Most Americans are familiar with huevos rancheros or ranch eggs, a classic Mexican breakfast of fried eggs on warm tortillas smothered with cooked tomato salsa (tomato sauce). I had these Yucatan style eggs for the first time in Los Cabos, Mexico, where the tortillas were served on the side and it was suggested I use them like spoons to gather all the delicious flavors on my plate to enjoy in one bite.
This Torta de Huevo en Salsa is a beautifully refined version of the classic rancher’s style dish, with a more complex flavor profile and a fantastic presentation worthy of any table. When served with black beans, it is a meal hearty enough for brunch or an easy supper.
Laura Compos Quintero taught me how to make these crave-worthy eggs which have quickly become a family favorite in our home. She learned the recipe from her mother, Mercedes Cobian, who combined and refined recipes from her mother and mother-in-law to make this version.
My family loves to have brunch on Sundays, especially when entertaining weekend guests, and this dish is perfect for a big crowd. It can be prepared in advance of serving, and the longer the dish remains on the stove the better it gets – the eggs absorb all the flavors of the sauce.
I am especially delighted to cook this when I have access to farm fresh eggs, locally grown tomatoes, plus garlic, chile peppers and fragrant cilantro from my own garden. I love cilantro, but for the cilantrophobic this recipe works just as well with rosemary and parsley, and here’s a tip from Laura: “If your tomatoes are not as sweet as they could be, add a teaspoon of cumin to the sauce.”
Fresh, smoky and so easy to prepare, this salsa has made multiple appearances on our table; spooned over scrambled eggs, added to taco salads and burrito bowls and we found it’s particularly good with pulled chicken.
My favorite way to enjoy this salsa is to scoop up as much as I can onto a lightly salted, thin tortilla chip, and I have been known to pair it with my Serrano Margarita. Charring the vegetables creates a smoky salsa that pairs perfectly with a cold, spicy, tart margarita. I like to char my tomatoes and peppers directly on the burner, but you can also char them in a cast iron skillet, in the oven or on the grill.
Laura Compos Quintero, who shared this recipe with me, leaves out the onion and cilantro when adding this salsa to her huevos rancheros recipe. She likes to use 1 chile for every 2 tomatoes, and I found it creates an evenly balances salsa, however, if you like a hotter salsa simply add more chilies.
After a recent visit to the Durham Farmers’ Market, I arrived home with armloads of asparagus, pea shoots, and hakurei turnips. Looking for ways to make use of my bounty, I came across an old recipe for asparagus-pea pesto and another for a Spring pea-shoot salad. I decided to combine both recipes to honor these deliciously fresh vegetables.
We seldom think of eating asparagus raw, but when shaved into long, thin ribbons, this spring vegetable makes a beautiful crisp and flavorful salad. Pea shoots are wispy and delicate, fragrant and flavorful—the perfect match for peppery arugula. Tossed together, these ingredients make a terrific salad but, when the vegetables are this good, I want to layer the flavors. Dressing the greens with pesto seemed like the perfect way to bring this dish another level of flavor.
Hakurei, a Japanese variety of turnip, do not need to be cooked. Thanks to their crisp and delicious flavor when left raw, these are often referred to as “salad turnips.” They have an even-textured density and pair well with a variety of foods. Sliced thinly on the mandolin they are the perfect addition to this spring starter. If you can’t find hakurei turnips at your local farmers’ market, substitute one of the many beautiful varieties of radish available now.
Sweet potatoes and kale are two vegetables that continue to embody the movement of healthful eating and I never tire of either of them. I’m especially crazy for kale and recently served my favorite Tropical Kale Salad for a celebratory ladies lunch. Here in Florida the mangos are just beginning to pop up at green markets and I absolutely couldn’t resist! For a moment it seemed the cooler weather was behind us.
Then an unexpected storm delivered a cold front to Palm Beach and inspired me to make a big batch of this delicious soup, with a little coaxing from my daughter Kayla, who found herself suddenly snow-bound in New York. Sweet potato is a vegetable that has protein, which is fairly unusual, but it also has complex carbohydrates that don’t spike insulin. Combined with kale, a nutritional powerhouse, it serves up a soup that is satisfying and full of antioxidants. Kayla loves it! She’s a devout yogi and this is her go-to post-yoga dinner, especially on cooler evenings.
It was her younger sister Gigi who introduced us to the fantastic Farmer’s Market in Durham, North Carolina. One of the best green markets I’ve ever been to, it’s full of local, producer-only vendors who are located within 70 miles of the market. It was here I discovered the most fantastic, truly sweet, sweet potatoes. Unfortunately, they are hard to come by this time of year. (I later learned that 47 percent of the nation’s sweet potatoes are grown in North Carolina and farmers are glad everyone else seems to be catching on to a classic Southern culinary tradition. It’s a crop that helps replace the money formerly made from tobacco and cotton.)
Luckily, I found some sweet potatoes and toted a big bag full back to chilly Palm Beach. I made the soup there then toted a container to New York for Kayla. The things we do for love—and love of Sweet Potato–Kale Soup!
My friends at Swank Farms recently posted an enticing photo of their strawberry harvest and after seeing it, all I could think of was a deliciously refreshing strawberry soup I’d enjoyed a few years ago in North Carolina. After a bit of digging, I found that recipe, made a trip to the green market for fresh berries, and enjoyed the soup for lunch that day. The recipe suggested blending the ingredients, so it was very easy to prepare, but the taste and texture was more smoothie than soup. I substituted yogurt for the cream when I served it to my husband; that didn’t change much in terms of flavor and texture, but it was certainly more healthful. Still, the soup was not exactly what I had hoped for. The berries needed to take center stage, not be shrouded in cream. When strawberries are this fragrant and fresh, I really want to taste the berries.
Searching for just the right method, I came across a recipe created by Martha Rose Shulman for the New York Times, a soup she says would be called a concassée in France. The strawberries are crushed rather than pureed, like a tomato concassée (think bruschetta), so the soup has lots of texture. It was delicious, but my husband decided he’d rather enjoy it as a dessert. It was too sweet for him.
Determined to create a strawberry soup for a gathering with the girls, I changed little in Martha’s recipe, but topped it with a touch of cream (inspired by my North Carolina recipe), a delicious mint powder created by one of my cooks, and a few slivers of toasted almond. It added just the right flavors to balance the sweetness of the berries. I served this version as an appetizer to my friends and volunteers from the American Heart Association; it was the perfect beginning to a heart healthy lunch, and it was a big hit. I recreated it for another girl’s gathering to celebrate a friend visiting from Italy and everyone loved it! Finally! I had the perfect starter for a light spring lunch.
Strawberries are in season through April here in Florida; right now, they’re red, fragrant and delicious, so I intend to enjoy this soup a few more times. I can’t wait to share it with my daughters.
Here is my recipe for Mint Powder. You also can find mint powder in most Indian groceries, many gourmet shops, and online—just be sure it is mint powder and not peppermint powder. If using store-bought powder, you may want to add a little extra honey to your soup.
One of the very talented cooks I have the pleasure of working with created this recipe. She follows other cooks from her homeland on social media and became fascinated by the “powders” that are quite popular with Polish cooks at the moment. When I was developing a recipe for Strawberry Soup, she excitedly told me her idea for a mint powder and immediately we began to explore.
The mint powder recipes I am familiar with are usually used in Indian cooking and don’t include sugar. There also are lots of recipes on the internet for Mint Sugar, which is great for sprinkling on top of fresh fruit or to rim cocktail glasses. This method creates something in between the two, and is perfect for my Strawberry Soup. It’s also great for salads and, of course, over chocolate ice cream.
In Hamptons Entertaining there is a fantastic recipe for Seared Scallops with Watermelon and Papaya that was given to me by Kara Ross (you’ll find it on page 35). Adding this Mint Powder is a great way to update the recipe for the coming summer. If you love to cook, you know that one of the best parts of summer is having a bounty of fresh herbs at your fingertips. Mint is an absolute favorite of mine and it grows like a weed in my garden during summer. I’m so excited to have a new, creative way to add it to my summer menu.
Choosing the perfect ending to any gathering sometimes requires thinking outside the cakebox. Having worked on numerous events, I can tell you it’s always the small details that create an occasion to remember and leave guests swooning. Crafting a signature dessert is often my favorite part of planning any occasion.
Recently, I hosted the annual fundraising gala for The American Heart Association, with nearly 500 guests in attendance. Upon arrival, guests were greeted with my signature cocktail, and when the dessert arrived everyone pulled out their phone to snap photos. I must admit I, too, uploaded a picture to Instagram, one that I snapped at the final tasting when we got it just right.
From modern towering cakes to trendy cupcake trees, the architecture of desserts can be a sight to behold and oftentimes I’m asked by newly engaged couples what considerations to take into account when choosing something sweet and sky-high for their big day.
Most importantly, partnering with the right team will mean your dessert can be a one-of-a-kind, custom work of art. From themed cakes to macaron or cupcake towers, anything is possible. Whether it’s a wedding, milestone birthday or anniversary the options are limitless, so I recommend following a few simple rules to help select the right dessert for your event:
Decide on the budget: Depending upon the layers, size and elaborate or simple nature of the design, cakes can range widely in price, with some costing as much as $20.00 per slice.
Research Online: This will help narrow down the choices and help you to be prepared to communicate color schemes, themes and design ideas when meeting with a baker. I love Pinterest for inspiration. Your dessert should work with your overall theme and, most importantly, be something you love—something delicious to end the evening on a memorable, sweet note.
Choose your baker: It’s a great idea to select professionals who specialize in wedding cakes. They’ll best be able to handle delivery and set up. Ask to see photos of desserts they have created and in turn share the photos and ideas you’ve collected to communicate your vision. Talk about frosting (fondant or buttercream) or perhaps a naked cake; discuss cake flavors (chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, and so on) and filling. If you decide on a tower of French macarons or cupcakes you’ll discuss color and flavor, too.
Ask for a tasting: To create the dessert for the Heart Ball, I had three tastings and tried seven different versions of the dessert until we got it right. Based on guest’s reactions, it was well worth it!
Consider presentation: Will your edible work of art be displayed at your reception? Would you like it to be wheeled out to the dance floor for an added wow factor, or do you prefer to have it served already plated and set before each guest?
I’ve shared images of just a few of my favorite and most memorable desserts. A giant cupcake-cake was designed for my daughter Gigi’s fifteenth birthday and filled with her favorite flavors: vanilla cake and buttercream layers. Next is a magical sandcastle, designed for a birthday celebration on the beach. The cake and topping paired delicously to taste just like a toasted almond ice cream pop. Then there is the “handbag” created for designer Kara Ross’s birthday and fashioned after her My PURSEonality clutches. And finally, a giant cupcake tower for my daughter Kayla’s Sweet 16! I designed this with the help of the Sugar Monkey—she used my family’s favorite vanilla cake and buttercream recipes, and her amazing chocolate ganache, all baked with the finest ingredients. We designed the tower to complement the décor—a Halloween Sweet 16!
I’ve been a member of many a book club and the two I’ve enjoyed the most turned the simple pleasure of reading into an occasion to remember. Anyone who’s been in a book club long enough knows it’s not just the books that keep bringing us together—it’s the lively discussions, the good company, and oftentimes the delicious food and tasty libations.
I joined my first book club in New York City. We were a band of intellectually curious new mothers, and some of us had given up careers to raise our children. We craved adult company, mental stimulation, and a little fun. At first, we read a lot of Russian literature, but after Dostoyevsky’s Crime & Punishment we all agreed some lighter reading was in order. TheRed Tent, by Anita Diamant, was our light read. Set in biblical times, the story details how Jacob acquired four wives and how they all came to love the arrangement, savoring their time together in the red tent where they would talk and celebrate their life-giving abilities.
It was my turn to host and I chose to invite my friends to a Middle Eastern restaurant. It was exotic, sensual and perfect for a Red Tent book club gathering. We were seated at a table under a sumptuous tent where we dined on authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, and the fragrance of orange blossoms wafted in and out when the servers entered. As we dined, curvy belly dancers provocatively shimmied around our tent and, after our meal, a veiled dancer appeared, offering us an intricately designed Hookah filled with a deliciously fragrant Turkish shisha. We felt a bit like Jacob’s wives in our tent, where feminine vibes prevailed and we savored our time together. Transported to another place and era through the magic of food, décor and dance, it was an unforgettable gathering filled with lively discussion and hearty laughter.
Years and many book clubs later, I was invited to join a group of fabulously bright, vibrant women in Palm Beach. This club celebrated a book’s theme with food and wine, too, but without the rich culinary scene of New York we were tasked with creating these gatherings in our homes. An actress led our club and began the custom of dressing according to the book’s theme when she hosted—all the members arrived in costume and makeup! It certainly added to the fun.
The last party I hosted for this club, known as the Book Babes, was a New Orleans–themed gathering in honor of Zeitoun, Dave Egger’s account of the city post-Katrina. The story is quite heart-wrenching but I went for a light, celebratory Mardi-Gras theme. Guests were greeted with a traditional welcome drink, The Hurricane, and were wrapped in boas and draped in colorful beads as they arrived. We feasted on a Louisiana-inspired menu and ended our meal with hot, warm beignets and an authentic King Cake shipped directly from the Big Easy. The guest who found the baby in her slice of cake would host our next gathering, so everyone was obliged to have a piece. We were transported to the streets of New Orleans, sharing an evening of laughter, lively discussion and sisterhood.
Tips for Creating a Successful Book Club
1. Choose Your Members
Invite friends who may not know one another, but have something in common. In both of my clubs, we were all devoted mothers with children around the same age. We all loved to read, but had wildly different careers that included lawyers, magazine editors, actresses, brokers, teachers, writers and stay-at-home moms.
2. Choose Your Book
Prior to the very first meeting, ask each member to be prepared to recommend two books and give a short presentation on why they may be interesting to the group. Everyone votes and the book with most votes wins! Need ideas? Check out a few bestseller lists.
At subsequent meetings, you can allow the hostess to choose the next book or reserve time at the end of the gathering to discuss recommendations and vote again.
3. Choose the Book Club Host
If all members agree to take turns hosting, put everyone’s name on a slip of paper and toss them into a bowl to choose the next host at random; the person drawn will host the next meeting and can decide whether to have the party at home or a restaurant.
At subsequent meetings, members can volunteer to host based on their schedule and ability to plan the gathering.
4. Choose the Date for your Next Gathering
Agreeing to a standing date works best. For both of my clubs we met bimonthly, the first Wednesday of every other month. If it happened to be a holiday or school break we shifted the date in advance so there was no confusion.
5. The Hostess Prepares for the Gathering
Research and Remind: Research the book you’ve all chosen and create discussion questions. Sometimes, the book publisher includes them at the end of the book or has a link to resources online. You can also email your club members a few weeks in advance to ask that everyone come up with at least one or two talking points for the gathering. This is a great opportunity to confirm the book and date and details of the meeting.
Create the Theme: Now that you know more about the book you can create your theme, decide on a convenient venue, and perhaps add a fun, new element to the evening.
A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry’s sweeping novel of India in the 1970s, inspired my club members to dress up in saris and our hostess to serve a wonderful Indian feast. She also arranged to have a henna artist on hand to tattoo all the guests.
The Book Thief, a moving tale of books stolen and shared in Nazi Germany by Marcus Zusak, added an element of social good to one of our gatherings. Each member was asked to bring a children’s book, and we arranged them in a basket. Our hostess presented the collection to a local charity (in this case it was for the young mothers and children of CHS).
Send out invitations: They can be digital creations or more elaborate pieces sent in the mail or hand delivered. This is where I usually visit Pinterest for a little inspiration.
Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo inspired one hostess to send a custom-made temporary tattoo to her invitees, including the date, time and place of our gathering.
Plan your menu, from the welcome drink to dessert: Be inspired by your book’s theme or location, and keep any dietary needs in mind.
The Oracle, by D.J. Niko, motivated me to create a custom drink I called Apollo’s Nectar to greet my guests.
Set the scene: Create a fun tablescape, visit the party store for a few props to add to the ambiance, or ask guests to dress up.
When I hosted my friends for our Zeitoun discussion I found Mardi Gras beads and boas online; and used frog place card holders to display guest’s names. Also in the place card holders were our discussion questions, so that each guest could read a question to the group. It engaged everyone—including that one guest who didn’t finish the book (there’s always one!).
Confirm your next gathering: Set aside time at the end of the evening to confirm your book and hostess for the next gathering.
Of all my “happy places” around the world the one I’ve visited the most this year is the One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico. Situated on the shore of the Sea of Cortez, where golden desert sands meet shimmering azure waters, once you have visited, you will long to return. The service and cuisine are exceptional and it seems the entire staff is on a quest to exceed its guests’ most grand expectations. It was there, my husband and I chose to spend a romantic weekend.
While the resort offers a range of first-class excursions, from chartering the resort’s yacht for a romantic dinner to cooking lessons on a local farm, it is the beach that lures me back. One of the few swimmable beaches in the entire region, it’s here I paddled with big wave surfer, Laird Hamilton, and took home the idea for my Turmeric Tonic recipe.
This stay will not be as active as my last visit, for sure. My husband and I are seeking a little down time, a bit of romance, and a chance to focus on one another without the distractions of our everyday life. We begin our day in the spa with a cardio workout that prepares us for the hard-to-resist culinary offerings, followed by a private yoga session with Devi. After a soothing sauna and refreshing shower we delight in a delicious lunch of guacamole, assorted ceviches, and house-made chips. We dine al fresco on the lawn, at the cliff’s edge overlooking the water, our bathing suits concealed under our clothes.
After lunch we take a leisurely walk to the beach where we nestle into one of the well-appointed cabanas. A staff member arrives with a bucket of ice filled with water bottles and a small spray bottle of water scented with the resort’s signature fragrance for refreshing face and body. The fan above us starts to move, creating a gentle, cool breeze. We swim, read, talk—and talk. It’s so nice to have this time together, uninterrupted and unhurried. We both fall into a trance, holding hands, as we gaze out to the sea.
Soon we are invited to order cocktails and refreshments, but we prefer to visit bartender Alfredo Ontiveros Flores at the beach bar. We like to watch his artful preparation of our favorite cocktail, the Serrano Margarita, and to chat with him about all things Palmilla. Inspired by and named for the chile pepper that is native to the region, Alfredo has developed a perfectly balanced cocktail. His secret? It’s called Tajín Clásico, a Mexican seasoning of chile, sea salt, and lime juice used to rim the glass and dust the garnish. I share my version of the cocktail below.
After our visit with Alfredo, the sun begins to set and it’s time for a short siesta in the cabana before we prepare for the events of the evening.
As we wind down from the holiday season I can’t help but reflect on the many parties I’ve hosted and the one I didn’t host. For several years my husband and I invited guests to join us for a Thanksgiving gathering of family and friends that totaled about thirty-five. We invited guests to arrive in time for cocktails and dinner on Thanksgiving Day and stay with us through Sunday. We held this gathering at our home in the Hamptons where we have plenty of room and there’s still lots to do that time of year.
Upon arrival everyone was greeted with my homemade warm spiced apple cider (rum optional), an itinerary for the weekend and their room assignment. There were lots of activities planned and guests were invited to join us or choose from options they could enjoy on their own. Mornings included yoga, SoulCycle and, weather permitting, long beach walks that concluded with steaming mugs of hot chocolate topped with homemade marshmallows. Lunches were often at local restaurants and planned around an afternoon movie or gallery exhibit. Friday night we’d all head to the local bowling alley where we’d break into teams for a few games and savor the simplicity of a hot pizza. Saturday night was always leftovers and bingo, and with this family reinventing leftovers was often a sport. Of course the weekend kicked off with a Thanksgiving Day feast!
We haven’t hosted this gathering since my father passed away, and recently I found a copy of a note that I created for our guests at the last party. It inspired me to share it with you, and to consider bringing this party back.
I wrote this note, rolled it up and tied it with a silky orange ribbon. It was left atop a leather bound journal that was wrapped in paper and kitchen twine and placed on every guest’s pillow, with a little chocolate. Inside the journal I included this quote:
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” — Marcel Proust
Dear Guests:
A few years ago I was encouraged to keep a “Gratitude Journal,” a diary of things for which I’m grateful. It is quite simple, really. At the end of your day name at least five things you are thankful for and write them down. It doesn’t have to be anything enormous it could simply be “my daughter hugged me when she came home from school,” “a friend called just to say hi,” “my husband told me how much he appreciates me,” or “I was able to carve out time to start that book I’ve been wanting to read.” Reflecting back on the day in this way helps me focus on all the wonderful, positive things in my life.
Advanced research at the Institute of HeartMath and elsewhere has provided evidence that gratitude is not simply a nice sentiment or feeling. Sustained feelings of gratitude have real benefits, including:
Biochemical changes – Favorable changes in the body’s biochemistry include improved hormonal balance and an increase in production of DHEA, the “anti-aging hormone.”
Increased positivity – Gratitude exercises, such as journaling, can bring about a greater level of positive feelings.
Boost to the immune system – The IgA antibody, which serves as the first line of defense against pathogens, increases in the body.
Emotional “compound interest” – The accumulated effect of sustained appreciation and gratitude is that these feelings are easier to recreate with continued practice. Experiencing an emotion reinforces the neural pathways of that particular emotion as it excites the brain, heart and nervous system.
Most Americans reflect upon feelings of appreciation on Thanksgiving so we felt it was the perfect day to start your journal. We ask that, between now and dinner time, you think of five things you are grateful for. Simple things! Share them with us at dinner and we hope you will be encouraged to start a “Gratitude Journal” and feel the delight of counting your blessings.
With Love, and much gratitude for allowing us to share this holiday with you,
