, with pea shoots and prosciutto. I...

A Spring Dinner Party in Support of Life

Happy Friday, everyone! I’m excited to share some photos with you all – taken by my friend, the talented Sara Beth Turner – from a beautiful spring dinner party I had the privilege of cooking for recently. The hostess, my friend Rebecca Strauser, is a fabulous cook herself, but she was happy to take the evening off to focus on the décor. The setting was absolutely stunning. I mean...the table settings, the flowers, and that lighting fixture (swoon!). It was an all-girls affair, and even though...

Creating Community, One Meal at a Time (+ a Giveaway!)

A few nights ago, I had some blogger friends over for dinner. Phoebe (Feed Me Phoebe), Serena (Domesticate ME!), and Amie (The Healthy Apple) gathered around my yellow table for a night of good food, storytelling, and brainstorming. Amie and I met several years ago at IACP, and I met Phoebe and Serena last fall at a blogger potluck dinner. These women are total rockstars: they each have fantastic blogs, all work as private chefs and freelance writers, and still manage to juggle a variety of...

T.G.I.F. (Another Day, Another Dinner Party...!)

Happy Friday everyone! What’s on your weekend agenda? Hopefully some cooking and eating with good friends. And maybe a long walk, a good book, and a nap (not necessarily in that order, but that sounds great to me!). I’m actually in northern Virginia this weekend, as I’m cooking for a big dinner party tomorrow night in Alexandria. (And yes, I traveled here on a bus with my knives and cooking tools, a huge Dutch oven, and several cake pans. As you do.) For my Kickstarter campaign last year, the...

Spring Dinner Parties + Exciting Book News!

Happy first day of Spring! Not that you'd know it here in NYC. It's cloudy, cold, and snowing. Seriously?!?! I moved here 8 years ago on St. Patrick's Day, thinking that by mid-March I'd have safely avoided the winter. Nope – there was a foot of snow on the ground. Now, after 8 winters here, I truly know how cruel March can be here – we're still bundled up in coats and hats while the rest of the country is enjoying sunshine and blooming trees. Alas. We still have April! Though we don't have...

An End-of-Winter Feast (+ a new column in Saveur!)

Happy Friday friends! What a whirlwind of a week it's been. I flew back from Nashville early Monday morning, and have been busy finalizing the details on an exciting book development (cannot wait to share more soon!!). Then, Wednesday I turned 35 (!!) and Brandon planned an all-day scavenger hunt full of surprises that left me feeling like a million bucks. (More on that later, too!) And then yesterday, I launched a new entertaining column for Saveur! I know that's a lot of exclamation points in...

GIVEAWAY: Winter Dinner Party Recipe Cards!

Happy Monday, friends! I thought I'd start off your week with something I don't do very often: a giveaway! During my Kickstarter campaign, one of the prizes was a pack of recipe cards (not included in the book), designed to prepare as a dinner party menu – plus a game plan on how to prep everything ahead. It was so fun working with my awesome cookbook photographer Signe Birck and designer Katie King Rumford again to create these beautiful cards. I already sent them out to my Kickstarter...

A Sicilian-Inspired Valentine's Day Menu

Oh Valentine's Day. It's funny how the mention of this one day can make some people giddy and other people groan. Though I'm a huge proponent of showing friends and family love every day, it is kind of nice to have a special day set apart to show some extra love. From the time I was a kid, I loved the tradition of making little heart-shaped cards to give to classmates, and as I got older, I loved the excuse to bake (and eat!) chocolate goodies. However, once college hit, and I had my first...

How to Create a Simple, Elegant Holiday Table

One of my favorite things about throwing a dinner party is creating a pretty table. I love taking time to add thoughtful details – like handwritten namecards, or sprigs of fresh herbs tied into the napkins – that make guests feel really special. Since I'm usually the one making the food, I never have time to do anything elaborate – I like to keep things simple, seasonal, and elegant, without being fussy. Recently, Tasting Table asked me to team up with them and Patron to create a holiday...

Your Last-Minute Guide to Hosting Thanksgiving!!

As much as I'd love to be the cool, calm, collected, always-do-everything-in-advance type of person, the reality is, I always try to cram too much in, and end up doing things at the last minute. (Even though I tell all of you, on the blog and in the book, to do things in advance!!) Alas. BUT for all of you fellow procrastinators out there, I’ve got great news: it’s not too late to host Thanksgiving! You’ve got two days to go, and as long as you've at least invited a few people, you can totally...

My Chat with Ina Garten

Hi friends! I promise this post is going to be about Ina Garten (as you can probably tell from the title!). But first, I want to write you all a little note to apologize for my infrequent blog posts the past couple of weeks. If you follow me on Instagram or FB – or if you've seen me recently! – you know that life has been just a tad crazy. I flew back to NYC from Nashville this afternoon – I had to push back my flight 3 times in order to finish all the book shipping! (Thank you, Southwest!) I...

The Yellow Table NYC Book Launch Party!

Happy Thursday everyone! I'm in Nashville, in the midst of a week of book-party-throwing, book-shipping craziness. Actually, in all honesty I haven't even STARTED the book shipping yet, because I've been so busy gathering all of the materials to ship the books and getting organized with labels, addresses, etc. – not to mention cooking for parties (last night and tonight) and prepping for yesterday's TV appearance on Channel 5's Talk of the Town. (Click here to see the clip!) It's such an...

Tasting Table: How to Throw a Fall Cocktail Party!

Happy Wednesday everyone! It might seem a little early in the day to be talking about cocktails, but then again, it's never too early to start talking about cocktails! Ha. But I confess: I know NOTHING about making cocktails. If you put me behind a bar, I'd be clueless. I've made margaritas a few times (following a recipe), and once made a sparkling cranberry cocktail for the blog. And...that's about it. I've never served cocktails at a party, I don't have a bar, and rarely drink liquor. It's...

Tasting Table: Entertaining on the Fly with Susan Spungen

I'm so excited to share with you all a recent story I had the chance to write for Tasting Table on one of my personal food heroes, Susan Spungen. Susan – in case you don't know – is one of the top food stylists in the industry. You've seen her work on numerous covers of magazines like Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living, as well as in movies such as Julie & Julia, Eat, Love, Pray, and most recently, Labor Day. In addition to food styling, she's also penned several cookbooks...

Roadtrip Dinner #8: A Backyard Party in Seattle

Happy Friday friends! You've probably noticed that I'm on a bit of an outdoor entertaining kick lately. When the weather is late-summer balmy, all I want to do is gather up some friends, make a simple meal, pour some rose, and hang out in a park or on the roof. Going on the #cookbookroadtrip in June spoiled me tremendously, as I got a chance to throw dinner parties in real backyards (an unheard-of luxury for most New Yorkers). I've already shared with you the photos from our dreamy outdoor...

Tasting Table: How to Throw an Outdoor Dinner Party

One of the great things about writing an entertaining column for Tasting Table is that I don't have to have all the answers. Some topics (like "How to Plan a Perfect Menu" and "How to Entertain in a Small Kitchen") I can write with my eyes closed, but other topics – like cocktails or floral design – I prefer to weigh in with the exerts. Today's column is all about outdoor entertaining, and I don't know anybody who does a better job of this than my friend Megan Gilger. Megan – the blogger...

Your Pictures: Recipe-Testing + Dinner Parties!

Happy Wednesday everybody! Today I'm doing something a little different: I'm giving you a peek into the kitchens and homes of the amazing recipe testers – from all over the world – who have been testing recipes for the cookbook. All of the photos in today's post were sent to me by blog readers who volunteered to test recipes. I currently have a team of around 50 people, all over the USA and beyond (even as far as New Zealand!), not only testing recipes, but hosting dinner or brunch parties with...

The Importance of Eating Together (+ other good reads!)

Friends. My heart is so full this morning I can hardly stand it. It's funny how just a few days ago I was sharing with you all about how discouraged I've felt – completely overwhelmed by guilt and self-condemnation – and today I am beyond joyful. What shifted? Quite a few things, the biggest one being: I reached out. I admitted I was drowning, and I sought community. I spent the past two nights with people I love eating around the table, and intentionally moved my gaze from myself and back onto...

Dinner Party #6 at the Neighbor's Table in Dallas

You know those moments in life where everything just seems really right in the world? Where you feel truly present and completely self-unaware? Not to say that you lose a sense of yourself, but where you can get out of your head long enough to really notice those around you, to appreciate their beauty, and tap into a far greater story than your own. (And in so doing, actually become more fully yourself.) And have you ever felt so lavished with love – in such an over-the-top, undeserved way...

Dinner Party #5: A Backyard BBQ with Love & Lemons in Austin

Happy Wednesday everybody! We just got back today from a dreamy couple of days in Sag Harbor visiting good friends, and to be honest, it was nice to actually take a moment and enjoy the summertime. To lay by the pool and read a book, to walk on the beach, to eat ice cream, and go barefoot. To take a break from the computer. AND most exciting of all, to celebrate the fact that The Yellow Table Cookbook is indeed, happening. Hooray! It's such a relief to have the funding raised a week early – I...

Dinner Party #4: A Cozy Evening in New Orleans with Joy the Baker

Now that I'm back from my crazy cookbook road trip, the question I get asked a lot is: "What was your favorite dinner party?" Of course that question is impossible to answer, because each dinner was so unique – the setting, the people, and the menu were totally different for each party, and each gathering had its own special feel. There wasn't one dinner party that I didn't absolutely love. But there were a few that felt a little extra magical, and our New Orleans party was definitely one. The...

Dinner Party #3: An Italian Feast with Peter Nappi in Nashville

Way back in April, when I was trying to decide on a location for the Nashville dinner, I stumbled upon pictures of Peter Nappi's gorgeous studio space, located in a former industrial boiler room in Germantown. I had been following the brand on Instagram for awhile (they make THE most gorgeous Italian leather boots, shoes, and bags) but it wasn't until I saw pictures of a boot-dying party they threw, followed by a big dinner party, that I realized they loved to host gatherings as much as I do...

Dinner Party #9 and #10: At Your Table!

After 19 days and 4400 miles in the car, we made it to LA last night, which marks the end of our cross-country drive! I am SO excited to be here. We're staying in Venice in a cute little AirBnB bungalow, and this morning I went on a long walk through gorgeous little alleyways filled with flowering trees and bougainvillea, all the way down to the beach. I grabbed a cappuccino and a croissant and ate breakfast by the ocean, and reflected on the incredible journey of the past 3 weeks. It's so cool...

Dinner Party #2: A Simple Evening in Raleigh, N.C.

Hello from Flagstaff, Arizona! It's crazy to think that six of our eight Yellow Table gatherings this month have already happened! After cooking in all sorts of kitchens (some huge, some tiny, some makeshift) I feel like I could throw a dinner party with my eyes closed now. Ha! I'll be sharing photos and details form each one with you over the coming weeks, but today I'm thrilled to feature Dinner Party #2, held outside Raleigh, N.C. with Megan & Mike Gilger of The Fresh Exchange blog. I've...

Cookbook Road Trip: NYC Kick-Off Dinner Party!

Hello everybody! Sorry for the delay in posting...it's been just a tad busy. Since my last post we spent 4 whirlwind days in Nashville that included 2 TV appearances (my first ever!), a trip to the ER for stitches, a surprise visit from my husband Brandon, and throwing a 25-person dinner party at Peter Nappi Studio. (Phew!) Given that every-day blogging has been a challenge, we created a Cookbook Road Trip Tumblr site, so you can follow along with pictures and daily updates here. We drove...

Road Trip Day 3 & 4: Raleigh to Nashville

Hi friends! First of all, a HUGE thank you to all of you who have pre-ordered cookbooks!!! It's incredible to see the love and support you all have poured out to this project! In just 2 days, we've already reached nearly $10,000 (1/5 of our goal!) with 154 backers. So excited to see this cookbook becoming a reality, thanks to you all!! Keep spreading the word...we still have 40 more days and $40,000 more to raise. We can do it!!! We spent most of yesterday in the car driving from Raleigh (with...

Counting Down: Cookbook Pre-Sales Begin on Monday!

Guys...it's happening!!! Our Kickstarter campaign is launching Monday and I could not be more excited. For 6 weeks, via Kickstarter, you'll have the opportunity to pre-order the cookbook – which will arrive in October. This is going to be your only opportunity to pre-order a copy...so if you want to give this book to friends or family as a holiday gift, next week is the time to buy! Our friends Mike and Megan are putting the finishing touches on a beautiful video that we'll be sharing Monday...

A Magical Spring Evening in NYC

I know I've already given you a sneak peak of the recent Yellow Table Cookbook launch party I threw with ABC Carpet & Home (styled by the amazing Jenn Elliott Blake), but I just received these INCREDIBLE images and I had to share!! We were fortunate enough to have Dorothée Brand (one half of the wildly talented Belathée Photography duo) shoot the party, and I could barely contain my excitement when I sifted through the 400+ images she sent. I forced myself to pare it down to the selection...

How to Throw a Fabulous (Stress-Free) Brunch

Happy Friday everyone! I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things about the weekend is brunch. I love starting late in the day – noon or 1 is perfect – spending the afternoon hanging out, eating and drinking coffee or bubbly, and then still having your evening free. But going out to brunch in NYC is kind of an ordeal. Nothing about the idea of waiting in line for an hour sounds appealing to me – not to mention paying $18 for an omelette, $5 for a cup of French press coffee, and $12...

Behind-the-Scenes: The Makings of a Dinner Party

Hi friends! Sorry it's taken me a few days to get back to the post I originally started writing Monday. There are so many exciting things in the works that I'm dying to tell you (soon, soon!) but in the meantime, thanks for your patience. Lately, I feel like I've been given a crash-course in learning to tackle fear head-on, and it's been one of the most exhilerating processes of my life. This dinner would never have happened without going out on a major limb and believing that not only would...

Sneak Peek: The Yellow Table Cookbook Launch

Friends: I am SO excited to share all the details from last Thursday's ABC Carpet & Home + Yellow Table spring dinner party. Despite all of my fears surrounding this event, I survived. And much more than survived – I actually had a blast! Thank you all so much for your notes of encouragement, prayers, and thoughts, and to my incredible husband for his endless support (and for putting up with my manic schedule the past few weeks!!). But most of all, I owe a HUGE thanks to my brilliant friend...

Monday Musings: Trying to Do it All

What day is it again? Monday? The past week has been an absolute blur – since my last blog post, I flew to Nashville, spent two (very full) days at the amazing Q Ideas Conference (more on that later...) and flew home at the crack of dawn Friday morning to start shopping and prepping for a brunch I was catering in Brooklyn Saturday. In the midst of it all, we had family in town for five days – two extra people in our cozy one-bedroom loft. Having houseguests in NYC is so different than in other...

Naan Bread Pizzas with Ricotta & Shaved Asparagus

Hi friends! I hope you all had a glorious Easter weekend. The weather here has been beyond perfect the past few days, and the trees are at their pastel peak right now. I'm sure I must look a little crazy lately, walking around my neighborhood tripping over the sidewalk because I can't stop looking up at the flowering trees and the cloudless sky. That's what spring does to me...makes me look up. Spring brings back my sense of wonder. It makes me dream again and hope again and marvel at the sheer...

An Evening with Kitchensurfing + Chef Eric Bolyard

As you all know, there are few things I love more than a good dinner party. But truth be told – unless I'm just having friends over mid-week for a pot of soup – hosting one is a lot of work! By the time I've cleaned the house, shopped for groceries, wine, and flowers, prepped the food, and set the table, there's usually about 15 minutes left until guests arrive, and I'm left debating whether or I can squeeze in a quick shower. But I love having people around my table (and I clearly love...

Day 96: Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle

Happy Monday everyone! This is an exciting week for several reasons: 1) Today marks my 7-year anniversary of moving to NYC. (Click here for the full story...) 2) This is finally the week – FOR REAL – you amazingly patient recipe-testers will get your recipes. Sorry it's taken such an extraordinarily long time. I had no idea how long my own recipe-testing and editing would take. Excited to see all the fun Yellow Table dinner parties that will come out of this project. :) 3) This is the LAST...

Day 86: Two (really delicious) New Brunch Recipes

I don't know about you, but by Thursday I've definitely got brunch on the brain. It's one of my favorite meals of the week – a leisurely not-quite-breakfast, not-quite-lunch mid-day weekend feast. It's the perfect meal to host as well, since set-up can be casual, and once everyone leaves, you still have plenty of time left to do the dishes and have a relaxed evening. When I'm creating a brunch menu, I like to make sure there's something sweet, something savory, something salad-y, something...

Day 80: From Garden to Table: A Harvest Party!

I'm all for cooking with fresh ingredients. But last weekend, I did something for the first time: I made a meal with produce that I helped pick out of the ground just hours before dinner. And even more amazing, it was produce grown by my brother! I was out in Los Angeles visiting my brother Davis, who runs an organic garden for the community of Beit T'Shuvah. The garden, which grows on a narrow strip of earth between the sidewalk and a residential street in Culver City, is an exciting project...

Day 59: A Wintry Weekend in the Catskills

(NOTE: There is a listening requirement for this blog post. If you don't already have a copy of The Lone Bellow's fabulous self-titled album, download it now. Then press play before you read any further.) This post has been a long time coming. Nearly two years ago, I spent a snowy weekend in the Catskills with a bunch of friends from Brooklyn. Thanks to a friend's connection, we stayed at a dreamy old house in the middle of the woods. It was the sort of sprawling, rustic mountain house you...

Day 58: Midweek Dinner Parties

I've been giving a lot of thought lately to how I want to live this year. And the word that keeps popping into my head is community. I am craving deep community and authentic, life-giving friendships. It's not that I need new friends - I'd just love to see the ones I have more often! Life in NYC moves so ridiculously fast that if I'm not intentional, weeks and months can go by and I don't see many of the people I hold most dear. So in the spirit the yellow table, I've decided to reinstate a...

Day 49: The Year of the Dinner Party

At the end of every year, I get really introspective. I like to spend some time thinking back over the past year - both the highlights and the hard moments. I usually go back and read my journal from a year ago, and then reflect on what I've learned. It's a really nostalgic time, and sometimes a bit sad. But I think it's important to take some time to reflect before plunging into the New Year. 2013 was a big year in so many ways. Brandon and I both made big leaps of faith career-wise – he...

Day 41: Bargain Bubblies + Parmesan-Rosemary Shortbreads

“There comes a time in every woman's life when the only thing that helps is a glass of Champagne.” ― Bette Davis I'll be the first to admit it: I have a total weakness for bubbly. I love it. It's festive, it's fun, and it just tastes so good. And having a glass of Champagne - no matter what you're doing - makes that moment so much more memorable. I love the picture above, because I am totally in my happy place: in Paris, drinking bubbly (at lunch!) with my dear friend Chrissy. I'm sure the...

Day 40: Bubbly & Bites Cocktail Party

Happy Tuesday! Given that it's a) snowing right now b) one week 'til Christmas and c) two weeks 'til New Year's Eve - I'm feeling pretty festive! I'm also teaching my Bubbly & Bites class tonight at West Elm, so I've got holiday parties on the brain. Whether you are throwing a pre-Christmas cocktail party this weekend, or planning a full-on New Year's Eve bash, I wanted to share a few of my favorite festive party bites. Best of all, everything can be made the day before and assembled right...

Day 31: Join My New Year's Eve Class at West Elm!

I cannot believe there are just 27 more days left in 2013. How did it suddenly become December? Where has the time gone? I remember this time last year, talking to friends about what we wanted to do on New Year's Eve. All I wanted to do was to ring in the New Year surrounded by good friends, sitting around the yellow table. And that's exactly what we did. Along with my talented chef friends Lindsay and Sarah, we hosted a dinner party for 15 in my apartment (quite the feat considering my table...

Day 20: Healthy Recipes for a Fall Dinner Party

You know that feeling where you are so tired you can't keep your eyes open? Where the thought of unloading the dishwasher or even picking up the living room makes you want to cry? Well that was me last night. After a long day of shooting, I was faced with a trashed apartment: piles of dishes to wash, furniture to rearrange, props to wash and bubble wrap and return. Not to mention piles of laundry to sort through before I can even begin to pack for my trip today. I had every intention of just...

Day 18: How to Host a Stress-Free Thanksgiving

Friends, the week is nearly over. And what a week. I think I could literally sleep half the weekend!! I ended up moving today's photo shoot to Monday, because I simply could not face a day of grocery shopping, prepping, and hauling props and that big wooden flooring board up to the apartment...and then returning it all! I'm trying to learn when enough is enough. And giving myself the grace to deviate from my plans from time to time. I have to say (in spite of the fact that I was so worried...

Day 17: Easy & Delicious Holiday Hors d'Oeuvres

Last night I had a chance to teach a really fun class at West Elm, all about how to host a stress-free Thanksgiving. (Ironically, the days leading up to the class were quite stressful, as I imagined the class being a disaster! Ha.) But it honestly could not have gone any better. I had a total dream team helping to make the night a success: my good friend Allison Troup-Jensen, Chelsea West Elm's Special Events Coordinator, my amazing intern Elise who assisted during class, my superstar husband...

Day 9: Join my Thanksgiving Class at West Elm!

Happy Monday everyone! Now that Halloween is behind us, Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away! For years, this holiday was a time to get together with my extended family in Tennessee and eat huge platefuls of turkey and butter-and-cheese-laden casseroles, followed by a table of pies, cakes, and other desserts. (And eventually, a nap!) I always love being with my family, but once I got older, battling crowded airports became less fun, and I didn't love the way I felt after I ate such a...

Day 8: A Fashionable Fete with Erin Fetherston

Happy Friday everyone! I am taking a little break today from the normal content of The Cookbook Diaries to share with you a fun story I recently wrote for Anthology magazine (with stunning photos by the fabulous Amy Dickerson). For those of you who are new to the blog, Anthology holds a very dear place in my heart. This San Francisco-based quarterly was started a couple of years ago by two friends (writer/editor Anh-Minh Le and art director Meg Ilasco) who share a passion for beautiful...

A Fall Dinner Party (and An Impromptu Singalong)

Just a head's up – coming off of my last post, this one's going to seem a bit banal. I don't have any major confessions or profound insights. I just want to talk about how much I love endives, pears, walnuts, and blue cheese. Together, on a plate. Actually, come to think about it, maybe I do have a confession: I am a closeted Mariah Carey fan. I think the first cassette tape I ever bought was her 1993 album Music Box. (Dreamlover?! And Hero?? Amazing stuff.) And what exactly do endive salads...

A Simple Evening (Farmhouse-Style)

Photos by Bryan; Hand-lettering by Megan Gilger It is safe to say that I love dinner parties. (As in really, really love!) I meet few people who share my passion for gathering people around a table, but Megan Gilger is one of them. We met last summer through a mutual friend (the amazing Amy Anderson) and instantly clicked. Megan and her husband Mike run Wild Measure, a branding and graphic design firm, as well as one of my favorite blogs, The Fresh Exchange. The Gilgers host beautifully...

Do Something That Scares You.

Photos by Nate Poekert As a private chef, I get asked to cater a lot of events in the city. I turn most of them down because a) I live in a 6th floor walkup b) I have a tiny kitchen and c) truthfully, the time/money ratio never seems to work in my favor! Unless I'm just helping out a friend, the jobs I agree to do are the ones that stretch me as a cook. I love the projects that allow me to explore new ingredients, experiment with different styles of cooking, and flex my creative muscles...

Everyday Abundance: The Art of Living Well

Everyone once in awhile, I like to buy myself a card. I don't write myself a note or anything. (Though that might be kind of fun...or really weird. Not sure.) I just like to collect cards I find inspiring. When I'm at paper shop looking for the perfect birthday/wedding/baby/thank you card to send a friend, I occasionally find one that seems to have been written just for me. I spotted this one (from Curly Girl Designs) in Maine this summer and I nearly burst for joy when I read it: "The secret...

Table Styling Tips from Jenn Elliott Blake

Photo by Michael Newsted One of the things I love most about my job is collaborating with amazingly creative people: photographers, stylists, chefs, and bloggers who wake up inspired to do what they love. They are driven by an inner passion to create, to bring beauty into the world, and to do what they do with excellence. One very special person I had the privilege of meeting this year (and working with on the Nashville Dinner Party shoot for Anthology) is Jenn Elliott Blake. Jenn is a...

Weekend Brunch: Heirloom Tomato Breakfast Casserole

Today marks a first in The Yellow Table's (blog) history: I'm featuring a casserole. You heard me right – we're talking the 9x13-inch, take-it-to-a-church-potluck kind. I may be a quinoa- and kale-loving girl most of the time, but every once in awhile, I get a hankering for an ooey-gooey cheese, egg, and sausage filled breakfast casserole. (I am a Southerner, after all!) I have to say, casseroles seem to be the underdogs of brunch fare. On a typical brunch menu you'll see all manner of egg...

Sunday Supper in the Atelier (featured in Anthology!)

Photos by Amy Dickerson Every once in awhile, the stars align and I'm able to work on a project that I find inspiring on every level. Back in April, I had the chance to collaborate with a dream team of old and new friends to throw an intimate dinner party in my friend Emily Leonard's art studio in East Nashville. The dinner itself was a blast, but even more exciting is the fact that my story about the evening (photographed by the fabulous Amy Dickerson) is currently in Anthology magazine's...

Entertaining Inspiration: A Simple Evening in Raleigh

Photos by Mike Gilger You all know by now how much I love dinner parties. Second to that, I love collaborating with creative friends. A few months ago, I went to Raleigh for one of the most inspiring dinners I've ever had the privilege to attend. (I wrote about the experience forAnthology magazine, if you want the full story!) My good friends Megan and Mike Gilger of The Fresh Exchange orchestrated the event as part of their A Simple Evening series. This farm-to-table dinner was a launch party...

Summer Cookout with Friends

It's officially summertime and I couldn't be happier! 'Tis the season for lazy afternoon cookouts, trips to the beach, oyster-shucking, and plenty of chilled rose. Several weeks ago, a group of friends from NYC headed out to Long Island to kick off the summer with an all-day barbecue and birthday celebration for our friend CJ Guinness. CJ and another good friend, Jon Passavant, had rented a quirky old farmhouse in Bellport (complete with a retro turquoise camper van) for the months of April and...

A Night to Remember: Gnocchi Face-Off 2013

Photos by Eric Ryan Anderson You know how I mentioned recently that we've had a few #marchwellness cheat days? Well, this was one of them. Sunday night I did something I've never done before: I hosted a cooking competition. Specifically, a gnocchi face-off. Now, to some, this might not seem like a big deal. But consider the facts: 4 contestants, 2 judges, 6 spectators, 1 photographer, 2 cats, and a postage-stamp-sized NYC apartment kitchen. Things got a little crazy. But first let me start...

Dinner with Friends, Brooklyn-Style!

As you all know, one of my favorite things in the world is a good dinner party. Though I love to throw them at my place, by the time I've planned the menu, bought the groceries and the wine, arranged the flowers, cleaned the apartment, set the table, and cooked the food, the guests are arriving and I'm still drying my hair! These days, I'm all about collaborative dinner parties. Ones where I'm responsible for some of the food, but where other friends play a role as well – whether doing the...

Kicking off a New Year around the Yellow Table

I'm not exactly sure how it's already February and I'm just now posting pictures from our New Year's Eve dinner party! Somehow the year has gotten off to a busier start than I could have imagined, between writing assignments, travel, recipe testing, and cooking for various events. I just got back from a wonderful week in Nashville visiting family, but I hate that the blog has gotten a bit neglected in the process – I am vowing this month to get back into a regular post schedule! New Year's Eve...

Countdown to New Year's Eve: Easy, Elegant Hors d'Oeuvres

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, with lots of great time with friends and family, in the kitchen and around the table. We spent a white Christmas in Michigan with Brandon's family, with more snow on the way! Now that the presents have been opened, the big Christmas dinner cooked and eaten, and Elf watched (for the umpteenth time!), my thoughts are moving ahead to the New Year. This December was heavier than most, for a myriad of reasons, and frankly I'm ready to welcome in a new year...

Holiday Entertaining: Sweet Treats

Photos by Signe Birck I'm a healthy eater most of the year–with plenty of green smoothies and quinoa salads and lentil-filled soups–but during the holidays, my sweet tooth always gets the best of me. When the tree is lit and the Christmas tunes are playing, all I want to do is bake. Whether I'm making chocolate chip cookies, Nutella shortbread brownies, or mini loaves of cranberry orange bread, it doesn't feel like Christmas until I've covered my kitchen in flour, sugar, and spices. Recently...

My Favorite Fall Comfort Foods

On a rainy, windy day like today - you know, the type of day where a major hurricane is heading your way - all I want to do is cook. Maybe it's just a nesting instinct, or maybe it's my desire to maintain some order when the elements are clearly out of my control. On a day like today, I want to make a big pot of soup or chili, or simmer a tagine in my Le Creuset, so that the entire apartment smells like fall. Today I'm craving comfort foods - roast chicken, butternut squash soup, pasta...

A Soiree with Blog Brunch & Ernest Alexander

(Photos by Karen Kristian Dickey) I'll be honest: I have some pretty talented friends. And they're always doing these really creative, amazing things. Whether it's recording an album, shooting a fashion campaign, designing an app, writing a film, or sketching designs for a new bag, I am in awe. I love seeing people doing what they were made to do. Life is full of obligations, which makes creative endeavors that much more inspiring. My favorite projects are collaborative ones. I love it when a...

Heirloom Tomato Tarts (and a Fabulous Brunch!)

Yes, this is an Instagram photo. (Taken right before the tarts were going in the oven!) These days, it feels like I've been so busy cooking – for magazines and events, rather than my neglected blog – that most of my photos are quickly snapped with my iPhone. Usually I have the best of intentions to go back and recreate the dish, with careful shots of the ingredients, the process, and the beautifully styled end result, but frankly, sometimes I just don't have the time!! So please forgive me...

Behind the Scenes at the Gourmet Live Shoot

Photos by Signe Birck Happy August everybody! I promise my lack of posts recently hasn't all been because of rooftop rose-sipping. I've been hard at work on a bunch of really cool projects, which I'll be able to share with you all as they come out! Signe and I recently had the chance to shoot and style a story for Gourmet Live that just came out today. The "Burger Bash" edition features an all-American menu including a juicy bacon cheeseburger with caramelized onions, homemade French fries...

An Impromptu Easter Brunch

Happy (belated) Easter everyone! I hope everyone had a joyous weekend. Not only was the weather gorgeous, but even the trees – bursting with pink and white blossoms – seemed to send forth a message of redemption and resurrection! This year, we didn't really make any big plans other than to go to our church. Brandon recently started his IV antibiotics so we are sort of home-bound for awhile. We wanted to join some friends for a picnic in Brooklyn, but I had to be at church early to practice (I...

A Girly Spring Brunch

Friends, I've got a few exciting things to share: One, my fabulous photographer friend Signe Birck is back! You may remember her lovely photographs from previous posts (here and here), or read her Q&A a few months ago. She's back in NYC (from Copenhagen), and I am thrilled that she wants to continue working together. Her pictures are so light and airy, and my food has never looked more delicious than when captured through her lens. Not only is Signe super-talented, but she's a pleasure to work...

Yellow Table Storytelling Dinner #2

This past weekend we hosted our second official storytelling dinner around the yellow table, and what a fun night it was! Our last one was back in the fall, and though we've had a few dinners in between, we hadn't had a proper storytelling night since. If you're new to The Yellow Table, you may be wondering "What is a storytelling dinner?" Well I'm so glad you asked. Our storytelling dinners (inspired by a Moth event I attended last fall) consist of friends (both new and old), sitting around...

Valentine's Day: Dinner for Two

Let's be honest. Valentine's Day seems a little bit forced (OK a lot!). I'm all for romance, but I don't like being told when it should happen. And I certainly don't associate love with red roses, teddy bears, and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. For me, romance involves creativity – and an element of surprise. To come home on a random Thursday and find a beautiful bouquet of tulips (which happens to be my favorite flower) on the table would make my week. Or finding a little handwritten love...

A Night to Remember...

The smile says it all. When 12 friends crowd into a tiny NYC apartment to celebrate the birthday of a dear friend, to squeeze onto couches and borrowed chairs and share a meal around a beautiful table (that you’d never guess had been found, discarded on the street that day), with story-telling and laughter and much toasting, something magical happens. It’s as though time is suspended. You get a glimpse of something bigger than this life – a hint of how things should be, a taste of what we long...

Thanksgiving Day Guide

Thanksgiving needn't be a stressful time of year. In fact, hosting Thanksgiving can be a lot of fun. This year, rather than obsessing over the food and the table decor, I've tried to reflect more on the meaning of Thanksgiving. To be thankful for what I have, and for the people I love. After all, Thanksgiving is just one day, but we have so much to be thankful for every day. Keeping that perspective takes a lot of the pressure off of trying to create a perfect meal (which, by the way, does not...

Budget Bubblies: A User-Friendly Guide

My good friends can tell you that my favorite drink in the whole wide world is Champagne. I love the bubbles, the crisp, dry taste, the elegant flutes. It's fun, it's festive, and it makes any moment better. And I'm a firm believer that bubbly need not be tucked away for special occasions. I love celebrating life's small moments as well as the big ones–dinner with good friends, a lovely sunset, a new job, the end of a moving day, a race run, a prayer answered. Of course, opening a bottle of...

How to Throw a Fall Dinner Party

Based on the title of this blog, you can probably tell that dinner parties are sort of my thing. Especially when they're held around the yellow table. I love this table for so many reasons–and not just because of all the memorable meals and conversations I've shared around it. I love its warm mustard color. I love the scratches and dents that give it personality. I love the story behind it. But one of the things I love most is its ability to expand. Normally we keep it as a cozy six-seater, but...

Q&A with Jill Donenfeld

It's tough to describe my friend Jill Donenfeld in just a few words. (Though impressive does come to mind...) By age 22, the personal chef and entrepreneur had already started her own business (The Culinistas) and written a cookbook (Mankafy Sakofo: Delicious Meals from Madagascar). Donenfeld founded The Culinistas in 2006 in New York City with the goal of bringing healthy, home cooked, customizable meals into the homes of busy professionals. The concept was a hit. Now, five years later...

Perhaps the World Ends Here...

I woke up this morning to piles of dishes, empty wine bottles, and stacks of crusty pots and pans. The glorious aftermath of a dinner party. We had our first Moth-inspired storytelling dinner last night, and among the ten of us gathered around the table, the stories were legendary. We heard tales of ghosts, near-arrests, nightmare first dates, and an attempted arranged marriage. Everyone had such a good time–we were still sipping wine and lingering over dessert long after midnight. But more on...

Roasted Branzini & Brussel Sprouts

I love dinner parties (clearly). And in spite of the fact that I've thrown hundreds in my life, I still get a little nervous having people over if I don't have time to prep in advance. I hate feeling rushed, which is why I try to get as much done ahead of time as possible. For me, entertaining is the most fun when the apartment is clean, the food is more or less prepped, and I can actually sit down and have a drink with guests when they arrive. Of course in reality, things never go quite as...

Chicken Feta Sliders with Chimichurri

I love this time of year. Blue skies, cooler weather, but still warm enough to eat outside for a few more weeks. Despite the fact that we live in a fifth-floor walk-up (with occasional funky smells in the stairwell), all is redeemed by our little rooftop terrace. The views are pretty fantastic and when the weather is nice, it's my favorite place to have a glass of rosé and watch the sunset. We've had friends up many times and even without a grill, it's a fun spot to host a cookout. The routine...

Welcome to The Yellow Table!

Welcome to The Yellow Table–a place of laughter, friendship, conversation, celebration, and of course, good food. This table has been a part of my life for 31 years. I grew up having family meals and dinner parties around the yellow table (pictured above), and as a college graduation present in 2002, my mom passed it along to me. Since then, it's been a joy to keep the legacy of the yellow table alive, with countless dinner parties in my various apartments–in Pittsburgh, Nashville, and finally...