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Category: Hamptons Entertaining

An Interview with Christine and Paula, the collaborative team behind Maui Luxe Picnics

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Christine and Paula are the dynamic duo behind Maui Luxe Picnics. Inspired by their love of food, nature, and gatherings, together they create unique and intimate experiences on the beautiful island of Maui. These amazing ladies designed a magical and memorable atmosphere for my husband and I to toast our wedding anniversary. The backdrop—the sun setting just in front of us on the horizon of Mōkapu Beach.

They found a talented photographer to capture the memories, and a ukulele player to set the mood. Their resources are endless, and you can add-on videography, drone footage, hula dancers, fire fighters, and more. 

The best part was that after a few friendly conversations with Christine, she understood exactly what I was looking for, and we simply showed up to enjoy the evening! It was one of the most seamless and effortless events I have ever planned, which made me a bit nervous, but it was truly perfection! When our magical evening ended, Christine and Paula arrived to congratulate us, and to take care of all the packing and cleaning. It was such a delightful, carefree evening—as all special occasions should be.

I am absolutely thrilled to share our conversation about intimate gatherings, being surrounded by beauty, and sourcing both healthful and delicious celebratory foods. 

If you are planning a celebration but cannot get to Maui, you will find useful tips for planning your own intimate celebration. 

Q&A

AF: Your mindfully curated grazing board for our picnic was both beautifully placed and delicious. When putting together your platters where do you start? What is the process, your recipe for success?

MLP: We usually work on our grazing boards as a team. One prepares the foods by cutting and handing them over to the other one who arranges everything on the board. By doing so, we try to pair items that complement each other like cheeses with meats, and veggies with dips and crackers. We choose fruits that add color pops to the board and fill little gaps with nuts and dried fruits. The last item to be added is normally the chocolate. 

AF: Please share with us your favorite picnic locations on Maui.

MLP: We prefer the Wailea area for its beaches. They are the easiest accessible and offer the best sunsets. As a contrast to that, Polipoli is the place both of us would choose for a personal favorite picnic spot. Unfortunately, we can’t offer this location for clients as we are not able to obtain permits but it’s ideal if you want to set up your own. 

AF: What is your go-to healthful indulgence to bring to a picnic?

MLP: If it’s available at the upcountry farmers market, we love to include moringa pesto by Niu Life Kitchen.

AF: Where do you source your decorative items? From the vintage beach umbrellas to the romantic rugs, blankets, and pillows—all curated for maximum impact, with a magical mix of color and texture—simply gorgeous! 

MLP: Thank you, Annie. We have collected all our items from different vendors and platforms like Etsy, Amazon, Pier1 and small sellers on Instagram. For example, we have blankets from Sardinia, Turkey, and Australia. Some items were gifted to us and others – like our umbrellas – are not being sold at this time.

AF: Do either of you have a background in interior design? We were surrounded by beauty, both natural and created which adds so much to any gathering. It helps create more mindful moments. What inspired the offering of such a curated space? 

MLP: No, neither of us have a background in design but we both have an eye for detail and aesthetic. At the beginning, we were motivated by picnic companies in Australia, and we now continue to be inspired by the diverse and incomparable landscapes of Maui. 

AF: What is the most important thing to keep in mind when shopping for picnic items?

MLP: We try to keep our style as we shop for setup items but still want to be able to create different schemes. We are constantly trying to improve and add to the diversity.

AF: It seems more and more people are celebrating life’s milestones with intimate gatherings rather than big, blow out events.  Perhaps encouraged by the pandemic, but do you feel these more personal fetes are here to stay?

MLP: Yes, this is exactly what we are witnessing right now, and we are expecting it to stay like this for a while. It feels like people are exploring new ways of celebrating different occasions and personalized picnics are the perfect way to do so. We are happy about it and don’t think it will get old any time soon.

AF: Our picnic foods were sourced the same morning at a local farmer’s market. Please share with us your favorite Maui markets, and your go-to vendors. 

MLP: We try to get most of our veggies, fruits, and flowers from the Upcountry Farmers Market at Kula Malu. The following are a selection of vendors we use frequently:

Niu Life Kitchen for their moringa pesto

Devine Dahlias for her flowers

Maui Raw for the nut-based dips

AF: Do you have a favorite recipe you could share, ether one of yours or something a chef or caterer created for a party you created? 

Chef Nicot’s Saffron Risotto with Scamp, and his Avocado Shrimp Ceviche. 

Avocado Shrimp Ceviche

Posted on by Admin General

Ceviche is one of the easiest cook-free dishes of all time, and when there is a heat wave, no one wants to be standing over a hot stove. It makes a terrific and light main course, and it can also be used as a filling for tacos: simply spoon it into warm tortillas and garnish with avocado slices. For an elevated presentation, serve this ceviche in champagne coups as an appetizer, or as an amuse-bouche on tasting spoons.

This Central and South American dish is so popular in the warmer months that I featured three ceviche recipes in Hamptons Entertaining: Angel’s Ceviche, made with snapper, a lovely Sea Bream Ceviche with Anise, and the quintessential Hampton’s ceviche—Bay Scallop Ceviche. 

When Christine and Paula, the creative team behind Maui Luxe Picnics shared this recipe, I knew it would become a favorite—a dish I can enjoy in Palm Beach and the Hamptons. Seafood “cooked” in a citrus marinade calls for the freshest fish available. Like Hawaii, the geography of Palm Beach and the Hamptons offers an abundance of local, fresh, eco-friendly catches. 

Classic ceviche, marinating raw seafood in citrus juice, will not completely kill lingering bacteria; so if you feel skittish about the preparation, you can quickly poach the shrimp before marinating it in the lime juice. 

Chef Nicot uses just a few simple, fresh ingredients for this refreshing dish. Much like his Saffron Risotto, this recipe is no fuss and offers endless opportunity to make it your own. 

I added a touch of brightness with lemon zest, a sun-ripened, garden-fresh tomato, and served it over homemade tortilla chips. Nicot garnished his dish with thin slices of fennel and watermelon radish, while I opted for avocado slices. 

Yield: Serves 2

Need Help Finding Your Next Book?

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On these pages you will find a curated collection of my favorite readings, featuring everything from cookbooks to mindful eating and entertaining, to the memoirs and stories that inspire and inform our knowledge of food, culture, and community.

Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent booksellers. They make it easy and convenient to purchase books online while supporting independent bookstores at the same time! Long-time bibliophiles and collectors like me create lists focused on linked interests. My page is centered on food—cooking, culinary capers, and food memories described through the lens of historical fiction, as well as beautifully illustrated books on gardens and gardening, and interiors that inspire gatherings. 

Some of the shops my collection supports are the very booksellers who championed both Palm Beach Entertaining and Hamptons Entertaining, as well as their respective philanthropic missions. Like Bookshop, the owners of these stores are passionate about supporting local authors. 

I will be adding books monthly, just click the social media icon on my home page or type in bookshop.org/shop/anniefalk to access my curated list.

At the moment, Bookshop is sold out of both Palm Beach Entertaining and Hamptons Entertaining, so these links take you to Amazon. Did you know that simply typing in smile.amazon.com allows your Amazon purchases to generate donations? You can choose your charity, track your impact, and donate items. Environmental Working Group benefits from all my eligible purchases on Amazon.

I hope you enjoy Bookshop and this selection of carefully chosen books. 

Please let me know if you have a favorite that is not listed or if you enjoy one of my recommendations.

Bellini Cocktail

Posted on by Admin General

After serving one last Valentine’s Day dinner in 2004, Lutèce, the renowned landmark French restaurant on New York’s East Side, closed its doors, ending a more than 40-year run as the best restaurant in the United States (according to Julia Child and Zagat).

André Soltner, the chef for 34 years and the owner for most of that time, was one of the first chefs in America to emphasize the freshest possible ingredients. His philosophy continues to inform my cooking to this day. 

André and his lovely wife, Simone, who ran the dining room, radiated unpretentious warmth and charm. André was always present to greet guests and he came to know their tastes and preferences, like a caring father. One of my favorite desserts was his hot, chocolate soufflé, and when André learned that I did not like to taste the eggs in my soufflé, and preferred more chocolate, he adjusted it to my palate and would check in with me after dessert to be sure I was pleased—Unforgettable!  

I talk more about the Soltner’s influence on my culinary adventures in both of my books, Palm Beach Entertaining, and Hamptons Entertaining, but today I want to talk about Valentine’s day, Curly, and Bellini’s. 

Curly was the jovial, completely bald bartender at Lutèce who introduced me to the Bellini. He always had a kind word and would make me smile no matter what kind of day I was having. He was genuinely happy to see regulars, and Curly had a talent for curating conversation at the bar. For Curly, the Bellini was a romantic cocktail, perfect for a lady! It became my cocktail of choice for many years, and to this day it symbolizes romance, femininity, and celebration. He liked to add a dash of Chambord to the classic cocktail.

Valentine’s day would not be the same without a Bellini—created by Guiseppe Cipriani at the legendary Harry’s Bar in Venice it owes its name and color to Cipriani’s fascination with Giovanni Bellini, a 15th-century Venetian artist. Originally prepared with Prosecco and white peach purée, it is perfectly acceptable to use yellow peach puree or prepared peach nectar.  

For me, the Bellini will always conjure up a smile, fond memories of dinners at Lutèce and romance.

Yield: Makes 1

An Interview with Karen Sheer, “Good food leads to mindful eating.” -KS

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Karen Sheer is the beauty behind the lifestyle site A Zest for Life. As a professional chef, writer, and caterer, Karen specializes in creating innovative and original recipes that include fresh, local, and organic ingredients. Karen collaborated on my book, Hamptons Entertaining, and I am absolutely thrilled to share our conversation about making the most of summer entertaining. Karen gave me her thoughts on summer cuisine, decadent treats, and the ways in which food can become the centerpiece of all your summer events. I hope you enjoy and find many of these tips useful as you plan your own summer menus!

Q&A

AF: Your site is meant to inspire a zest for life. How does food inspire you?

KS: Good food leads to mindful eating. Beautiful, wholesome food is organically inspiring. I like to inspire my clients and my readers to taste with all their senses. Good food needn’t be complicated; it just takes a “zest for life” and the dedication to cook for yourself and your family. Get going!

AF: What are some of your favorite refreshing summer recipes?

KS: I’m all for cooking outdoors in the summer—who wants to turn on the oven? So my grill works overtime. I like to make frozen treats ahead of time, so dessert is ready to go. Honeydew Granita (Recipe Below) is a refreshing favorite of mine. I add a little spirulina (a natural blue-green algae) for color.  Summertime Panzanella Tomato Salad—You should be eating this right now!

AF: Do you have suggestions for healthful indulgences?

KS: Use quality ingredients and don’t feel guilty about indulging on real, homemade food. With that said, I don’t batter and deep fry much at home—I’ll save that indulgence for dining in a restaurant. Heirloom Tomato and Melon Salad with Goat Cheese and a Date-Balsamic Dressing is a healthy indulgence I love! Letting the natural flavor shine through in their purest form result in the most delicious and gratifying recipes.

AF: What recipes can be made ahead to allow a host more time with guests on party day?

KS: This is such an important topic! When figuring a menu for a party the time line is so important. To enjoy your company, have the first course ready, with only a little tossing or heating up left to do. Make seasonings, sauces, salsas, and dips a day before. I can even sauté fish ahead of time, searing it on both sides just before the guests come, and then popping it in the oven as we eat the first course. Dessert made ahead is a godsend. I love homemade frozen treats—and homemade cookies.

You can’t go wrong with stews as they reheat beautifully. In the summer, maybe the one thing you do is grill as the guests arrive; some like to observe the action and might even participate! 

AF: What’s one versatile recipe that could work equally well for an upscale event and casual gathering?

KS:  Annie, I love your approach to this one—you can’t go wrong with lobster salad! I make miniature eclairs from pâte à choux dough and use them as vessels for lobster salad with some colorful and crunchy radish microgreens on top. And Salmon Brochette Salad with Minted Lime Dressing, Toasted Quinoa, and Pistachios is full of flavors and bright colors.

AF: You have a lovely recipe for carrot sorbet; please share it with us, and some ideas on how to serve it.

KS: My Carrot Sorbet was an experiment. It’s different, hydrating and refreshing. I’ve seen Farm to Table restaurants serve savory ices as a first course with a little chopped salad, so I tested a recipe on that principle. It’s a little unusual for a dinner party, yet I think the host would get rave reviews—for the dish and the chutzpah—when serving it! Simply serve this as an intermezzo: it’s bright color and clean flavor will be a hit. How about with a few pinches of microgreens on top? Or serve it as I have, with my Super Crunch Salad on the side or scooped over the top.

AF: What is the most important thing to keep in mind when shopping for summer groceries?

KS: Buy from the farmer who grows them! I visit a few farmers’ markets a week, and make grocery lists. Part of the fun is creating recipes from the offerings and being flexible. Sugar snap peas have just come to market this week and my mind was tossing around ideas for a sugar snap pea pesto with spring garlic. We’ll see about that one!

Karen’s Honeydew Granita with Spirulina 

Karen adds just a bit of spirulina, a blue-green, nutrient-rich algae in a powdered form, to this refreshing dessert. Though not difficult, this recipe requires chilling and freezing time, so plan ahead.

Serving Size: 2 Pints of Granita

Carrot Sorbet

Posted on by Admin General

This week I will be sharing a conversation I had with Karen Sheer, a professional chef, writer, and caterer who specializes in creating innovative and original recipes. She collaborated on my book, Hamptons Entertaining, and shared this Carrot Sorbet recipe with me during our interview. Karen likes to pair this savory sorbet with her Super Crunch Salad, which I will also share. When served this way, it becomes a cooling summer mid-day meal. Perfect for those dog days of summer.

When I tried Karen’s recipe, I was reminded of how I love the surprise of savory sorbets—tomato, celery, and roasted fennel are just some of my favorites. They are so refreshing, and the icy chill wakes you up—your mind is anticipating something sweet, but your tongue registers something wonderfully unexpected. 

I hosted a casual Indian dinner at my home (a family celebration—we are still in pandemic mode) where I tweaked Karen’s recipe a bit, adding a touch of curry powder, and replacing the sugar with a local honey. I served freezer pops rather than the traditional scoop—placed in the center of the table, over ice with fresh mint from the garden. Serving this way meant less to clean up after dinner and made the sorbet that much more enticing. It is bold to serve savory sorbets and granitas, but these pops were a lovely intermezzo between courses, offered after a particularly spicy dish they created the perfect interlude.

Here is Karen’s original recipe.   

Yield: Makes 3 Cups

Memorial Day Breakfast Parfait

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Fruit is always a part of our breakfast routine, and oftentimes, it takes centerstage. When there is an abundance of fresh, farm stand berries available, I love making a simple, pectin free jam that can be used to slather bread, serve as a gooey filling in Hamptons Entertaining oatmeal bars—or to add a beautiful and delicious layer to a parfait. Inspired by Memorial Day, these red, white, and blue breakfast parfaits are a fun way to celebrate.

Make the jam the night before so that it is chilled when you add it to your parfait and be sure the berries you layer into the parfait are completely dry.  I am also sharing an easy flag fruit bowl that needs no recipe and looks lovely with the parfaits—it is perfect to scoop over oatmeal or to be enjoyed on its own.  

Yield: Serves 4

Salmon Burger

Posted on by Admin General

While I strive to eat a plant-based diet, I do indulge in wild-caught sustainable seafood every so often. Drawn to the taste and the heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, as well as the vitamin B12, salmon is part of a bi-weekly nutrient-dense, veggie forward meal in my home.

Several months ago I became a member of the Wild Alaskan Company, and every month, like clockwork, a box of fish arrives and I pour over recipes in search of new ways to handle the bounty. A wonderful nut crust over most white fish satisfies cravings for something crispy, and there is a great recipe in Hamptons Entertaining that I use often. A simply baked fish smothered in a traditional chimichurri is always a winner. 

This month, with my daughters both at home, I wanted to do something fun and different. I came across this fantastic New York Times recipe by Mark Bittman and tweaked it ever so slightly to satisfy our personal tastes. Mark uses capers, and I opted for green olives instead, added a little fresh thyme and opted for panko instead of breadcrumbs. Bittman suggests that the burgers are served on a bed of greens or on buns or by themselves, with lemon wedges and Tabasco or any dressing you like. We enjoyed ours with tomato and salad greens on a toasted bun smothered in Veganaise that I spiked with a homemade hot sauce, and chopped celery. Sweet potato oven-baked fries on the side complete this delicious meal.

Yield: Serves 4 

Eduardo de San Angel’s Cilantro Soup

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For over 20 years Eduardo de san Angel was a coveted reservation during high season in Fort Lauderdale.  Authentic chilies, spices, and fresh, vibrant herbs enhanced the classic seafood, poultry, and meat dishes at this cozy Mexican enclave known for its hospitality.  The intimate, hacienda-style rooms invited romance, and my husband and I often dined here on our date nights, away from the children.

Skilled chef-owner Eduardo Pria prepared creative Mexican fare, and in recent years he redesigned many of his classic recipes to create more healthful options.  For frequent diners like us there was no need to see the menu, the dishes we loved were embedded in our taste memory.  Food memories are powerful and one of our favorite crave-worth dishes was Pria’s Cilantro Soup. It was not on the menu, rather offered as a special. Fresh, vibrant, clean and simply delicious! When prepared with vegetable broth it’s a vegan’s delight, and a lovely way for those on a plant-based diet to dine well. 

When we returned to South Florida this year and discovered that Pria retired, closing one of our favorite restaurants, we immediately longed for his Cilantro Soup.  Several emails and google searches later I pieced together the recipe for this delicious soup, the one we loved, where Pria uses squash to thicken the soup, replacing the heavy cream.  Our romantic get-away will be missed, as will many of Pria’s wonderful dishes, but knowing we can enjoy his Cilantro Soup is comforting and sharing this at home brought a little romance to our table. 

Homemade vegetable or chicken broth is best, and if using prepared broths be sure they are low sodium.  Fresh, fragrant cilantro will yield the best results. We always opted for the Queso Fresca and Crema, both of which add a creamy tang to the dish. 

Yield: Makes about 14 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Baked Artichokes and Fennel with Spring Peas and Fava Beans

Posted on by Admin General

As summer glides into full swing, you may stumble upon the last of the season’s fava beans. Like peas, favas are harvested when they are young, sweet, tender and have a distinct earthy pea-like flavor. So wonderful this time of year!

Early in their growing season, when the pods are no thicker than your pinky finger, you can cook them as you would green beans. Later, when the pods are the size of your thumb, it’s best to shell them out of their downy casings.

Americans typically shuck the beans out of their shells and pop them out of their delicate skins—which infuriates most Europeans, excluding the French.  I learned to cook in Mougins, France and was taught to leave the shells on in early spring when they are soft and sweet, and to remove them when the beans are large and the skins tough, generally in late spring—also the time when their earthy flavor shifts toward the taste of bitter wild greens. Toward the end of their season I remove both shells and skins, and pair these creamy beans with sweet peas to create an interesting balance of flavors.

As a child I loved pressing the beans gently between my fingertips until they popped out! Sweet like peas or wild and bitter, the flavors bring back fond memories of the Italian recipes my aunt Tina would create for Sunday dinners in the springtime. She usually served her beans with lamb. Like most legumes, favas pair deliciously with savory roasts, grilled lamb and spicy sausages.

This recipe was inspired by a basket full of favas I found in Southampton this past weekend, and by one of Ottolenghi’s spring recipes. It is a wonderful starter, and can also be served alongside grilled fish. If you are an aspiring vegan like me, you’ll love this version where savory fennel takes the place of meat, and crushed pistachio nuts add just the right crunch. It’s a celebration of spring!

Yield: Serves 4