Let’s start with a festive holiday cocktail, for instance, a classic Delmonico from the unequalled Ultimate A-to- Z Bar Guide.
Then how about some tasty little delights from Cocktail Food – 50 Finger Foods with Attitude: let’s see…smoked trout salad on cucumber slices? Leave the tray with me!
And now to dinner! Â BLT’s Laurent Tourondel’s Bistro holds some of my favorite recipes, including the Giant Cheese Popovers, which rock my world every single time. Try out the recipes first at the restaurant up on Sunset.
St. John’s in London is the original kitchen for our meat course, rabbit wrapped in fennel and bacon from The Whole Beast – Nose to Tail Eating. McCall’s, a new-ish specialty meat store on Hillhurst in Los Feliz will get you the rabbit.
For the purists at the party, there are wholesome, farm-based goodies like Mile-High Pumpkin Pie from Earth to Table – Seasonal Recipes from an Organic Farm.
My two daughters still love the darling and informative How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World. First, it was fun to read to them, and then, together, bake the (really good!) apple pie. We still use it as our primary apple pie recipe because the book brings back so many warm memories! A real children’s treasure!
Best of the Bestsellers:
The Five Love Languages would be great gift to give to yourself in this season of light. It’s sensible and science-based, at its core, with those fun self-assessment quizzes we all secretly love to take. Sure, it’s written by an evangelical pastor, but the message is universal: how to give and receive more love. And isn’t that the point? Happy Winter Solstice to all!
LA Moll is a local book passionista who finds hidden treasures to share. All books reviewed can be purchased at Chevalier’s Books in Larchmont Village, tel: 323-465-1334. Shop LOCAL.
