It’s hard to think about dinner parties before the age of smartphones and social media without a bit of nostalgic wonder. Did we really all sit around tables looking at each other rather than our tiny screens? We just ate the food instead of Instagramming it first?

As we have become more accustomed to being constantly connected, the etiquette around cell phone use in social situations has relaxed, which means it’s not unheard of to invite friends over for a nice dinner, only to have them spend the evening constantly checking their phones. What’s a frustrated host to do? I spoke with a couple experts to get their advice on different ways to deal with those dinner party guests who seem more interested in screen time than face time.

READ MORE »

Just a few party pics from our big Birthday Party last night, courtesy of The Bosco, our favorite new party trick. Click down for more… (and if you were at the party, click here to see all of them).

READ MORE »

Most days are spent running around between work and errands, throwing dinner together at the last minute, and whipping up a quick one-bowl batter or treat if time allows. But some days are specifically reserved for baking projects, kitchen experiments, and fancy pastries. French macarons definitely fall into this category.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, these Raspberry-Coconut French Macarons are the perfect treats. Spend some quality time on them and then share with your loved ones.

READ MORE »

This recipe makes me want to change out of my farm clothes, put on a dress, and head to a dinner party armed with a batch of these fritters. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen anytime soon since our organic farm is in full swing for the season and our free time is rare.

Last weekend, I was so grateful for all of the extra hands helping us out on the farm that I decided to treat everyone to these delicious cauliflower fritters. It wasn’t an elegant dinner party, but these little delights were just what the doctor ordered. We enjoyed them in dirty farm clothes with a couple of beers and they were absolutely perfect. No fancy dress necessary.

READ MORE »

Alyson and her family live in an 1890 workman’s cottage in Chicago, and have been slowly rehabbing it over the last few years. Their most recent project is a brand new kitchen in the space formerly occupied by two small, dark bedrooms on the first floor. See what this room looks like now!

READ MORE »

At some point you’ve probably seen a video of someone opening a wine bottle with a shoe. Tap tap tap and the cork pops up, ready to be pulled out by hand. But is it really so easy? NPR recently gave the technique a try and found it really difficult — what’s the deal? I had to try this party trick for myself to find out if it’s worth attempting should I ever find myself with a bottle of wine to open and no corkscrew.

READ MORE »