Mother's Day
This morning I am saddened by news from a friend, but I wanted to remember what a lovely day we had yesterday.
Mother's Day is kind of complicated, because we always share it with my mother and sisters. In the past we've tried going out to various places, but it's always a hassle with such a large group and last year, at Flora, was particularly disastrous. So when I found kitchensurfing.com, I thought this would be a perfect solution--and I was right!
It's a clearinghouse for independent chefs. You put in a request for what you want--food dropped off for a meal, a week of meals, a cocktail party, a family dinner served, whatever--and any chefs who are available and interested send you bids. Since it was Mother's Day, I put Jason in charge of the plans and he found Gita Kantrow.
She arrived at noon and got cooking. She served us pan-fried chicken dumplings as a nosh, then we moved to the table and she plated salads of spring greens, pears, and blueberry goat cheese that were light and delicious. That was followed by an amazing glazed salmon with mushroom risotto and there was a dessert of Nutella ravioli with banana caramel muffins for dessert. And then she departed, leaving the kitchen spotless.
The best part? The whole thing cost half what our meal at Flora did.
I generally love cooking for parties and gatherings, but this was such a treat and seems like a great solution for many situations. The whole family agreed that it was a lovely, low-stress day and so much better than any restaurant.
Mother's Day is kind of complicated, because we always share it with my mother and sisters. In the past we've tried going out to various places, but it's always a hassle with such a large group and last year, at Flora, was particularly disastrous. So when I found kitchensurfing.com, I thought this would be a perfect solution--and I was right!
It's a clearinghouse for independent chefs. You put in a request for what you want--food dropped off for a meal, a week of meals, a cocktail party, a family dinner served, whatever--and any chefs who are available and interested send you bids. Since it was Mother's Day, I put Jason in charge of the plans and he found Gita Kantrow.
She arrived at noon and got cooking. She served us pan-fried chicken dumplings as a nosh, then we moved to the table and she plated salads of spring greens, pears, and blueberry goat cheese that were light and delicious. That was followed by an amazing glazed salmon with mushroom risotto and there was a dessert of Nutella ravioli with banana caramel muffins for dessert. And then she departed, leaving the kitchen spotless.
The best part? The whole thing cost half what our meal at Flora did.
I generally love cooking for parties and gatherings, but this was such a treat and seems like a great solution for many situations. The whole family agreed that it was a lovely, low-stress day and so much better than any restaurant.