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Koo's Toasting
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This issue of our monthly newsletter is devoted to one of my favorite pastimes -- entertaining. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I love to throw a party! Koo de Kir was born from the idea that life is meant to be celebrated, everyday. What better way is there to celebrate than with friends, family, food and wine? From elaborate to impromptu, the tasks are the same: plan the menu, set the table, select the wine, make the playlist, invite the guests and open the door (and the wine). This month we check in with some friends who are experts in their fields to help us start thinking about holiday entertaining and share some of their trade secrets with us. Christopher Myers, co-owner of several of Boston's hottest dining destinations (Radius, Via Matta, Great Bay, Myers & Chang) shares his thoughts on entertaining with us. Amy Nadeau, the cheese buyer at famed Savenor's Market, offers up tips on how to assemble and serve a cheese platter, as well as some great cheese and wine pairings for you to try at home.
Musically impaired? In this issue you'll find links to our two current playlists which you can visit and download to help set the mood and layer in the love. We also present a list of our top 5 Hostess Gifts (because it is NOT cool to arrive empty-handed) and a special offer on Juliska dinnerware, just in time for your holiday table. As we kick-off the holiday season with a toast and a smile, and begin to think about the parties to throw and attend over the next 2 months (and there will be parties), we'd like you to remember that from candles and hostess gifts, to the plates and linens; we've got what you need to live with style, give with style and ENTERTAIN with style. Salut!
-KI
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Gifts That Won't be Re-Gifted
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If you are lucky enough to receive an invitation to someone's home, why not bring along a little something special. Here are our top picks for host and hostess gifts that will earn you a return ticket.
Vosges Chocolate Tortilla Chips
All we can say is YUM. Chocolate Tortilla Chips dusted with hot pepper may not sound appetizing, and we'll admit we were initially sold on these by the great packaging--but pop one in your mouth, wash it down with a nice Pinot Noir and wow...we can't say enough about the sweet, salty, spicy combination. Stock up on these because we promise you, for every container you give away, you'll want to keep one for yourself. |
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Betty Crocker Classics
When I was a child my mother's favorite cookbook was the Betty Crocker Cookbook that her mother gave to her. She still has it, and every once in a while at Christmas or some other family gathering, we pull out the old 3-ring binder, flip through its pages and pick something to cook or bake (baking is rarely successful in our family but always fun). This modernized "flashcard" version of the original contains most of the classic recipes in a less cumbersome format. Looking for the perfect sugar cookie recipe? It's in here. We guarantee you that although there are "cooler" books by big-name chefs at every turn, you will not find anything better for the simple American classics than this collection. |
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Erquis Magnetic Wine Ring
Here's a gift that will stand out from the others: a Sterling Silver Wine Ring. This clever gadget sits on the neck of any wine bottle and absorbs the drips that always land on the new white tablecloth. Beautifully packaged and presented, we like the functionality of this gift a lot. Looking for something a little more expensive? Try the Silver Wine Thermometer; serious wine lovers will appreciate this one. Dip the thermometer into the wine before decanting to be sure you are serving that great bottle at its optimal temperature. |
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Candlestick Maker
We love these! This sleek and shiny white porcelain object turns any glass into a candle holder. Perfect for space impaired urban dwellers or design lovers. Clever, and cool, and well-priced. Candlestick Maker $32 each. |
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Kobo Candles
Everyone asks, "Is a candle a good gift?" Seems lots of people question their urge to reach for a candle as a hostess gift. Well, we are here to say that a candle is a great gift. We love Kobo Soy Candles, made in California from 100% organic soy, these candles burn clean and last for 85 hours. Sexy scents like Anisette Orange, and D'anjou Lychee will help set a mood in any environment. Want something even more basic? Our new collection of White and Ivory Tapers, at only $13.95 for a pair, come packaged in a chic brown gift box and will be welcomed by any host or hostess.
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The Art of Cheese
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We recently visited with Amy Nadeau, the Cheese Buyer for Savenor's Market, one of Boston's longest running gourmet markets, and a beloved neighbor here in Beacon Hill, to ask her expert advise on how to serve cheese at our upcoming gatherings.
KdK: What cheese pairs best with champagne?
AN: The ideal choice would be Langres from Champagne, France because of its honey, truffle, and earthy tones, as well as being a creamy cheese. My second choice would be an herbed Seal Cove Farm Chevre from Lamoine, Maine.
KdK: What are the classic choices for a cheese platter?
AN: For universal cheese appeal, you should have one soft, one hard and one pungent. I like to use local cheese when I can. Signage is also important, make sure your guests knows what cheese they are eating and from what region. My classic picks are: a cheddar from Fiscalini, CA called San Joaquin Gold. The second choice would be Seal Cove goat cheese from Maine followed by a Berkshire Blue from Great Barrington, MA. The Jersey Cow used to produce this cheese makes this blue cheese sweet and creamy.
KdK: Is a cheese cloche a useful serving tool?
AN: Yes! A cheese cloche is a great way to present cheese, but it's not for storage. You want to keep cheese in it more no more than 4 hours. If the bottom of the cloche is wood, to keep it smelling and looking great for a long time; make sure to protect the wood from the cheese by putting a fig leaf or butcher paper under your cheese so that the pungent smell doesn't seep into the board. You can also be creative by using outdoor seasonal items like leaves or cranberries. Use whole fruits when you can, not only do they look good, but it's a good way to entice your guest to slice fruit with cheese.
Kdk: What cheeses pair best with a Cabernet, Pinot Noir or Sancerre?
AN: A red wine such a Cabernet would best be paired with Fontina d' Aosta from Piedmont, Italy. Gorgonzola would make a great pairing with Pinot Noir. St. Simon would be my number one choice for a Sancerre as well as La Tur for its rich and buttery flavor. When pairing cheese and wine "opposites attract".
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The Art of Entertaining
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Christopher Myers has been in the business of fine dining for over 20 years. As co-owner of several of Boston's hottest dining destinations (Radius, Via Matta, Great Bay, Myers+Chang), he is widely recognized as one of the most gregarious hosts in the industry. We are lucky to call him a friend and happy to share his thoughts on entertaining with you.
KdK: Everything happens so fast, how do I control my party?
CM: Starting a party is difficult without a plan of some kind. Everything is going to start happening all at once, coats to hang, drinks to offer, snacks to put about the house, introductions to make. You'll be deluged if you don't anticipate this and plan for it. It's easy to get your arms around the energy of the party if you have some device to still the onslaught of excitement and activity. You can just wing it, let Lady Chaos have her way, and there are many that can do that. But every host is nervous on some level. So, it's important to do something with that nervousness. I think a toast of some kind is a really sweet way to get the whole group together for just 60 seconds or so. Even saying "grace" will do the trick. A toast needn't be too grand or sentimental but merely a few words to commemorate the occasion, your feelings about friendship, and if you got it in you, a little silliness. And do a dry run on your pets before your guests arrive to get the cobwebs out.
KdK: What are your tips for the nervous entertainer?
CM: Entertaining at home, for the novice and the veteran of many dinner parties, is a massive undertaking. So by all means outsource every damn thing you can. The best tip I can recommend for anyone is to go with your strengths. If you're not a great cook, then get as much prepared foods as you can at your neighborhood gourmet store, e.g. pates, charcuterie, desserts, etc. If you've got a tin ear, then have someone else do that essential mixed tape for you! If you don't know about wines, then go to your favorite wine store, tell them what you're having for dinner and let them help you out with selections. In fact, I think it's essential to have a wingman, wingwoman, wingnut, to help you out all night long. Someone that will help you get guests to the table, perhaps refill a wine glass or too, and most importantly, help keep an eye out for the shy ones that can slip into the wallpaper at every party.
KdK: How do you approach building a guest list?
CM: You may know all these people but you don't really know how they're all going to interact together. There's no real way to anticipate that. Engineer your party as you would a great team. A few rebels, a few stars, some reliable but unheralded performers, and maybe one or two wild cards. Then sit back and watch it all unfold.
KdK: What is one essential item for the table during the holiday party season?
CM: For me, appropriate glassware for red wine is definitely key for the fall, winter and holidays. Now I'm hardly a glassware zealot. On the contrary. I'll use mason jars, plastic cups, and juice glasses all Summer long for anything from champagne to white wines of all kinds. But when Fall rolls around and we segue into red wine season, then glassware really does make a huge difference in getting the fullest expression of the wine. The glassware needn't be expensive just the right shape for the right wine. And nothing makes a table look more inviting than a big regal Burgundy glass.
KdK: When is a party over?
CM:The funny thing about dinner parries , or parties of any kind, is that good ones usually go longer than expected and bad ones longer than they should. A good host is ready for either situation though. To wind up a good one is usually much harder. You all have work the next day, it's getting late, say, you're out of food but you're just having too much fun, the conversation is animated, you've got the glow. Keeping a bottle of dessert wine or a dessert sherry around is a suave way to punctuate the beginning of the end. Perhaps even announce the libation as "a little nightcap" and that should be enough to bring things to an elegant conclusion.
The best way to end a party that isn't going the way you'd like? Just too long and an over-served guest or two? Close up the bar. End of story. And never underestimate the crushing effect that the aroma of a strong coffee brewing in the kitchen can have on the over-served! It's a reverse toxin to the intoxicated, an eye watering, sprit crushing harsh light that will have them heading for the exits without you having to utter a word. Or pantomime a yawn.
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You've Set the Table, Now Set the Mood
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Koo de Kir Musiquette Volume One
Check out the playlist
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Koo de Kir Musiquette Volume Two
Check out the playlist
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Pass the Gravy in Style |
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Juliska Special Offer
We are stocked up on the dinnerware Domino Magazine refers to as "divine" and excited to offer a special gift with purchase to anyone who spends $250 or more through November 30. Now is a great time to place your orders for plates, glassware and serving pieces just in time for the holiday table. When you spend $250 between now and November 30th you will receive a Juliska Gravy Boat as our gift to you. Check out our selection of Juliska online (we've got A LOT more in the store) and give us a call or stop in to place your order.
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Retreat With Style - Report From the Studio
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Our
client purchased a one bedroom condo high atop Beacon Hill as a guest
quarters for visiting friends and relatives. The place had great
bones: beautiful view, terrific light, nice layout, but required a
full upgrade in order to convert it to the sanctuary he wanted to
provide for his guests.
Our
task: gut the existing outdated kitchen and bath to make way for state
of the art modern replacements; add personality in the LR with moulding
details, a new fireplace surround and built in bookcases; upgraded
modern electrical service and add recessed lights (not always easy in
older buildings),
refinish the worn floors and fully furnish the residence with custom
furnishings and things culled from his travels to provide all the
comforts of home, right down to monogrammed robes and slippers. Our
team worked for 4 months to design and plan this project from start to
finish. The result, a warm and cozy retreat, classic style with a
modern feel, and a haven for guests in a busy city.
For more
information about our capabilities and range of projects, please
contact us at 617.723.8111.
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Contact Information
Store: 65 Chestnut Street | Boston MA 02108 | 617.723.8111
hours: M-F 10am-7pm, Saturdays 10am-6pm, Sundays 12pm-6pm
Studio: 45 River Street | Boston MA 02108 | 617.723.8111
by appointment only
www.koodekir.com
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