Category Archives: Blog

It’s Beginning To Smell A Lot Like Christmas.

My daughter has been known to say: “This kitchen smells like Christmas Eve at home”. Yes, I use a lot of garlic in my cooking. One of my holiday traditions is to peel a few heads of garlic as part of getting a mise en place set up.

A Traditional Kenny – Christmas Menu For 2013

 

In 2023, we have all 5 grandkids and their parents coming for Christmas. The menu will be close to traditional. And yes, there will be seafood served on Christmas Eve because you can take the kid out of Silver Lake (Italian Community in NY  where I grew up), but you can’t take the Silver Lake out of the kid.

I must confess that I still have a little scar-tissue to deal with. One year we had the whole Kenny Clan to Memphis for Christmas, and I published a menu that called for “The Feast Of The Seven Fishes” on Christmas Eve. After dinner which included clams, shrimp, scallops and cod, my brother-in law Brian asked about why I called it seven fishes when there were only four? Now Brian is a nuclear scientist and one of the smartest guys I know.  So I told him that I was careful to count and made sure he had at least. 3 shrimp and 4 clams. Sales and Marketing guys just look at the world differently than scientists do.

Another Christmas ,the whole Kenny Clan descended on the ski resort at Waterville Valley in New Hampshire where Susan’s brother Bobby has a condo. After dinner on Christmas Eve, we had wonderful experience. It was a magical evening with a horse-drawn sleigh ride through a heavy snowstorm with the whole family singing Christmas carols. It was also an experience that describes the difference between my two sisters. My sister Joan, the college professor, exclaimed “Isn’t this beautiful, it’s a winter wonderland”. My sister Bernadette, the corporate executive, leans in to her college aged niece and whispers: “Winter wonderland my ass, it’s a ‘F- – king’ blizzard”. You can’t buy memories like that.

Maybe this was the real reason behind Cuomo’s downfall…

Not to worry, the Kenny kitchen will smell like garlic

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.

 

A Gift Of Language – SNACKIES

The British have a wonderful way of saying things. Americans tend to forget that English is their language. There is a famous quote attributed to Oscar Wild that explains difference between the British and American English “Two people separated by a common language”. Our daughter Jennifer learned the differences when she lived in New York City with her friend Amy Robjohn who is from Weybridge in Surrey England, just south of London. A few samples of the simple differences included:

  • Running shoes were “trainers”

  • Lining up for coffee at Starbucks was “standing in a queue”

  • Soccer is “football”

When Amy first came to visit us in Memphis, Jenn took her to Costco. Amy loved Costco’s sampling program and appropriately call the samples: “SNACKIES”.  The handle has stuck. For example, the Kenny family rejoiced when “SNACKIES” reappeared after Covid. As it turns out, Amy claims that the term SNACKIES isn’t a British thing, just and Amy thing. To us it is simply a language gift.

Amy told us that the trendy British handle for SNACKIES is “Picky Bits”. Picky Bits are the English equivalent of tapas. Nearly half of Brits refer to British-style finger food as ‘Picky Bits’, with 52% choosing it as the meal of choice in warmer weather. (WalesOnline)

Amy came out to visit us in Westhampton recently and “SNACKIES”, became the appropriate theme for a light lunch. Past the catchy name, who doesn’t like snacks, that can also be called appetizers.

The menu:

The menu is interspersed with special local ingredients:

  • Royal Red Shrimp harvested in the very deep water off of the coast of Long Island.

  • Mom mom’s Herbs, picked from the herb garden outside the kitchen window that my mom nurtured for 40 years.

  • Heirloom tomatoes from the local farmstand.

  • Boar’s Head Mortadella a cousin of the bologna that was a staple of my youth

A smiling  Amy

Deviled Eggs with Royal Red Shrimp and Smocked Salmon

Mortadella & Peperoncino Crostini Bites
Fresh Ricotta & Heirloom Tomato Crostini Bites

Ham & Mortadella Roll-ups

Melon & Berries

Peaches and Banana’s with Brie and Blackberry Jam

Whether you call them SNACKIES or Picky Bits we have to thank our friends from across the pond for the perfect name for a quick/delicious meal. And, the Kenny family gets to thank Amy for a language gift and a fun time whenever we get together

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.

 

A Vineyard – Give Me A Break

Charles Schwab ran an ad about 12 years ago talking about “real life” investments strategies, that closed with the line saying:  Investing in: “A Vineyard – Give Me a Break”. Every time we visit a vineyard on the North Fork of Long Island, I think about this ad. While investing in a vineyard may not make financial sense. Spending an afternoon with friends, a picnic lunch and visiting a few vineyards in the Hamptons is pretty sweet.

Click on the picture to watch the ad

There has been a proliferation of vineyards on Long Island. Visiting a few is a lovely way to spend a summer or fall afternoon. However, in my tainted opinion, the wines are generally awful. I must qualify this with the confession that I have been trained as a flavor panelist 3 times. While 3 times might be a charm, the fact that I needed so much training, may be an indication that I don’t have a particularly discerning pallet.

The East End Wine Trail is a short 20 minute drive from our place in Westhampton

 The wine industry on Long Island is relatively new. The east end of Long Island has a rich agricultural history. In the past, Long Island has been famous for potatoes. The rich soil is a mixture of loam, sand, and gravel. Almost anything can grow out here. The Terroir for the grapes is also greatly influenced by the cool sea breezes coming off the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island sound. The local wine experts will tell you that the latitude and climate is vey similar to the Bordeaux region of France. The first vineyards were planted in the 1970’s and today there are over 40. There are over 25 types of grapes grown in the area. Some do better than others. The blended Bordeaux style wines get a better reception. Wine makers, given more tools, can make a more balanced wine. For some reason, I have wound up with a collection of dessert wines. After going through a tasting of 3 or 4 varietals, which is usually ended with a sampling of a late harvest, sweet wine. In order not to offend your host, one might feel obligated to buy something and the sweet wine isn’t bad. With this said, there is a reason why this collection doesn’t get consumed as quickly as other wines.

The “Usual Suspects” (Janice & Len Lewen, Kathy & Scott Flora, Kathy & Don Bell, Peggy & Phil Rose, photo credit goes to Joe and Amy Chaudoin) enjoying a September afternoon on the North Fork

Wölffer Estate Vineyards in Sagaponack (South Fork) is famous for its Rosé which they market as “Summer in a Bottle”. The wine might not be great, but the marketing is genius.

The concept of investing in a vineyard as an alternate investment strategy is often touted. For me, I will stick to investing an afternoon with friends on the North Fork. Friends, plus a little wine and a picnic lunch, that is a good investment.