Pairing Main and Side Dishes

[shpj4]

There are a lot of wonderful receipes out there and I am sure you will find the right ones for your family. This is a great cooking website and there are lots of great cooks and chefs.

Jill and Jolie

 

[kitchenelf]

Is your New Year's buffet a "soup to nuts" affair or finger foods, or a combination but really no specific entree, vegetable, salad, etc. Post what you have done in the past - I love to do stuff like this and there's just a few people here who are REALLY good at it (ok, there's a bunch) Looking forward to your menu.

 

[XeniA]

Is your New Year's buffet a "soup to nuts" affair or finger foods, or a combination but really no specific entree, vegetable, salad, etc. Post what you have done in the past - I love to do stuff like this and there's just a few people here who are REALLY good at it (ok, there's a bunch) Looking forward to your menu.

Kitchenelf, thank you so much for your willingness to help! I'll try to remember to bring in my previous years' notes tomorrow.

While I'm very familiar with it, I have to admit I don't really have a clear understanding of what the phrase "soup to nuts" means . I'm guessing it means "everything" maybe? In that case, I guess so: it's a full, formal meal with many (way too many ...) options for each course, only served buffet style because my house is too small to serve 20 people otherwise.

My usual "skeleton" or "template" menu is thus: nuts and appetizers (which I fight serving thinking it will cut appetites, but my hubby always overrides!) / bread and 3 starches / 3 salads / 3 meats (usually beef, chicken, pork) / at least one seafood (prawns are popular, have done salmon) / extras like relishes, sauces / 3 desserts.

When I bring in my notes you'll see where I've gone wrong!

Thanks again. Look very forward to having your thoughts. (P.S. -- if I'm hijacking this thread in anyone's opinion, please let me know and I'll start a new thread.)

 

[auntdot]

Just got back from a 15 day holiday sans computer so did not see the post.

Let me echo the recommendation regarding 'Culinary Artistry'.

On the negative side, to us, it is a difficult book to read. We are both scientists who love to cook and this book seems about as disorganized as any we have seen.

My dad was an editor, and he would blue pencil our papers when we were in school to an exasperating extent. But he taught me a lot.

This book, in our estimation, could have been organized far better, and much left out.

But there are many valuable items. You just have to be willing to plod through the frou-frou.

I think there is room for a better written book on the subject, but have not found one.

It is not for the novice cook however.

But for one who has some experience in cooking it is probably the best there is for what you want.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Culinary Artistry & Canal Cocina Of Pastas

The two books I recommend for food pairing ( sides & mains ) are:

In English: Culinary Artistry ( recommended by Chef June )

In Spanish & Italian: Canal Cocina Of Pastas ( what to serve with what pasta and what sauce to serve with each )

Looks like this old post, was a fine one in its day, which is why I have decided to post a mentionable recommendation on it.

Kind regards.
Margaux.