Ice Man Cometh to the Charleston Academy

Old Man Winter rarely shows his face in Charleston; one of the primary reasons the Deans are located here. This winter he graced us with his presence not once, not twice, but on four separate days. Heretofore, Dean Manigault's daughters have never had a snow day, and now they have not had a full week of school since Christmas break. We can't speak about other children, but Dean Manigault's have started grunting unintelligibly and have lost almost all their reading and mathematical skills. Dean Manigault fears poking her head in their bedroom, lest these two feral beasts rise up out of their beds and attack. Too many days off is just that: too many.

This may sound like enough travesty for Dean Manigault to have had to endure, but a far more shocking event took place during the ensuing storm. For the first time in history, the Academy had to shutter its doors due to inclement weather. The ripple effect was felt Charleston wide and it's not clear that our students have fully recovered, even now. With the Ravenel Bridge iced up (that bridge is more delicate than a hot house flower), the Deans were cut off from the necessary comestibles that Whole Foods and Southern Seasons provide for our instructions. The Academy shut down made the government shut down of 2013 pale in comparison. 

Where were you during Ice Storm 2014 and how did you fare? Next time you are locked in you have nothing to fear because the Deans can be with you holding your hand all through the stormy night.

Love, Love,

Deans Pollak and Manigault 

Valentine's Academy Style

Our Valentine's Day class sells out instantly for a reason. The Deans are not only the Doctors of Domesticity, but we have also dabbled in the dark arts of seduction. You don't need to read Fifty Shades of Grey to be ready for tonight. All that swinging around on ropes and spanking seems exhausting to the Deans and possibly a bit contrived. If you are into that, the Deans bless you, but we've been romantics for decades and have yet to herniate a disk in the process. Romance to us is a bit more subtle. We ply our prey with the briniest, coldest oysters we can find, but if we feel especially loving, we run these bivalves under the broiler with spinach and Hollandaise, turn the lights down low, and pop open the coldest bottle of Veuve Cliquot. No need to reinvent the wheel for every occasion. Undoubtably, oysters and champagne have been used before for an aphrodisiac, but why? Because they work! And pink flowers and dark chocolate go a long way as well!

Recipe for Oysters Rockefeller for Love

Today is World Cancer Day

Cancer affects all of our lives. 

There have been times in the Deans' lives when circumstances laid us low and the reaching out of a kindhearted friend has never been forgotten. When life throws us major shifts and shocks, the routine of domesticity is most crucial, but it's also barely attainable. Now is the time for you to step in and use your skills to run someone else's house. Even if the recipients are barely able to eat or join in the conversation, having daily life going on around them proclaims, "There will be a way through this situation." Everyone is buoyed by extra love, including you, the giver of kindness to someone in need. Good food (including some in the freezer when you leave) will be remembered a lifetime. 

Chicken Pie is one of the best comfort foods. 

Livestrong is one of our favorite charities. 

Chevy's Superbowl ad celebrates cancer survivors. 

The Why's, What's, Where's and How's of Invitations

If your invitation is not telling people where to go, at what time, what to wear, and what to expect then your invitation is an abject failure. An invitation that does not answer all the above is not only confusing,  but can cause unintended stress to your recipients. 

Dean Pollak was invited to a seated dinner for thirty, quite a lavish affair, but the invitation was lack luster and only said "See you at eight." All attendees were expecting a cocktail party, and many had made post-cocktail plans, while others wandered in during and after dinner. A two part problem ensued: some people canceled their second plan, others had to beg off the main event and admit they were confused. Worst of all by far was that nobody had that vital pre-party rush of anticipation of something over the top. 

We know of a friend's husband who threw his wife a surprise birthday party.  His particular pet peeve has always been the phrase 'festive dress' and boy, do we concur. What does that jumble of words mean? We have no idea and we know you don't either. It is a useless phrase that should be abolished permanently, along with 'black tie optional' (either it is or it isn't), festive black tie, and casual. The word casual sounds like it could be helpful, but the word means too many things to too many people. Right in our own city it can mean blue jeans or coat and tie, depending on the party's location. Helpful phrases are: 'coat and tie', 'no tie', (which implies a blazer and no tie), black tie.

Wedding invitations are always tricky: from the weight of the paper to the size of the event. The size of a wedding guest list always mushroom clouds. Unknown, or long forgotten relatives, are dusted off and pushed to the forefront. This leaves less room for long standing friends and hurt feelings can run rampant. Everyone needs to take a deep breath. If the host cannot have everyone they want, they can either throw a big party before or after wedding, and/or, they can inform some of their friends who may reasonably expect to be invited, that they are super sorry but that they have a very finite, small number that they must stick to and they simply cannot have all the people they want, as much as they wish they could.

Invitations are always a welcome surprise, and the Deans just want to make sure you are getting the most bang for you buck.  We know it can be tempting to be cute and original, but you never want to go so left field that you miss the key points.  Stay on topic and make sure all the information you want to impart is in your invitation.  If you are giving a special seated dinner, be sure to toot your horn a bit.  Everyone loves to be excited about a future event.  Always remember that you are in charge and that people will be looking to you for all their cues about what to expect.  That's why indecisiveness can cause angst.  An easy rule can be that if you think about yourself receiving the invitation, what would you want to know.  This causes you to listen to you own voice, and your will be spot on!

Massive Lemon Drop

For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. When a cold snap covers the Southeast everyone has to harvest their citrus at one time, or lose it all to Old Man Winter. In a balmier winter, we like to pluck our citrus leisurely and leave fruit on the trees to gaze upon. No such luck this year.  WhenGod gives the Deans lemons, of course we made lemonade, but we didn't stop there. We also created lemon-infused cocktails, chicken thighs with caramelized lemons, handmade lemon bow tie pasta, lemon confit, lemon mousse, lemon fennel ginger tea and we still have gleaming yellow orbs to play with. 

This is only a fraction of the bounty of one Dean's single tree.  Tons more where these came from!!!

can you see the lemony flecks?

Meyer Lemon Rind Bow Tie Pastas 

These bow ties are ready for their night out. Pair with a simple tomato sauce - canned whole tomatoes, chopped garlic and olive oil. Simmer for 15 minutes and then puree. The acid from the tomato sauce is a perfect blend with the tang of the lemon pasta.  You'll never be caught underdressed with these bow ties. 

Spicy Lemon Confit 

spiced ginger lemon tea

The Deans are akin to colanders today because that cold weather that has gripped the Southeast has got our teeth chattering so, we keep boiling water and making more tea.  We are the best hydrated Deans of any academic institution anywhere.  Quite an accolade!  Fresh fennel fronds, a large knob of ginger peeled and sliced, and the ubiquitous Meyer lemon that started it all, sliced.  Cover with boiling water and let step for five minutes, then strain into mug.  

For more words from the Deans, pre-order our book from Amazon 

Super Bowl 48 is Upon Us

Lately, we have been ruminating on how the Deans read from the same playbook as NFL coaches. Experts are experts after all. 

The Super Bowl is starting off on quite a high note this year, literally. Super soprano Renee Fleming is singing the National Anthem and the Deans would watch just for that! First we will dabbing Renee’s signature fragrance, La Voce, behind each ear to get us in the mood, for what, we are not sure.

Just for your edification, Deans contacted an NFL coach on the proper rules and regs of Super Bowl parties. Since he is married to Dean Pollak’s daughter, he had to take the call. In order for a Super Bowl party to go as smoothly as possible, remember these guidelines straight from an award winning coach.

The people who want to watch the game, really want to watch the game. Do not interrupt with any questions, stupid or otherwise. During the Super Bowl the commercials are just as mandatory as the game.

Provide two rooms so the talkers can be sequestered far from the watchers.  This will prevent fist fighting, which could interupt the flow of the festivity.

For our Super Bowl parties we always serve our patented cheese coins. They are the perfect pairing with beer. Any type. Just this once we will let you in our secret. These cheesy coins are our good luck charms. 

A Treasure Trove of Cheese Coins

The Deans receive a cruel lashing from friends if we attend any event without bearing canvas bags overflowing with cheese coins. They are the Academy’s signature treats and Dean Manigault’s muscled right arm is a testament that the cheddar is lovingly grated by hand. Sometimes this can mean up to 25 pounds of cheddar because we have so many friends and students to bestow our coins upon.

 Makes about 2 dozen

16 ounces shredded sharp cheddar 

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

2 cups flour

1 heaping teaspoon cayenne

22 twists freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon salt 

Using a standing mixer or food processor, whirl all the ingredients until combined. Form the cheese dough into 2 logs, about 1 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days (or freeze for up to 6 weeks).

Preheat the oven to 325°. Cut the logs into ¼ inch slices and place on baking sheets. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature (or let cool and store in airtight containers for up to 7 days). 

This book is for you!

The Deans are so excited! Our textbook is being printed and bound as we write this. In seemingly no time you will be able to hold our book in your hands and read it at your leisure. You never have to feel disconnected from the Academy again. Answers to all life's vicissitudes are held between its covers. Restful sleep and a greatly improved quality of life awaits the owner of the Academy's book. 

Of course, the recipes are healthful and delicious, you would expect that, but, it will be the wit and wisdom that keeps you ordering books for all your acquaintances. The Deans anticipate waves of civility and gracious living occurring everywhere the book is read. 

Being the know everything- know everyone Deans that we are, naturally we are intimate with the back end of Amazon's purchase list. We know to a man who has who has bought our book and who hasn't. We are just saying.... buy our book here

Foie Gras: The Holy Grail of Terrines

The Deans absolutely love collaborating, so when Charleston Interior Stylist Nathalie Naylor, offered to take a day and teach us everything she knew about foie gras, well, we just jumped at the chance.  She arrived with three shiny lobes and immediately we set to work.  The first step of the process was to remove the veins and gristle from the smooth pieces of liver.  This proved a bit more difficult than it sounded, but we pressed on, and know we will do better next time!

Now we all wondered to do with some pieces that seemed especially soft and slippery.  In the end, we discarded these as well, but later, Nathalie's sister-in-law assured her that we could have kept them but they would just have expelled more fat.  We all agreed that a lot of fat was excreted anyway, so we guess, you can be that judge on how you feel about the texture of the foie gras. 

Nathalie then instructed us on the hows of seasoning foie gras.  In her Christmas suitcase, she smuggled back some ingredients that can be difficult to obtain here. The ones recommended most highly by the Interior Stylist was epices de foie gras and ceylon cinnamon added with just salt and pepper.  You can also use sauterne or truffles but we all thought that we would like the pure flavor of the foie gras to stand out since it is such a treat in itself.  You can always serve sauterne on the side, and in fact, most people in France do.

The trick that Nathalie was so dying to try out stateside was forming the foie gras into a sausage and steaming it instead of loading it into a terrine and bathing it in a bain marie.  In our zeal, we tried both methods.  The sausage was more forgiving to the small pieces the Deans had created.  Nathalie had proved an abler hand at deveining so we used her larger pieces for the terrine.  The sausage was double wrapped in saran wrap three times, then covered in aluminum foil.  We set it over gently boiling water and steamed one side for 7 mins then the other for 8.  The sausage cooled on the counter and then transferred to the fridge for several days to allow flavors to blend.

The terrine was placed in a bain marie and then set in a 320-degree oven for 15 minutes.  Then it, too, went in the fridge.  

On the appointed day, we all gathered in Dean Pollak's kitchen for the tasting! Dean Manigault had brought a baguette, but Nathalie once again out did us by bringing a cranberry nut loaf.  Once toasted, it was the perfect foil for the foie gras.  

Nathalie also took things one step further by sautéing apple slices in the fat off the foie gras.  No waste for this French woman, ever!  We were blown away by the sausage, so much so that we barely touched the terrine.  We have saved that for making into ravioli next week...so stay tuned!

The Deans Take Pointers from the NFL

Some parties are more stressful than others just like the Super Bowl is more thrilling than a pre season practice. Never let fear be a reason not to entertain. The thrill of doing something scary keeps you in the game.

Throwing a party is similar to Patriots’s coach, Bill Belichick, winning NFL game strategy. "He's ahead of the curve in about 99% of the things he does," according to a recent WSJ article.

How like the Deans he is! Just as he is prepared for every opponent the Patriots face, we are prepared for each guest who enters our houses.

Here’s our plan and we suggest you adopt it as you own. 

The key to an unforgettable party is mapping what needs to be done well in advance many times over. One quick thought will not create an adequate framework on which to hang a comprehensive plan.  

·      Always, always do as much in advance as possible. Your forethought will circumvent many possible pitfalls.

·      Be sure to consider guests’ personalities, lighting, timing, tastes and drinks, and what you are going to wear.

·      Come up with a few topics of conversation that might appeal to all attendees.

·      Know the top news stories of the day.

·      Serve one of your no fail menus.

·      Make sure you have a half hour to decompress before guests arrive. If you like a dressing drink, now is the time to imbibe.

·      Once your guests arrive, your number one mandate is to enjoy yourself. Everyone will follow your lead and a gracious, relaxed you, will be doing a touch down dance by night’s end, with each guest high fiving as they leave.

Mea Culpa

The Deans sent out our SOS and the Academy mailroom was flooded instantly.

We were not alone! Our guilt has been assuaged because you all have done far worse than we could even think of doing. We are pussycats compared to some of you. One student missed a dinner with a reigning Queen, while yet another transposed Friday and Saturday for a black tie Gala in their honor. While the couple had a romantic dinner for two on Friday with the anticipation of the gala on Saturday (pre-cell phone) they got back to their hotel room to find the police and a private detective because everyone assumed something fatal must have happened to them.

Debby Marlowe, from the Wine Shop, says a no show requires immediate attention. Send a bottle of a famous name wine by special courier the next morning with note: BYC-Beyond My Control- I so regret not being there.

Perhaps our favorite is the simplest and most personal. A writer who wished to remain nameless met the host face to face and said, ‘I have no excuse.’ She owned up to her mistake, gave a heartfelt apology and promised to do better in the future. When she was invited back, she was the first one to arrive with a lavish to modest gift and a party all night attitude.

Our newest fan club President, Celeste, offers up the following advice:

‘Darlings, I do have the perfect solution and it is elegantly simple. Go to Taffin and buy a candle (we love) for the unrequited hostess. Be sure it is Senteurs d' Orangeraie. It is an unbelievably luxurious fragrance that evokes a hint of remorse, the perfect gift. Simple. –

Ta, Celeste’

Who cares what anyone did on New Years? As of now, that is so last year.

We are over 2013, but before we say completely goodbye to it, was it just us, or did there seem to be a little juju in that '13? We saw too many of our friends and fellows battling over the year. There is a reason why 13 is skipped over on elevators in NYC. We were to scared to mention it while it was going on, in case it exacerbated an already tense situation.

One way the Deans have decided to pep up our consistency in 2014 is with a daily high tea with friends. We follow one of our favorite literary heroines, Precious Ramotswe, from The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. 

The Deans agree with Gail Monaghan in her article for the Wall Street Journal when she says that nothing but a plate of these über biscuits – crumbly on the outside, moist within, piping hot, and lightly sugared – will suffice. 

Celeste's Requests

The Deans just were forwarded this charming response to out last blog!  Enjoy.

Darling;

I just had to sit right down at my writing desk and respond to your blog. That is what they call it I think, although I am not exactly sure what that means.

Any-who, your summary of the holiday birthday party was an enchanting insight into certain echelons of Charleston society. I especially appreciated the nod to the gracious hostess of a certain age who made background introductions for the multitude: so important to put everyone at ease. I did note that some of the guests seemed in a delicate state even at the outset. The fact that she did not highlight the two falling-down events was very much appreciated by the attendees who continued to celebrate without missing a beat. I simply couldn’t agree more with your sentiments.

Don’t you love the new technology that permits affordable, constant and well-selected musical accompaniment for any occasion!? The tiny storage device plugged into the mammoth speaker system reached every corner of the joyful event. Our hostess will no doubt be saving the musical collection for her daily power walks. Of course the whole event was happily recorded as videos of varying quality. Suffice it to say that the guests had the good taste not to post any content on the internet! We just hate being tagged without permission, don’t you?

And the food was ne plus ultra if you ask me. The kale salad went in a trice and all I found was a gleaming white bowl when I arrived at the buffet banquet table, so that just goes to show that our fellow revelers know what’s good for them. Heaping bouches of goat cheese always remind me of holidays in Provence, no matter the season. The cascades of cava were welcome refreshment and added just the right fizz to the tuna ceviche. Let’s not forget the sourdough pretzels direct from Lancaster PA either! Just sublime to my thinking.

All’s well in our little neighborhood and the streets have been swept in anticipation of a glorious holiday season sans collegiate crowds.

Looking forward, we must get together. Wallace sends kisses all around.

                                                                        Toodles,

                                                                        Celeste 

Christmas Is Upon Us

Thornwillow has more illustrations by the talented Tania Lee.

We love going to other people’s parties because we always get ideas about what to do and sometimes about what not to do. 

A Sample of a Dean’s weekend

Birthday cocktail party… the guests were from all over the country so not everyone knew each other. The hostess made sure all guests connected and provided a real bridge during the introducing of two people.  She highlighted unusual and quirky facts that immediately elevated the tone and facilitated cutting through miles of bullshit.  Once you knew that you were in the presence of the greatest hairdresser on Broadway, discussion of the weather seemed insignificant.  The birthday girl’s enthusiasm and excitement infused the atmosphere with zest and verve.  The Deans proclaim that jaded attitudes are over this holiday season.  We only want to be around the passionately positive.  All ennui must be left at home. 

Sunday Caroling

If you want your guests to move twice during your party all together as one group, be warned.  This is not as easy as it may appear, so when we see it pulled perfectly, we nod our toque in appreciation.  Dean Pollak went to a Caroling party with a masterful hostess who exudes power.  She marshals her guests with a velvet glove that is no less authoritative than a bullwhip.  When she says its time to move to the next room, her guests are only amazed they had not thought of it themselves.  They sang in one room, decorated the tree in another, and ate in yet a third.  This hostess also knew that more is not always more. A smallish plate, not over laden because the food was rich, was ample reward for jobs well done. And somehow, just when we were thirstiest, a glass of Pellegrino was at the ready.  How did she know that, too?! The menu was so fantastic we included it here:

• Grits and Wild Mushroom Stew
• Stoneground Grits
• Crispy Sausage Biscuit
• Christmas Cookies

Intimate Dinner Party 

Dean Pollak went to the most elegant evening that she has enjoyed in as long as she can remember. One of Charleston's preeminent museum houses, the Edmondston Alston House  was returned to its original purpose. Guests descended the staircase into a vast candlelit chamber under a twinkling chandelier.  The table was set for eight and covered with a lace tablecloth, strewn with camellias, and each champagne glass was a different Murano stem. Add to this excitement the food was beyond comparison. A seafood gratin was the centerpiece. The Deans were filled with jealousy that we do not have this recipe in our arsenal. 

Recipe: Homemade English Muffins

Why are homemade English muffins necessary to your life? Eaten for breakfast, slathered in melted butter and honey, they are sublime. And have you ever put your grilled hamburger on one? Beyond good. If you go to the trouble to make these yourself you must fork-split them, which means going around the circumference of the muffin plunging the tines of a fork towards the center until the muffin breaks open. The irregularity of the cut is what creates all the famous nooks and crannies for capturing precious juices.

Makes 8-10 (or 20 minis)

Ingredients

¾ cup buttermilk

1 tablespoons sugar

1 package active dry yeast (do not use quick action)

1/2 cup warm water

3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

1 ½ teaspoons coarse sea salt

3 cups unbleached flour

Cornmeal, for sprinkling

Warm the buttermilk in a small saucepan, then remove from the heat. Mix in the sugar until it dissolves. Let cool. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand until bubby and creamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the warm buttermilk, yeast mixture, butter, and salt. Stir in 2 cups flour with a wooden spoon and beat until smooth (alternatively, beat in a standing mixer). Continue adding the flour, ½ cup at a time, to make a smooth soft dough that is just slightly sticky. Knead the dough for a minute. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. A chilled dough is easier to handle. Alternatively, cover and let rise in refrigerate overnight.

Punch down the dough. Using a pastry cutter or knife, divide the dough into 8 or 10 pieces; roll into balls. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal. Set the dough balls on the pan and press each round with the heel of your hand to slightly flatten. Flip rounds over so each side has a bit of cornmeal sticking to dough. Cover with a clean dishtowel and let rise for ½ hour. Muffins can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to three days.

Preheat oven to 250. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the dough rounds and cook slowly until lightly browned, turning once, about 20 minutes. When muffins are finished cooking in the frying pans, with a spatula place them back into their baking sheets. Bake in oven for another 10 minutes to finish cooking.  Let cool. (The muffins will keep in an airtight container for 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)

To serve, split the muffins with a fork and toast both sides.

Corporal Archilazamora's Asian Salad

The Academy has been so fortunate and received so much support from many people. With this in the forefront of our minds, we were thrilled to be able to have the Academy give back this past weekend.

Two of Dean Pollak’s sons served in Afghanistan and they have become passionate about wounded veterans. Once a year the Independence Fund hosts a benefit and this year it was in Charleston. The Independence Fund was set up to furnish veteran amputees with quality wheelchairs because not all wheel chairs are created equal. The Independence Fund is 100% volunteer!

The Academy hosted a lunch for thirteen of the full time caregivers; wives, mothers and brothers. Corporal Freddy Archilazamora was the chef and Jennifer Griffin of Fox News lead the support gathering.  In Dean Pollak’s dining room the guests were served shrimp ceviche, seared tuna with an Asian mango salad and presented with a spicy strawberry punch.  For once, these people who give so much of themselves everyday were taken care of for a couple of hours.

Corporal Archilazamora's Asian Salad

Dressing

3 oz. rice vinegar

3 oz. Champagne vinegar

3 oz. maple syrup

8 oz. walnut oil (or olive oil)

Combine ingredients and whisk with a fork. Salt and pepper to taste.

Salad

1 iceberg lettuce head, quartered and julienned

1 whole mango thinly sliced

Several shavings of red onion

1 lb. raw tuna

Heat two teaspoons of olive oil over high heat in a non-stick skillet.  Dredge all sides of tuna steaks with coarse salt and coarsely ground black pepper.  Place tuna in skillet and wait until surface begins to brown, less than 30 seconds.  Repeat with all sides, including edges, using tongs to hold fish in place.

Toss vegetables with dressing and put a small handful on each plate.  Slice tuna as thinly as possible and fan five slices on each plate next to the salad.

A Mah-velous Party

st. germa close angled

Both Deans were invited so that told us right there that the party was on the right track.

The main reasons we loved it so much:

· The party was impromptu and we felt like going out.

· It was in honor of an out of town guest who we had never met. A TV star to boot.

· Delicious food displayed on platters everywhere we looked.

· Our hostess had enough food to satisfy the hungriest of the participants with no need to supplement with an added dinner.

· The attendees were limited to fifteen, which ensured everyone felt honored to be there.

· With only fifteen people the Deans were able to check in with everybody and have prolonged discussions with quite a few.

· There were familiar faces but several new ones too.

· Lit candles lined the walkway, and two subtle flower arrangements were all the décor necessary. The candles to generate excitement and the flowers to say you are wanted. No detail was too over the top, which both Deans shy away from.

The Deans consider themselves lucky to have been invited and give the party a unreserved A+. We loved getting out of our own houses, especially the test kitchen, and being guests for awhile instead of hosting classes. What a treat!

Old Fashioned? Yes, very much.

When it comes right down to it, there is really nothing about the Deans of The Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits which could be called old-fashioned. Except of course, this drink and our silver -- the first of which we have perfected in a modern way with a nod to both history and Charleston, and the latter, which we couldn't help if we wanted to, frankly.

Now then.  Just as if you were standing next to the Deans at our standing room only cocktail demonstration at the Charleston Wine and Food Festival this past weekend, we share with you The Academy's Old Fashioned. The Deans bid you to enjoy it early and often.

The Charleston Academy’s Men Only Dinner guests enjoyed sitting on the porch of the Roper House sipping Old Fashioneds containing orange peels grown in the old historic district.

Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuit's

Old Fashioned Cocktail

Serves 1

1 large and uneven slice of lemon peel

1 brown sugar cube (or 1/4 oz simple syrup)

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1 dash Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6

1 oz. bottled water

2 large ice cubes

2 oz.  good bourbon

Small triangle of orange slice for garnish, and perhaps a cherry

Add the lemon peel, sugar cube, and both bitters into the bottom of an Old Fashioned glass. The Deans insist on using an Old Fashion glass for this drink. Using a wooden muddler, begin to muddle the ingredients firmly in the bottom of the glass.

Add the water, add the ice and then the bourbon. Stir with a spoon. Float the orange slice on top of the drink and serve.

Mini Masterpiece Theater

IMG_9211-001

What makes The Academy so much fun is the test kitchen. Today the Dean’s children were whining for coconut cream pie.  We realized the reason we do not make this pie more often is that it can taste cloyingly sweet.  Coconut is sweet on its own, so we decided to fool around in the test kitchen and see if we could create a pie to please both man and child.

Our solution was to remove all extra sugar from the recipe and allow the coconut milk and shredded, toasted, sweetened coconut do all the sweetening.  It felt bold to not add any extra sugar to the dough or custard, but we assuaged ourselves by adding 3 tablespoons to the whipped cream topping.

To top our towering white Pisa, we shaved flakes of white chocolate and scattered them over the top of the whipped cream.  The white chocolate gives the appearance of coconut and adds another dimension of flavor.

The Academy’s Coconut Cream Pie is now sophisticated, as well as child-friendly.

Down to the Quick: Walk Tall

divas1

Now begins a new series, Down to the Quick (as in: "Things that Make you Bite your Nails"). The Deans have been there, they know nerves, and this series will represent two distinctly different solutions to the social challenges we all face. Without further delay, then...

For months Dean Manigault has been looking forward to a two-day junket in New York City. For the first time since her wedding, she has two big events to go to on two consecutive nights. The dresses are packed, the shoes re-heeled, the blow-out appointment confirmed. What could go wrong? This: her date canceled and she realized that instead of her best friend being her escort and companion, she would now have to walk into two different and enormous parties by herself, all dressed up with no one to go with. Instantly, her mind turned to canceling her trip.

Luckily, she was not alone when she got the news. Dean Pollak was simply amazed. How could she cancel? In Dean Pollak’s opinion the only thing that changed was that she would not be fettered to her date all night and could flit from person to person. The thrill of the unknown invigorates Dean Pollak and she has laid it down that if Dean Maniaugult cancels she is a wuss. She gave Dean Manigault the game plan for a sure fire life-changing evening. The three principles: (1) Don’t sit down or you’ll be trapped. (2) Go right to the middle of the room. Do not stand near the bar or food (almost as much as a quagmire as sitting down). (3) Look for a person standing alone, or a friendly face and introduce yourself. The point is not to attach yourself to someone, the point is to move from person to person making real conversations or connections. How does Dean Pollak know this works? She goes into every event convinced she is going to meet someone fascinating and so she always does. The mindset is as important as anything else.

Which Dean would you follow?

Practice. Practice. Practice.

everyday cooking

Recently, the Deans have read two different articles in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times about practice and how it makes perfect. We could have saved scientists hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless hours.  Of course practice improves proficiency in any task from cello-playing to ragu-making.  If you are giving your first ever holiday party, know this one will be the hardest.  The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  Once you’ve given one party, the process is in your bones and the next one will be a comparative breeze.

The Deans have been making our families' favorite foods for years and we no longer have to agonize over every step.  Practice makes the steps automatic and frees our brains to think about businesses we want to run, parties we want to have and the book we are writing.  The only way to truly multi-task is to know how to do one chore without thinking.  Entertaining becomes easier and more fun every time you do it.  The trick we are putting up your sleeve is our practice on family and friends. Cook the same recipes over and over until they become your own.  Then, not only will be easy for you to prepare, but they will taste better as well.