Bar Basics
Maintaining a well-stocked bar can be an expensive endeavor. The good news is that spirits will last indefinitely, so you can build your collection gradually without any worry of spoilage. As when stocking a bar for a gathering, buy the highest ... [... more]
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Chocolate Ganache
Occasionally you may encounter a dry-looking or even cracked ganache. This is usually due to over-heating or cooling too rapidly. If you allow the cream and chocolate to get too hot, especially when reheating, the oils may separate out of the ... [... more]
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Cocktail Parties
These sophisticated gatherings are enmeshed in modern American culture. In the United States, a confluence of social influences helped establish the cocktail during the 1920s. An economic boom, combined with new freedom for women, created a ... [... more]
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Showers, Luncheons And Teas
If you're serving punch, make a floating centerpiece ahead of time: freeze layers of punch and fruit in a tube pan or ring mold. Choose fruits that complement the drink to be served and flowers that match the décor and occasion. Arrange berries, .. ... [... more]
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Petit Fours
Once your cake layers are filled, the simplest decorating technique for petits fours is to glaze the top of the whole cake, and then cut it into shapes. This will, however, leave the sides unsealed, so the little cakes can dry and become stale in ... [... more]
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Bridal Shower 101
Like many time-honored customs, the bridal shower is rooted in romantic legend and down-to-earth practicality. Some say it began as a Dutch village's generous response when a farmer refused to let his daughter marry an impoverished suitor. Others ... [... more]
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Baking Cheesecake, Step By Step
4. Unclip the clasp at the side of the pan, watching for any areas that stick. Carefully lift the outer ring over the top of the cake. If you used a plain cake pan and don't want to serve dessert in the pan, invert a plate covered with a sheet of ... [... more]
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Perfect Cheesecakes
The cream cheese should be at room temperature before you begin mixing, or you'll end up with lumps in your cheesecake. Using cold cream cheese also leads to overbeating--whipping too much air into the batter--which forms unattractive air bubbles ... [... more]
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Molded Chocolates
Most candy molds are made of plastic and are fairly inexpensive, so you can stock up on a variety of shapes and sizes for different occasions. If you'll be making chocolate lollipops, remember to buy some lollipop sticks as well. For multicolored ... [... more]
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Bridal Shower 101: Eat And Greet
A beautiful buffet can be crafted from simple dishes artfully displayed. Embellish your spread with thin slices of lemon and lime, citrus zest, sprigs of parsley and other fresh herbs, long snips of chives, whole tiny radishes and true baby ... [... more]
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To The Bride And Groom!
Chill the wine in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Open the bottle by twisting off the wire cage over the cork, keeping your thumb over the cork. Keep the bottle at an angle, with the cork pointing away from you. Grasp the neck of the ... [... more]
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Bridal Shower 101: Game On
Thanks for the Memories. Ask guests in advance to decorate a scrapbook page (mail blank pages with the invitations) illustrating a favorite memory of the bride or groom, a special childhood photo, or a recipe for a good marriage. Let each guest ... [... more]
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