Here is my review of how the event went and what I need to improve upon. This is my way to document my Wine Pairing Party Tips. It helps me process where I need to focus and what to be wary of for next time (if this event continues to replay).
The Rice Fiasco
Sometimes, its the unexpected little things that can create drama. My garlic eggplant dish was served over sushi rice. I bought a little round mold to help me form patties. It worked well, but I underestimated the amount of rice needed for the size of the circle mold done 25 times.
I scraped just enough rice to plate each guest (but not myself or the hosts, which was fine). I thought, “well that was close, but dish accomplished.” How wrong I was.
Right after I served everyone, a couple people came up asking for just plain rice. One was on a special diet.
Ok, I am going to say this with as much grace as I can muster. If you are going to an event at someone’s private house – please let your host know, well ahead of time, that you have special dietary needs.
I asks frequently ask if any guests will have any special needs, and keep hearing “no, no one mentioned anything”. Though I after working the same crowd I know of at least three that don’t eat certain meats. And I already covered the gluten issue.
The sad fact was, I was out of rice. It was sushi rice by the way. And folks were openly annoyed with my response of “no, I don’t have any more.”
A moment later, a man came up and told me I needed to get rice for his wife, how could I not have extra? Did he think I was a lowly, slow-minded kitchen hand refusing keeping this special magic rice his beloved?
Here’s a hot tip, I am more likely to provide for a request the first time someone asks nicely, if I am able. However, I do not acquiesce to those who make demands. Your rice is not my priority during a six-course dinner with over a dozen different dishes to put out.
But, let’s call this Wine Pairing Party Tip #1: make extra rice (or whatever base starch you are using). It’s usually not expensive and in the long run, less stressful to just have more rice.
Also to note, Wine Pairing Party Tip #2: we now have a rule that guests don’t get to come into the kitchen to distract me. And they especially don’t get to make demands of me. #NotaServant
Pizza mess
People often ask if I would do those cooking contest…no. I like to meticulously plan and not have my food disasters televised. This example reinforced my stance.
Silly me, I was expecting everything on top of the polenta pizzas to just stay there. Get melty, yes, but stay on stop of the polenta slices. Alas, that is not what happened.
As the pizza’s were cooking, all the toppings started sliding every which way, especially into the pan. The sauce and the balsamic glaze combined into a dark red molten mess that luckily I drained off without severely burning myself. And I went back and fixed them as best I could.
Wine Pairing Party Tip #3: TEST IT! don’t assume the recipe will work. Test it out exactly as you will execute for the party. I had done some preliminary tests, but not this exact topping combination.
Future forward: less sauce, less cheese, and don’t add the prosciutto or balsamic glaze until after they come out of the oven. (In case you are curious, the recipe has been updated to care for my mistake: Polenta Pizza with Prosciutto).
Now I’m melting
Because it was still March and cool in the evening, folks kept closing the only door to the outside that was airing me out. I had dual ovens blazing all night and stove top searing going on. There was one vent over a stove, but it’s clanky, sputtering fan could not take on the amount of heat I was producing.
By dessert time, it was sauna-rific in the kitchen! I had made pretty little chocolate ladders with edible gold stars that were to stick straight up from the chocolate mousse. That’s what is was supposed to do. But fate would not be so kind.
I used a stupid short cut of regular whip cream out of a can (for shame!). When I was plating the deserts and shoving in the ladders in the whip cream, at first it was lovely. But before I was halfway done, the whip cream was melting into white puddles, the ladders were going sideways and becoming a little melty themselves. Nooooo!
A quick last minute fix ensued. First, I opened wide the balcony doors for a blessed breeze. Next, I shoved the ladders deep into the mousse so they looked more like a chocolate step stool. Finally, I quickly reapplied whip cream right as people were gathering. Nothing like a boiling, stress-y, panicky serving of the final dish.
Three words I will never ignore again and Wine Pairing Party Tip #4: stabilized whip cream. Either add powdered sugar or a foam stabilizer, do it.
Opinions are like…
The critiques weren’t too much, really. There is a difference between preferences and actual criticism that focuses on where the dish could improve. Other than the rice issue, I was probably more critical of the dishes than the guests.
This time my yellow curry that went with the shrimp was too spicy for some. But I didn’t make it, I bought it. Trader Joe’s Thai Curry Sauce, one of my favorites. It’s delicious and I wouldn’t change a thing, other than make spicier sauces more optional and not right on the food.
Its surprising no one complained about the pizza (to my face, anyways). While I did recover from the awful mess, the dish was underwhelming at the time. I have much improved it.
No complaints on the corned beef. It was pretty much the star dish of the night. In fact, there were several requests for more and I did make plenty. Not everyone finished off the desserts – but I think that was more a reflection of “so full…too much food.”
Many people were complimentary of the plating and I got a lot of positive feedback on that front. The visual appeal of the food has a strong influence on the tasting experience. It was absolutely worth the effort. Wine Pairing Party Tip #5: plating well improves the experience.