Parties 101

Ina Garten's Parties cookbook is one of my all-time favorites.  More so even than the recipes it is Ina's entertaining philosophy that I find so engaging.  One revolutionary idea the domestic diva introduces in her classic tome is when you can "buy food don't make it."  I was stunned that a chef and consummate hostess would say such a scandalous thing in print?!  Buy food?!  Moi. Never.

I have since learned the wisdom of her words.  A great party is just a group of great people in a room.  The more relaxed the hostess the happier the guests.

This Sunday I hosted an absolutely delightful 6hr brunch.  You know you've done good when your guests linger. The food was good but my girls made it great and one of the biggest hits on the menu was store bought.  You see Ina was right!

Trader Joe's has absolutely marvelous frozen croissants.  I stuffed them with Prosciutto and Gruyere for added yumm.

Prosciutto & Gruyere Croissants

2 packs of Trader Joe's Frozen Croissants (16)
1 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
6 slices of prosciutto

Allow croissants to proof overnight.  Lift the uppermost pastry layer and gently fill croissants with a thin wedge of ham and about a tablespoon of cheese.

Brush pastry with an egg wash for shine.  Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes.

Modern Tea Room

It's rather sad to see formerly opulent environs descend into shabbiness.  I find those temples of elegance which welcome scores of visitors each year to be far too prone to this fate.  It's a tale often told through fading upholstery, lackluster service, and a reputation which has come to rest soley and rather undeservedly upon a well-known name, teetering precipitously on the past.

Located just off Trafalgar Square, London's glamorous Corinthia Hotel is a welcome respite from the faded glories of London's storied tea rooms.  The Corinthia is a model of modern chic.

The hotel lobby boasts a tiny Harrods so richly bowered in luscious florals you'll be instantly transported to Eliza Doolittle's corner of Tottenham Court Road. The service is solicitous and the pastry's divine.  The delicate gold flecked macarons were the best I have ever tasted.

Next time you're in London and feel like a spot of tea do stop at the Corinthia and enjoy afternoon tea as it should be, the most indulgent of rituals!