Make a statement with cool accents and fabulous conversation starters. A lesson I learned from my mother: if it has dust on it, it’s been out too long. The lesson from that idea may not be what you immediately think. She tended to toss things out and wasn’t very fond of collecting (even silver I’m sad to say). BUT she did like to change out her home décor from season to season so that the whole house seemed to constantly renew itself. Truly, one of the only things that stayed the same was the amazing Chinese Red silk wallpaper she had put on the ceiling in the living room! The focal point of your living room is your coffee table. It really is the center of the room, you literally sit at it. For that fact alone, it’s probably one of the first things in your whole house that your…
How to use Magnums as a centerpiece for your dinner table. Entertaining at home presents a fun challenge for me because I’m always looking for a way to do something a bit more extraordinary than before. I find the small touches that make a big statement, something that adds sophistication and makes the event more memorable. “Magnums” contain 1.5 liters of wine or champagne, or the equivalent of two regular 750ml bottles. Two bottles in one! When you use magnums of wine on the table you get to enjoy the party more because you don’t have to keep jumping up and opening wine bottles as often. But, there’s more than just the convenience of having to open fewer bottles for your gathering. No matter how you look at it, magnums create a great party atmosphere. Whatever the size of your gathering – large or small – when you have magnums…
Your Table Top: turn ordinary into extraordinary with unusual flower containers. Don’t you love to wander in a flower garden during full bloom? It’s such a peaceful experience, but it also draws you closer to nature. That’s why we cut flowers and bring them into our homes, to bring some of that beauty inside. But, if you’re taking the time and effort to cut the perfect blooms why settle for simple vases? I mean, if you’re going to accent your home with flower arrangements, why not try something different for containers like watering cans, milk bottles, pitchers, or small bowls? In my world, if it can hold water then it can be used as a flower holder. Blame it on a streak of creativity that I’ve taken with me over the more than twenty years of owning restaurants – I always ask myself, how can I turn ordinary into extraordinary?…
Dining outdoors – perfect for longer, warmer nights. Days are getting longer and the nights are warming up – a perfect combination to dine al fresco with friends or a significant other. It’s more than simply eating outside or just two Italian words that mean “in the cool air” – it’s a whole experience when done properly. It’s creating the perfect table setting, candle-lit ambiance, just the right amount of casual and, of course, the perfect menu. Many people think of white paper plates and red solo cups when they think of having a picnic, but for me, it’s always more than that. Whether it’s dinner in the backyard by the pool or in the park with a big group of friends or perhaps a concert at The Hollywood Bowl, it’s important to make every dining occasion special but also worry-free! There are so many fantastic unbreakable options now. Crate…
Handy tips for serving caviar at your next event. When you own restaurants, as I did for more than twenty years, you learn quite a bit about serving all kinds of different food. Caviar is a little unusual in its own way. Serving can be tricky, but the effort is well worth the work. Remember that caviar is basically cured (salted) eggs from sturgeon, a white meat fish. The sturgeon flesh is also very edible, usually found in stores canned or frozen, but the big value are the eggs. For that reason, because fresh caviar is so delicate, you want to keep it unopened for no more than 8 days in the coldest part of your refrigerator – ideally at 28-32 degrees. If the tin is opened, don’t keep it for more than 2 days. You want to be especially careful with unpasteurized caviar which is the freshest and…
Easy hints and tips for the “right” champagne glass for your party. It’s a little joke between wine drinkers that the best glass for wine is always the one that you’re holding. No matter if it’s one of those little plastic cups hosts might use to serve at a casual backyard gathering or the elegant stemless glasses that they use at your favorite café bar, when you love wine, and you’re drinking a good one, especially Champagne, it almost doesn’t matter how it is served. But, even if you’re OK at the moment with the plastic cup in your hand, you always want to know how the wine you want to offer should be served. For example – what if you want to host a caviar and Champagne tasting party like I did a few days ago. What glasses do you set out for something like that? First, the good…
Easy tips for setting your table, for every day! When my kids were at home, we always ate our meals at the kitchen table, and if I was having a party, the meal would move to the dining room. Somehow all that changed when the kids left for college. There were times that it seemed like it was just too much effort to set the table – after all, it was “just us” – and on occasion, we would find ourselves eating in front of the TV. Not too long after the kids left for college, I decided that we would no longer be eating in front of the “boob tube.” We would return to the table where we could have a real conversation together, find out what went on during each of our days and get re-connected after a long day of work. To be honest, my preference has…
You’re hosting a party. How much wine do you serve? How much wine should you pour in a glass? It all depends on what you want to do. Like, it’s been a bad day and you’ve come home for a little relaxation, then who’s going to comment if you fill your favorite wine glass to the top with your favorite red? It’s something else though when you have guests, isn’t it? Filling a wine glass to the brim is just way too much when you’ve just invited some friends over for a quiet evening. Besides, do you want your friends sloshing red wine all over your carpets and chairs? Not anything I want in my house, right? Over twenty years of owning restaurants has taught me a thing or two about serving sizes especially for events that you might host, like a party. Serving full glasses of wine is way…
Love wine, hate remembering labels? What’s a Foodie to do? I go out to dinner often and get to taste a lot of new wines with my friends in the process. The ‘always trying new wines’ used to be because I couldn’t remember “that wine we had last time that we all loved.” My memory just isn’t that good. I know the grape varietals and blends that I enjoy and the ones I don’t love so much (Merlot, anyone?) and why, the parts of the world that create the wines I do love. Sometimes if I’m lucky I even remember a favorite winemaker label! But, I’m confessing here. I’m not that person who has a photographic memory for these things (even after all my years owning restaurants). I don’t necessarily know why enjoyed a particular bottle – just that I know for certain that I wished I could drink whatever…
I always love to learn simple tricks and I got lucky today!! I was talking with a good friend (a guy I’ve known for several years) about dating who told me a secret.
1
/
65
A sneak peek! | Fran Berger
CELEBRATE My first book!! | Fran Berger
How do meatless burgers stack up to the classic? | Fran Berger
1
/
65