Henri Matisse is considered to be the most important French artist of the 20th century by some awfully smart people. You may read about his life and accomplishments here. Exuberant use of color is a hallmark of his work, and is one of the reasons I remain captivated by this artist who seems to project joy even in his still lifes. 

I also became captivated early on, in a musical context, by progressive rock -- prog rock 4eva! -- you know, artists like Genesis in the early days, Yes, King Crimson and Emerson Lake & Palmer. Loved me some ELP. 

And so today, on the cusp of the new year, I am seizing the opportunity to mash-up a few faves: artistry in all forms, aural pomp and circumstance from my progressive past, color and exuberance.

​That's what I wish for all of us in the New Year -- art, music, color and joyful exuberance.
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There's an interesting slide show with narrative from the Art Institute of Chicago which shows Matisse's multi-year progression of work on his masterpiece Bathers by a River. Check it out here. 

Fish for Dinner is a feature chronicling my education in the ways of fish-cookery. I grew up avoiding fish other than sticks and was well into adulthood before adding the real deal into my diet (over time and usually at a restaurant). The impetus to cook more fish at home comes from joining a sustainable fish program through Hooked on Fish, like a CSA that delivers boxes of farm-fresh produce but with seafood instead. I’ll tell you what we made and how we liked it, plus a few tips and fishin’ tunes too.

This fish dinner is extremely easy and versatile – any kind of medium-firm white fillet will do, including cod, snapper, halibut, and tilefish among others. We used whitefish, from the cold, deep waters of the Great Lakes. The veggies in the dish can also be adapted for taste and seasonality.

This recipe comes from one of Mark Bittman’s New York Times cooking features wherein he identifies multiple cooking methods for a single ingredient and then provides 3-4 recipes within each category. I really enjoy these features because they allow me to approach the kitchen more as a cook/chef and less as a recipe-follower. You learn to address the primary ingredient first: Ah, what a delightful specimen of [INGREDIENT] I’ve found at the market! Now, how would I like to cook it? Versus: I’ve got this recipe and will now shop to fulfill its list. The Bittman model provides some basic techniques and flavor suggestions and then lets you bring the kitchen creativity.

Continue reading for more of the story – recipe, pictures, even a fishin’ tune. 

Got a sweet tooth? Testing a dessert recipe and sampling a couple of sweet new tunes - that’s what the Sweet Sound Bites feature is all about. 
 
One of the most highly anticipated desserts on each year’s holiday open house sweets table is Ilise’s homemade rugelach. It is certainly the most highly anticipated treat in my kitchen; I’m known to hover around while she bakes, snatching up hot-hot-hot morsels of caramelized filling that oozes from the traditional Jewish pastries. Although they are not fried, rugelach are frequently served at Hanukkah celebrations.

This particular rugelach recipe is very fine indeed coming, as it does, from Ina Garten who is no slouch in the baking-of-rich-goodies category. However happy cooking site adjectives such as “one pan,” “just three ingredients,” or “fast and easy” will never be associated with this dessert. There are LOTS of steps including a few interludes of “chill for an hour or more.”

Be sure to read ahead before embarking on this culinary adventure, but then embark with gusto. Your first bite of the finished pastry – tender, golden brown, caramelized cinnamon sugar adding sweet, chewy crunch – screams out loud: This is worth it.

Please continue reading for photos, the recipe and a sample of new-to-me music in today’s Sweet Bites Playlist -- bringing the sounds are Nicki Bluhm + Nadia Reid. I hope you like them as much as I do.

Yes, that is a Santaur, ladies and gentlemen. Nothing else to say.
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Except to send good wishes for a safe, healthy and peaceful holiday season and a very happy New Year. 

Involuntary shudder.

​Maybe the problem is that I’ve never sampled the ne plus ultra of eggnogs, but I cannot in good conscience celebrate the nog of which I have never not been grossed out.

For me there are several superior alternatives in the festive holiday drinking category. Glögg, hot toddies, anything with cranberry juice + booze. Tonight we’ll drink sparkling wine, tasting both French Champagne and Spanish cava. Both have great potential to delight.
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But if eggnog is your jam, then more for you. Cheers and Bottoms up! 

In the previous post we shared some party logistics for the big annual holiday open house, which is now just a faraway dot in the rearview mirror. It took a few days to get the house back in order – washing tablecloths; re-rearranging the furniture; and storing the serving dishes that come out just once or twice a year. Usually odd-shaped and jammed into the corner of a closet or high-up cabinet shelf.

I must stop here and note that it really does take a village to throw a party of this scale. We are grateful for the support (and hard labor) of friends and family who help in myriad ways to get this party started. One such helper is Ellyn who has appointed herself our Silver Bitch. For three or four years now she has come over a few days ahead of time to polish all of our silver serving trays, candlesticks, and Ilise’s special trivia bell. You know there’s no party without that damn bell, so special thanks to you, Ellyn! We couldn’t do it without you.

One of the menu-planning tips is “buy some, make some” – a few carefully selected homemade dishes mixed in with store-bought or otherwise procured items still earns you massive hostess and home chef cred. We applied this concept to the appetizer course in the previous post, so today will address the main course and everyone’s favorite, desserts.

Continue reading for menu details, recipes and - yes! - more photos!

I was introduced to the weird, wonderful, what-the-heck-is-this musical stylings of Frank Zappa as an impressionable teenager. I knew there was something “other” happening as the giant stereo speakers pumped out the oddly syncopated, sometimes jazzy, sometimes atonal, sometimes straight-up rock and roll in that basement teen cave with the blacklight posters and the musty/skunky aromas. (Even though Frank was legendary in his disapproval of the musty/skunky stuff, I confess, we indulged.)

As an awkward, different-drummer type of kid, I gravitated (naturally) to the drama club and from there to summer stock theater productions. (I really wanted to be cast as Hotlips in our stage production of M*A*S*H, but instead rocked it as Nurse #3.) During the summer of M*A*S*H I hung out with an older crowd (19 years old to my 16 – a huge difference at that age) and had a musical awakening. Pink Floyd, Zappa and the Mothers, Hot Tuna, Weather Report. Plenty of differences between these artists, but they were all new to me and fantastically different from the commercial radio hits that were so ubiquitous at the time (Muskrat Love and Staying Alive come to mind).

I will be forever grateful to Donald Evans and the guys in the basement for turning me on to Frank Zappa. And I’ll be forever indebted to Frank for making me think while laughing while rocking.

Frank Zappa, who died in 1993, would have been 75 today. Happy birthday!
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Mondel bread. Mandelbrodt. Mandelbread. Many names for the same traditional Jewish holiday cookie, twice-baked for your munching and crunching pleasure.  
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With a nice cup of tea it’s good for what ails you – but nothing at all will ail you after a bite of Ilise’s acclaimed mondel bread which comes from an old family recipe. This sweet treat – a cross between biscotti and shortbread – has appeared on our holiday open house menu every year since we began, 21 years ago.  Let’s hear more of the story in the mondel-chef’s own words – take it away, Ilise!

​Continue reading (click Read More below) for the recipe and lots of photos. Also klezmer music – you’re going to like this playlist!

Much has been written about musician, singer and songwriter Keith Richards, who turns 71 on Friday. Some of the most interesting bits have been said by the man himself in his autobiography Life which came out in 2010.

Per Keith – “The rock’s easy but the roll is another thing.”

​Did you know these fun facts about ol’ Keef?

• Big, big fan of shepherd’s pie.
• Insomniac, sleeping only 2 nights a week
• Boy Scout. Says he was in it for the knife on his uniform belt.

Source: Gibson.com

Dig the Keith Richards b-day playlist. Turn it way up loud!

I am a bad blogger. Bad at time management anyway. I had visions of blogging the lead-up to our big holiday open house which was held last weekend. Testing recipes, sharing décor pix and party planning tips, it was quite a vision I had. It didn’t quite turn out that way. I spent more time making/ baking/ shopping/ decorating than I did writing and posting about the experience.

Sure, I did post a couple of recipes in advance that turned out to be superstars on the buffet table – Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Kale, Cranberries and Toasted Hazelnuts; and Cappuccino Brownies.
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These are worth a second look and a test drive in your own kitchen. The brownies couldn’t be easier and the cinnamon brings a welcome surprise. The salad takes a bit of work to chop the sprouts and kale but the make-ahead deliciousness is all worth it.

Now that the party is over and done and a good time was had by all, I’m going to share a few posts with menu highlights, recipes and party planning tips. After the fact is better than not at all, right?! Keep reading for more of the story, pix, tunes and recipes. 

If that doesn’t sound like some kind of anti-ED pharmaceutical promotion I don’t know what does.

​But in fact, Weary Willie Day celebrates the famous clown character that Emmett Kelly created during the depths of the Depression, becoming an American icon.
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So today I invite you to put on a red nose, big shoes, and a happy face (or a frowny one) … and say Happy Birthday to the late, great Emmett Kelly. 

​Question: Do clowns make you happy or scare you to death? Discuss in the comments.
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Check out this one-take video showcasing the chameleon-like musicality of Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox as they mix and match popular songs with a wide range of musical genres. 
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The "making of" video is also fun to watch. If you like this, dig a little deeper. There's lots more including the Thong Song in vintage Louis Prima style, and Nicki Minaj's Anaconda done in a vintage bluegrass hoedown style. Enjoy! I think you will. 

Afternoon Dance Breaks are a recurring feature that invites you to get up from the desk, crank up the tunes, and dance your fool head off for a few minutes before resuming the daily grind. 

Dancing Fun Fact:

Balinese dance is a very ancient dance tradition that is part of the religious and artistic expression among the Balinese people of Bali island, Indonesia. Balinese dance is dynamic, angular and intensely expressive. Balinese dancers express the stories of dance-drama through the bodily gestures including gestures of fingers, hands, head and eyes.

There is a great richness of dance forms and styles in Bali; and particularly notable are those ritualistic dance dramas which involve Rangda, the witch, and the great beast Barong.
Other Balinese dances are not linked to religious rituals and created for certain purposes, such as Pendet welcoming dance and Joged dance that is social dance for entertainment purpose.

Source: Wikipedia

Are you all warmed up and ready to set your bodily gestures free with the Ritual Dance Playlist? Maybe do a few stretches and then click Play, on the next page. 

Fish for Dinner is a recurring feature chronicling my education in the ways of fish-cookery. I grew up avoiding any fish other than sticks and was well into adulthood before slowly adding the real deal into my diet (but usually at a restaurant). The impetus to cook more fish at home comes from joining a sustainable fish program through Hooked on Fish, like a CSA that delivers boxes of farm-fresh produce but with fishies instead. I’ll tell you what we made and how we liked it, plus a few tips and fishin’ tunes too.

I can’t say the name of this fish – steelhead – without thinking about Ben Stiller’s Derek Zoolander/Blue Steel modeling pose – all hollow cheeks and piercing yet vacant stare. Did you know that Zoolander 2 is due out in mid-February 2016? I’m sure it will be stupid, and I’m sure I can’t wait!

None of this has anything to do with this week’s featured fish. We’re big fans of trout around this dinner table, and the steelhead was no exception even though it shares more characteristics with salmon than with regular ol’ trout.

Continue reading for more of the story including the recipe, plenty of pictures, a Catch.com profile of our male model the steelhead, and a fishin’ tune for your listening pleasure. (Click Read More below.)