Around the table
There are few things that make me happier than bringing together the people I love and cooking for them. I also love sharing these moments with all of you! Last weekend, I hosted Shabbat dinner for my family on Friday and celebrated my birthday with 15 friends over dinner on Sunday. Both afternoons were spent in the kitchen, and it was absolutely wonderful.
I was surprised at how easy it was to make the duck! I bought Bell & Evans duck breasts from Whole Foods, scored and salted the skin, and popped them in the fridge for an hour before cooking. To start, I seared each breast skin-side down for a few minutes until a nice crispy layer formed, spooning out the fat as it rendered. Then, I flipped the breasts and cooked them for a couple more minutes. I finished them in the oven at 400°F for about 8-10 minutes.
While the duck was in the oven, I prepared the sauce. I didn’t measure (sorry!), but I combined orange juice, orange zest, chicken stock, a pinch of sugar, white wine, and a little butter. I let it simmer on the stove and added a bit of cornstarch to thicken it. It turned out beautifully!
The salad was escarole, different types of oranges (cara cara & blood orange) and roasted pistachios. The dressing was orange juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and a little honey. Massage the dressing in and let it sit for a bit before serving to soften the escarole.
This was the rice dish and it was phenomenal.
The Caesar salad was a Carbone copy-cat and it was awesome. Ari won’t stop talking about the croutons. Recipe here!
Spicy rigatoni recipe here.
I didn’t think it would happen this soon, but I already need more than 12 place settings! Between my family of 7, my in-laws (3), grandparents (4), and an endless list of friends, I’ve decided to add to our collection. For our anniversary, I’m planning to purchase another set of Ginori dinnerware—this time in a different color.
Part of me regrets choosing Heath Ceramics for our “casual” set. While they’re beautiful, they’re also quite pricey, and I find myself reaching for the Ginori plates more often. Looking back, I wish I’d chose another Ginori color instead and saved the “casual” for later when we have kids.
Items I want to add in 2025:
Caivar server - my husband is Ukrainian and the caviar flows in this family
Ginori Oriente in a second color, tea cups or mugs included (I wish I added a few to my wedding registry)
A few things I am searching for… feel free to drop your suggestions in the comments:
The perfect set of silver serving tongs
Votives or candle sticks for a dinner tablescape centerpiece
Non-wrinkling napkins
Building a home collection, both in the kitchen and interiors, is always a lifelong project. It brings me so much calm and joy—I truly love it!
Oo interesting, my fiancé and I are registering for Heath (casual) and Limoges (for fancier), but I was saying we should prioritize Heath for now. But what you’re saying gives me pause!!
Christofle makes great stainless serving pieces.