Do You Have a House Specialty?

I’m a stubbornly bad cook, so no one comes to my house to enjoy a gourmet meal. (It’s my bright personality!!) But I have one thing available that is always a crowd pleaser…

My kitchen is stocked with loose leaf lemon verbena tea. In my opinion, it’s a perfect after-dinner drink, but more importantly, it’s an easy way to keep people around a little longer when I don’t want the night to end.

A friend of mine always has cold cans of mineral water waiting in the refrigerator; another friend hands out these fancy refreshments. The first one usually cooks, the second one usually orders Ethiopian takeaway from us. Needless to say, I love visiting them both. My dad makes Boursin cheese and pretzel chips from Costco, which are a perfect combination.

Lily Sullivan, the writer behind Love and Other Rugs, has perfected what she calls A Big Spread. That way, you can finish all the work before someone arrives, enjoy your own party without worrying about something in the oven, and simply replenish things as needed. “I’ve been inspired by restaurant dishes I love, like a stack of prosciutto fries from Ernesto’s or a fennel and olive dish from Altro Paradiso,” she said. “I want a feeling of abundance.”

Jenny Rosenstrach (who needs no introduction) prefers what she calls the store-bought starter. Since he likes to cook, he tries not to let the guests get full before dinner. “I prefer to serve snacks that ‘awaken the palate,’” he told me. “Salty potato chips (Cape Cod Kettle Cooked), bright pickles (Trader Joe’s), and pistachios are the holy trinity for me.”

Next on their menu is one of two recipes. Jenny says, “When I invite someone over for dinner, my brain immediately goes to the house specialties, which are pastas: Diane Kochilas’ Caramelized Onion Yogurt Pasta and my Pappardelle with Pork Ragout (which was anointed as a ‘genius recipe’ on Food52, partly because of how ridiculously easy it is to make). I can’t tell you how many times I’ve served them and the amazing thing is that I never get tired of either one.”

When I was chatting with Joanna about signature sandwiches, she told me I had to talk to Leah Wiseman Fink, who serves chips and onion dip year-round.

Curious, I asked Leah where she got the idea. “During college in Ann Arbor, I loved the feeling of walking down the street, seeing friends sitting on their porches and spending time together,” he said. “It was easy for my roommates and me to have chips and salsa on hand for visitors. I’ve been serving him ever since.” For fries, choose North Fork or Ruffles. For sauce, it’s Lipton.

“What I like most about being the house with chips and salsa is that it shows that we have an open door. You don’t need an invitation or an occasion; You are always welcome and I will feed you.” Isn’t that the best?

Do you have any house specialties? A crowd-pleasing snack or drink that you make sure you have in stock, or a recipe that people call yours? I love that you don’t have to be skilled in the kitchen to have one and that you can have one without even realizing it.

PS: The funniest hostess gift and how Joanna taught her kids to chat at dinner.

(Top photo by Maria Manco/Stocksy. Large spread photo courtesy of Lily Sullivan.)