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Dec. 2009 - In this Issue: |
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Holiday Entertaining - Let the Celebrations Begin! |
It's nice that many different traditions celebrate in some way this time of year. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or just the Winter Solstice, all customs call for celebration and being with friends and family.  And together, in just a short time, we'll celebrate another New Year and the start of another decade. (It seems that we just rang in the new millennium!) Whatever your celebratory plans are, we suspect they will involve sharing food and good times with others. Building upon our November "Do-Ahead" issue, this newsletter focuses on hors d'oeuvres and beverages as the beginning of a party, or as the party itself. We finish with three recipes for delicious beginnings to a wonderful celebration! Our best to you and yours in this holiday season!
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Store Information |
Holiday Hours 2009
Dec. 14-19 -- 10 a.m. -10 p.m.
Dec. 20 -- 10 a.m. -8 p.m.
Dec. 21-23 -- 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Dec. 24 -- 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Dec. 25 -- Closed
Dec. 26 -- 9 a.m. -10 p.m.
Dec. 27 -- 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Dec. 28-30 -- 9 a.m. -10 p.m.
Dec. 31 -- 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Holiday Hours 2010
Jan. 1 -- 10 a.m. -9:30 p.m.
Calhoun Square
3001 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis
(612) 824-4417
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Kitchen Window Services |
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Holiday Gift Cards |
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A
Gift of Good Taste
A gift certificate for a cooking class makes a great holiday gift for the seasoned or aspiring cook on your holiday list. Registration for Winter/Spring classes begins Wednesday January 6th.
Kitchen Window gift cards can also be used to purchase products at Kitchen
Window's retail store or online at kitchenwindow.com.
Your
gift certificate can be packaged in a custom box including
a copy of our new class catalog. Gift Certificate packages
can be purchased in Kitchen Window’s retail store,
by phone at 612.824.4417, or online
Purchase a Gift Card
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Kitchen Window Online |
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Kitchen Window
is now on Facebook
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Clearance Store |
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Kitchen Window's
Clearance Store
Most Items
50% OFF
The Clearance store is located in Kitchen Window's old store location and is open the same hours as our new store.
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Winter/Spring 2010
Cooking Class Catalog
Now available Online and In-Store for Holiday Gift Giving.
View Classes Online or View Catalog pdf
Give the Gift of Good Taste!
A cooking class is the perfect gift for the cooking enthusiast or aspiring cook on your holiday list.
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 Plan some fun with a cooking class at Kitchen Window! We have an incredible line-up of topics, menus, and instructors. There are, literally, dozens of choices to choose from. Our classes make a great outing with friends, visiting relatives and a wonderful date night.
Vegetarian Fundamentals- #2976 – Tuesday, January 5 -- 6:00 p.m.
European Cakes - Tortes and Gateaus- #2981 – Saturday, January 9 -- 2:00 pm
Creative Cake Decorating- #2992 – Sunday, January 17 -- 12:00 p.m.
Made in Minnesota - From Farm to Table Feast - #2994 – Friday, January 22 -- 6:30 p.m.
Intoxicating Recipes - #2997 – Saturday, January 23 -- 6:00 p.m.
View All Cooking Classes You may register for any of our classes any time of day!
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FOR HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING
 -20% OFF Riedel -
Stock up on Riedel glassware for all your holiday entertaining. Prices valid through 12/31/09
20% off all in-stock Riedel glasses, decanters & accessories
View Riedel Glassware |
YOU SHOP - WE WRAP!
Complimentary gift wrapping for all Kitchen Window purchases over $35
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Featured Entertaining Pieces |
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Let the celebrations begin! Welcome friends and family to your home with scrumptious food prepared beautifully by you! Treat yourself to a few fun entertaining pieces that will make this season's party just a little more fun!
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Knife of the Month - December |
KNIFE OF THE MONTH
Wusthof Trident 7" Santoku
Traditionally designed for sushi and sashimi preparation, the Wusthof Classic 7 inch Santoku is the ideal knife for paper-thin slicing. Well-balanced and sharp, the Santoku also makes a great all-purpose kitchen knife. The granton edge aids in the release of your food.
Trident Classic 7" Santoku - Suggested Retail $140 THIS MONTH $89.99
Trident Classic Ikon 7" Santoku - Suggested Retail $175 THIS MONTH $119.99 |
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COUPON
20% off any Fondue Pot or Raclette Grill
{THIS COUPON IS VOID}
Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive our next coupon
Limit one coupon per customer number and one coupon per household.
Offer expires January 1, 2010 |
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Roast Beef on Whole
Grain Toast with Goat
Cheese and Arugula |
We know several of you that would prefer a meal of appetizers instead of big entrees and sides. There are many advantages and occasions where this style of entertaining is just the right approach. Such an affair can be quite formal or very casual, or anything in between. Consider a party of nibbles and noshes in these situations:
- The number of guests invited exceeds the table seating available The timing of the party is late afternoon, or late evening, i.e., not at a meal time The party's activities or purpose don't lend themselves to a sit-down affair
- The guests will be coming and going during a window of time
Create Variety -- A party of appetizers allows guests to eat as little or as much as they would like. Especially appealing is the ability to try a wide variety of foods one bite at a time. Everyone is sure to be pleased. Choose a variety of appetizers featuring different flavors. Make sure that your choices are not biased to one food category. For example, make sure that not every appetizer contains mayonnaise, or seafood, or olives, etc. While each occasion may vary, experts recommend planning on six to eight appetizers per person for each hour of the party.
Warm or Cold? - Logistically it's difficult to have more than two or three hot appetizers. Shuffling too many trays in and out of the oven keeps you from being with your guests. Consider using a warming tray, a chafing dish, or a small slow cooker to keep your appetizers warm. Ev
en at this time of year, it's important to keep cold appetizers cold. Use nested dishes that can be filled with ice to keep dips, shrimp and other cold appetizers safe and crisp fresh.
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Salmon, Cantaloupe & Caviar
on Cucumber Rounds |
Presentation - Creating beautiful presentations of appetizers is half the fun of a cocktail party. Bring out your unique serving dishes for the occasion. Use washable dinnerware for the occasion; it's a great sustainable choice, and not that difficult to clean-up. An eclectic mix of plates, napkins and serving dishes lends to the festive nature of the event. Garnish your tables and platters with themes of the season:
- Add green to serving dishes with evergreen, boxwood, or holly; fresh cranberries add color and an ornamental look when nestled in the greens.
- Bring sparkle to the platter with small, glittery ornaments.
- Use hollowed out vegetables or fruits to hold dips and spreads.Curl small lengths of ribbon and scatter them between the hors d'oeuvres.
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Blue Cheese with
Pepper Relish on
Table Water Cracker
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Serving Logistics -Appetizers may be placed on a table, or served by a roaming host or hostess, or both. Spread out the food locations to minimize congestion in any one area of the room. Use several small platters for the hors d'oeuvres instead of one large platter. The smaller platters will fit more easily in the refrigerator and line up better on a buffet table. Small platters can easily be replenished by simply exchanging the tray with a full one.
Serving Gear - Equip guests with small appetizer plates and have plenty of small cocktail napkins available. If the appetizers are not appropriate as finger food, offer toothpicks as part of the food's presentation, or have a separate toothpick holder nearby. Small cocktail forks, spreading knives, or demitasse spoons may also be useful depending on your menu choices.
Cleaning Up - Set up your party for success with a clean-up plan. This includes providing a space with a tray for guests to set aside their used plates and glasses. The tray of dirty dishes can be whisked away as needed keeping the room neat and the kitchen countertop uncluttered. Have small plates available at the serving table to hold serving spoons. Have garbage receptacles inconspicuously available. If easily available, guests will naturally clean up after themselves; don't leave them hanging without any options for discarding their items.
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Use glassware -- it tastes
better! Have ready two
fresh glasses per guest. |
The type of event and the time of day will direct the beverages served at your party whether it's a formal or informal occasion. If your event has a theme, choose beverages that complement the festivities. Then decide the extent of your bar.
Non-Alcoholic Drinks - Always provide several non-alcoholic choices for your guests. Have sodas and water available as part of your bar. Other great non-alcoholic drinks for the season include all types of coffee drinks, teas, ciders, and hot chocolates.
Beer - The vast number of exquisite microbrews make the serving of beer totally acceptable at both casual and more formal events. Set up your cooler with choices between ales and lagers. Seasonal brews, some for autumn and others for winter, are a great complement to many holiday foods.
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| Have both red and white wines available for guests. |
Wine - Have both red and white wines available. Choose a dryness that complements the hors d'oeuvres being served. Glass stemware makes any wine better - avoid any temptation to use disposable wine glasses. Ideally choose stemware that complements the wine. Wine charms help guests identify their glass. Plan on 1 bottle of wine per hour for every four guests.
A Short Bar - A basic simple bar can be set up with the addition of vodka and whiskey to the beer and wine choices. Have mixers such as orange juice, soda, tonic, and cola ready along with lime and lemon slices. Plan on having extra glassware available when serving drinks - at least two per guest.
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| Enjoy winter drinks: mulled wine or cider, hot coffee drinks and eggnogs! |
A Full Bar - Add the following to the Short Bar list above: gin, tequila, rum, bourbon, vermouth, sherry and brandy.
Winter Drinks - The winter season begs for eggnogs, wassails, mulled ciders/wine, and gloggs. These drinks don't seem to make sense other times of the year, so enjoy them thoroughly now.
Champagne Drinks - Champagnes and sparkling wines will certainly be part of the New Year's season. Enjoy champagne with a toast to family and friends. Have extra champagne ready for brunch mimosas. Champagne flutes hold the bubbles much better than coupe style stemware.
Cordials - The holidays seem a perfect time for indulging in specialty cordials. The sweet sips seem to invite lingering and relaxation. Cordial glasses are fun, stylish pieces that are fun to collect and use. They also make perfect containers for bite-sized desserts.
Punches - Holiday punches are a simplified alternative to a bar. Clearly identify which punch bowl is spiked. To keep ice from diluting the punch, freeze portions of the punch in decorative molds ahead of time and use instead of ice.
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Top Ten Tips for Stress-free Entertaining |
 You have permission to relax and enjoy your entertaining! Diane Phillips, the Diva of Do-Ahead, is back again with ten, (ok, eleven), tips for stress-free entertaining. Read them twice, then put them to work! (Thanks for sharing, Diane!).
De-Stress #1: Keep it simple---simple food is much more approachable for you to prepare and for your guests to eat.
De-Stress #2: Don't challenge your culinary abilities.
De-Stress #3: Make food that can be prepped ahead and then needs only last minute attention.
De-Stress #4: Keep décor simple, river rocks, sea glass or shells in low vases with a few flowers rather than ornate décor helps everyone feel at ease with an inviting ambiance rather than over the top styling. This will save you time and money.
De-Stress #5: If something goes wrong, keep your cool! What's the worst that can happen? You can call for pizza and it will be a memorable evening regardless of the food because you kept your cool.
De-Stress #6: Meet your guests at the door-no one feels welcome when they enter someone's home and no one is there to greet them. Make sure to make people feel welcomed, by taking their wrap, asking if they would like a drink and guiding them to the entertaining space where everyone is gathered.
De-Stress #7: Hire a bartender if you are serving a full bar - you can't concentrate on great food and drink orders at the same time. Hire them for a few more hours to clean up and do dishes too.
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Serve appetizers both on tables and
by roaming around the party |
De-Stress #8: Give yourself permission to hire out parts of your party. Order veggie trays, desserts and breads if you need to - I call these "mental health" hires - they help you to keep your cool and sanity; and, there are some things that you may just not want to do.
De-Stress #9: Keep lists: (a) Invitees and RSVP's, (b) Food to be served, (c) Shopping list (check out www.dianephillips.com for a downloadable shopping list and blank calendar for planning)
De-Stress #10: Relax and have fun-none of your guests will have fun if you are stressed and crazed, so relax and enjoy your time together.
De-Stress #11: If extra people show up, don't panic, just be prepared. Always have extra salad greens, cheese and rice on hand. You can stretch salad servings with extra greens, but then raid the fridge and add fruit, cut up veggies, marinated artichoke hearts, olives, and cubes of cheese. A few wedges of cheese will stretch out the appetizers if you are serving them.
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Kitchen Window's Entertaining Tips |
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Individual Dessert
Shooters with
Demitasse Spoon
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Tip #1: Color code your punch. If you have a number of children around, it may be easier to have a second punch of a different color in order to direct them appropriately to the non-alcoholic choice.
Tip #2: Remember to have plenty of ice available for chilling drinks and for use in drinks. Parties can challenge even the most efficient built-in freezer unit. Make ice ahead or buy bags of ice. Bring out the summer coolers to keep back up stock ready and cold.
Tip #3: Serve "dessert shooters" in cordial glasses with a demitasse spoon. Try a chocolate mousse topped with a swirl of ganache, a mini-trifle drizzled with a raspberry coulis, or a gingerbread pudding cloaked in crème anglaise.
Tip #4: Keep in the fridge a selection of cheeses that can be turned into a cheese platter. Keep handy a set of cheese knives to match the cheeses - this will turn a plain platter into something quite a bit more elegant.
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Keep a variety of cheeses and a
set of cheese knives handy. |
Tip #5: Have a plan ready ahead of time for getting guests home if need be - a designated driver, or the phone number for a taxi.
Tip #6: Keep in the pantry a selection of crackers, gourmet dips, specialty mustards, and other nibbles that can be accessed in a jiffy.
Tip #7: Spills are bound to happen. Anticipate the situation by having an "accident kit" ready. Include paper towels, club soda, sponge or whatever tools needed for your situation. Deal with the spill quickly while minimizing any disruption. Ease the guest's feelings by being prepared and calm in the moment.
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 Q: What is the origin of the term hors d'oeuvre?
A: The word is French in origin and translates literally as "separate from the main body." Or, food that is served before the main course of the meal. Hors d'oeuvres may be the only food in the case of a cocktail party. In French, the word hors d'oeuvre is both singular and plural; here we feel compelled to add an "s" when speaking of multiple hors d'oeuvres.
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Tapas, meze, antipasto, or
hors d'oeuvres -- good by any name! |
Q: What's the difference between canapés, tapas, meze, antipasto and hors d'oeuvres?
A: All of the above are forms of appetizers. The term hors d'oeuvres is a broad term encompassing many styles of appetizers. Tapas is the Spanish word for appetizers, while meze is Turkish, and antipasto is Italian. Canapes are small, bite-size, open-faced sandwiches.
Q: If brought a bottle of wine as a hostess gift, should the wine be served immediately?
A: A gift of wine is a great hostess gift especially when presented festively in a wine bag or package. The gifted wine may be used that evening if already chilled appropriately, or simply accepted as a "replenishment" to your wine collection.
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Champagne time soon!
Raise a toast to 2010! |
Q: What is the difference between champagne and sparkling wine?
A: All champagnes are sparkling wines, but not all sparkling wines are champagnes. Champagne is bubbly from the Champagne region of France. By law in Europe, only products from this region may use the word champagne. In the U.S., it is not illegal to use the word, just considered bad form. Dissolved carbon dioxide is responsible for the bubbles in the sparkling wine. A semi-sparkling wine is called a "frizzante."
Q: What is a wassail?
A: A wassail is associated with medieval times in Northern Europe. The term "wassail" is said to be a contracted form of the early English phrase "be healthy." Today, a wassail is more like a mulled cider, (with or without alcohol), steeped with cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, cardamom, and ginger and apple slices. |
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Perfect Party Food by Diane Phillips. Copyright 2005.
Published by Harvard Common Press, Boston, MA.
A James Beard Foundation Book Award Nominee
The Do-Ahead Diva is back again with great ideas and suggestions for stress-free entertaining. Every recipe in the book is a "Do-Ahead," and we all know that this is the key for smooth times in the kitchen especially when entertaining! This book is perfect not only for this season of entertaining, but all year long. Ms. Phillips spans the entire repertoire of occasions with the inclusion of simple cocktail parties and afternoon teas, to formal black tie dinners and everything in between. The chapters are organized by food category including two chapters on appetizers, followed by Party Salads, Sides, Poultry, Fish and Shellfish, Beef, Pork, Lamb, Sauces, Sweet and Savory Breads, Breakfast and Brunch, and Desserts. We especially appreciated the ending chapter on menu planning and the couple dozen suggested menus by specific occasion. With Diane's guidance, you should feel quite enabled to entertain in style with scrumptious food while also enjoying the party because it's all done ahead! |
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Recipes excerpted from Perfect Party Food by Diane Phillips. Published by Harvard Common Press, Boston, MA. Copyright 2005. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
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Smoky Blue Dip
This is one versatile dip that has just the right amount of flair and uniqueness. The chunky pieces of creamy blue cheese melt in your mouth. We tried both potato chips and vegetables with this dip and were most satisfied with the results. We can easily see this dip working well with buffalo wings or other spicy nibbles.
View recipe |
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Cranberry-Walnut Cheese Ball
This cheese ball gets a bit of a twist in this rendition of a classic appetizer. We love the frosty white color of the cheese contrasted with the cranberries and parsley for a decidedly holiday look. Oh, and the taste was marvelous as well! It makes sense to have a couple of these cheese balls or cheese logs in the refrigerator for impromptu parties and dropovers this time of year.
View recipe |
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The Crabbiest Spread of All
If you love seafood dips and spreads, this one will be your new favorite. Loaded with crab, the accompanying flavors complement well. This spread is also quite versatile; it may be served cold or warm. Use it to top individual canapés or, as the author suggests, in a hollowed out bread bowl. It's a great holiday treat!
View recipe
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Share this email with a friend or invite someone to join you for a cooking class.
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Sweet dreams and holiday wishes from our kitchen to yours!
From all of us at Kitchen Window
Kitchen Window
Calhoun Square - 3001 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-824-4417 / 888-824-4417
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