Next week is a big one for celebratory food and drink, with the Academy Awards telecast on Sunday and Valentine’s Day on Friday. Get the party started with these six innovative recipes.
Savory bites always make good party food for a crowd, or in smaller quantities, a shareable appetizer plate for two. Chef Sam Woodfill of Catering by Design changes up the usual bacon-wrapped dates or chicken livers by substituting marinated artichoke quarters for the filling and lamb bacon for the traditional pork. Add the cucumber mint raita for dipping.
Bartender Schyler Isham created this rosy cocktail expressly for Valentine’s Day at Tre Rivali, a restaurant in Kimpton’s Journeyman hotel. But the drink’s festive look and fruity flavor make it appropriate for a variety of occasions. A strawberry liqueur gives the drink its red hue, and coconut milk and crème de cacao add decadence.
Fresh truffles are frighteningly expensive, but Chef Jason McClure doesn’t break the bank with this version. He uses truffle oil and truffle-infused cheese to mimic the flavor of the pricey ingredient and shapes the potatoes into logs that kind of resemble the real thing. The result is a craveable croquette that is much fancier than french fries.
Photograph courtesy of Washington Red Raspberry Commission
4. Shrimp Cocktail with Spicy Raspberry Sauce
Pureed frozen raspberries, horseradish and cayenne pepper give this shrimp cocktail sauce a sweet-spicy flavor profile and a point of differentiation. Try it for Valentine’s Day, an Oscar-watch party or other occasions that call for a classically elegant starter.
Beverage manager Dila Lee created this cocktail as an ode to the movie, The Irishman, up for 10 Oscar nominations. The film relates the story of the Mafia figures involved in the Teamsters Union and the disappearance of union boss, Jimmy Hoffa. The Mob-tini features Irish whiskey, coffee liqueur and cream.
Pass this bite-size dessert at a catered Oscar party or serve it to share at a romantic dinner. Chef Trent Page of Whole Foods Market makes it easy to prepare ahead, using just six ingredients. Guests will enjoy the whimsical sweet ending.
The final weeks of this school year have been turbulent at dozens of college campuses across the country, driven by differing views of the Israel-Hamas war.