It is no secret, there are certain ingredients and techniques that make a meal delicious, easy to prepare, and appealing to most people:

Fresh Fish

If you enjoy fish, there’s nothing quite like freshly caught fish. The mere knowledge of its freshness enhances its taste. In Westhampton Bay, the most prized catch is fluke—a “summer flounder” that can grow quite large. These fish are often called “doormats” due to their size. While there are size limits and most fishing is catch-and-release, my cousin and his friends used to prefer “fillet and release.” Regardless of size, even if you’re not typically a fish enthusiast, you’ll likely enjoy well-prepared, fresh fluke.

Butter and Garlic

This winning combination is central to many popular dishes worldwide. However, not everyone appreciates this savory duo. My aunt once claimed she was allergic to garlic. When my cousin took her to a Wolfgang Puck restaurant in Los Angeles, she became tearful because she couldn’t find anything on the menu she could eat.

Fresh Herbs

One of the joys of summer in Westhampton is my mother’s herb garden. Despite losing some plants during the house reconstruction, the core of the garden remains intact. Adding fresh chives, dill, thyme, and basil can elevate any dish.

Mashed Potatoes

Few people dislike mashed potatoes—they’re the ultimate comfort food. While we might avoid them due to their carb and calorie content, serve them on a plate and people will happily indulge. Combine them with the flavors mentioned above, and your friends and family will be delighted.

Garden Salad

It may sound cliché, but summer salads are simply superior. Local lettuce from the farm stand tastes noticeably better. Home-grown tomatoes in August are a real treat. Ironically, both my son-in-law and daughter-in-law dislike tomatoes. I can’t explain how that happened, but it’s their loss—more for the rest of us!

Mise En Place… the key ingredients

Ease of preparation is also key. The French concept of mise en place works wonders. Having all your ingredients prepared in advance is crucial:

• Fish brought to room temperature and seasoned with salt and pepper
• Olive oil at hand
• Potatoes boiled until fork-tender, with milk, butter, salt & pepper ready
• Butter
• Garlic, diced
• Herbs, chopped
• Salad prepped and vinaigrette at hand

With your preparation complete, you can enjoy your adult beverages by the pool with a light appetizer. Give your guests a 15-minute warning and recruit three assistants:

1. One to mash potatoes
2. Another to toss the salad
3. A third to open and pour the wine

Delegation works well—people like to help, and with a little direction, a meal can come together beautifully.

Here are some closing statement options to wrap up your crowd-pleasing meal:

• Express gratitude: Thank your guests for coming and your helpers for their assistance in preparing the meal.
• Share a toast: Raise a glass to good food, good company, and the simple pleasures of life.
• Invite feedback: Encourage your guests to share their favorite part of the meal or any new flavor combinations they enjoyed.
• Plan for next time: Suggest making these gatherings a regular occurrence, perhaps with rotating hosts or themes.
• End with a light dessert: Offer a simple, refreshing dessert like fresh fruit or a small scoop of sorbet to cleanse the palate.

There is one more secret that we should remember, the key to a memorable meal is not just the food, but the warmth and hospitality you provide. A relaxed host creates a relaxed atmosphere, ensuring everyone leaves with fond memories and full stomachs.

My connection to the Seinfeld series came years after the show aired. My dad had a friend, Dr. Nick Catalano, who was a professor with him at Pace University in New York City. Nick told the story of how, as a young professor, he was also a musician who played in comedy clubs, where he got to know Larry David (creator of Seinfeld) when he was a young, struggling comedian.

Larry David went on to become the co-creator and writer for the Seinfeld television show. Several retrospective pieces have been done on what the Seinfeld show was based on. The joke was that it was the “Show about nothing.” The truth is that most of their shows were about real-life experiences that Seinfeld, and mostly David, had had.

The following clip explains how most Seinfeld episodes are based on real-life experiences:

https://youtu.be/qYBaJe_0cz4?si=ivT2VIPOxlP0egA6

After watching the Seinfeld episode about a dentist, I am convinced it is based on the real-life story of Dr. Marvin Toucher, (Name has been changed to protect the guilty)  a dentist I caddied for. I worked as a caddy all through high school, college, and business school. Dr. Toucher played golf regularly in a group we called the “gamblers” as it was common to have a couple of thousand dollars change hands. I used to caddy for Dr. Toucher a lot. (He once claimed he put me through business school). Marvin was a larger-than-life character, whose “locker room banter” included stories of sexual exploits. As a young, innocent caddy, what did I know? Then Marvin  got arrested for putting his female patients under with gas and then molesting them. The District Attorney got him on videotape with a police officer. He did real time in jail. It made national news. Johnny Carson even did a parody on it.

After Marvin was convicted, he came back to the club for a round of golf. One of his longtime playing partners, with a Henny Youngman-type sense of humor, came up to him and said: “Marvin, I want you to know that you have ruined it for millions and millions of American children. They grew up wanting to be doctors. So now they want to be dentists…”

The real-life punchline is that while Marvin’s case was out on appeal, he performed in a local summer stock play. The New York Times did a review of his performance. They said Marvin Toucher, the dentist being prosecuted for sexual malpractice…amongst his many talents, can also sing and dance. (This, you can’t make up)

https://youtu.be/WS0P9XkWNoQ?si=5wEDw0p3Idc-Ope_

Bryan Cranston (the actor who later starred as Walter White in Breaking Bad) tells great stories about his experiences as a young actor playing the dentist on the Seinfeld series. He explains how taking a hit of gas became part of the bit in the episode where Jerry Seinfeld is convinced he was sexually molested by his dentist. In retrospect, this episode is a direct parody of “Dr. Toucher’s” real-life story.

https://youtu.be/HsfFYm1NROA?si=ZpA1-L2pTrRGiUsC

While I haven’t seen Nick Catalano in years, I am looking forward to sharing this story with him. Who knows, he might even be able to reach out to his old friend Larry David

If you enjoyed this blog and similar other stories/wine group/supper club lessons follow me on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and check out my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Published by Morgan James Publishing and available through most channels where books are sold.

Golf was an important link between me and my dad. Dad taught me the game. We played a lot of golf together. We talked about golf all the time. And, it brought us together at the end.

My father loved the game of golf and he passed that love onto his son. I think I have always played the game. Dad never gave me lessons per se, but I probably grew up imitating his swing. Unfortunately, when I look at my swing, in the shadow of a late afternoon, I see my father’s swing. Some would say it is the “Kenny Curse”.

When I was in high school, dad was a college professor and worked irregular hours. He would pick me up from school and we would play golf at the local municipal golf course. In high school, I wasn’t a bad player. I caddied and played on my high school golf team. For years, dad kept beating me, even though I was a better player. Dad used to call me a “Tower of Jello” long before I worked for Kraft. Maybe he was training me, the way Tiger’s father taught him, or not.

In the mid 1980’s Susan and I moved to California with my job. One of my fondest golf memories was playing the famed Pebble Beach Golf course with my dad. I will never forget standing next to him from the 8^th fairway and him saying: “What I thrill it was watching your ball disappear into the ocean” after he sliced his second shot.

The 8th hole at Pebble Beach where dad had the “thrill” 

For years we talked about my second shot on 18. I drew a one iron under and around the famed pine in the middle of the fairway. (Note: I carried a one iron in my bag for years. I couldn’t hit it, but it looked good in the bag) Dad felt pretty good about his round saying his score of 99 was better than a dollar a shot that he paid for, the then, $100 greens fee.

In our later years, as my job took me around the country, we would always get together over the phone on Sunday evenings. Invariably, we would talk about the golf we had watched that afternoon.

Golf brought us together in the end. My dad died on Father’s day in 1995. It was the day that Corey Pavin won the US Open at Shinnecock Hills. We were living in Memphis TN at the time and Mom and Dad lived in Westhampton NY, 15 miles from Shinnecock. I was on my way to Brazil for work. My plan was to visit mom and dad. Spend a day at the Open and then fly from JFK to Rio. I just happened to be there when dad’s health took a horrible turn for the worst. We got to spend his final hours together, and what did we talk about, golf. We went through that special round at Pebble Beach, hole by hole shot by shot. Golf kept us together.

Happy Father’s Day dad

If you enjoyed this blog and similar other stories/wine group/supper club lessons follow me on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and check out my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Published by Morgan James Publishing and available through most channels where books are sold.