Without pretension

Food Rules #5: Make good food without pretension.

One of my fondest memories from my times in the kitchen was being part of a team was cooking a meal for Julia Child. I was fresh out of the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) and working at The Campton Place with a team of talent I was proud to be a part of. Chef Jan Birnbaum was at the helm and upon reflection I would have to say my greatest teacher.
The high priestess of cuisine (and also very tall) Julia Child was coming in to the restaurant and we were all abuzz with foie gras-this and caviar-that we should serve her. “She has this stuff everyday,” Jan said. The main entrée he served was Halibut Fish and Chips in that day's San Francisco Chronicle. She simply loved it, and so it was with this concept.
So my cousin called me to ask about what to do for a bridal party that she was hosting.

“So what do you want to serve? Will it all be cold? Do your guests have a sense of humor?” I asked.

For some reason I remembered my grandmother's dish Yummy Meatballs and we decided to start their with the concept for the menu. But instead we call them Yummy Balls.

“Serve a whole Salami on a platter,” I said. “Or how about some Hot Pockets or little taquitos and call them pocket rockets.”

I thought some oysters on the half shell served with Prosecco (the sparkling wine of love from Venice).

“Prosecco is so sweet,” she said.

There is a Brut version that will be drier. The nice thing about Prosecco is that it has half the atmospheric pressure of Champagne and is a lot easier to drink. Plus it comes in crown cap bottles like beer so you don’t need the fine crystal flutes out for the ladies.

“Meat Sticks,” one could call the Brochettes... Marinated Flank steak on bamboo skewers with a fresh Thai Mak Nam (a Thai dipping sauce)... Macerated Blueberries inside mini Dove ice cream Bars: “Marital Bliss” or “Dr. Freud's.”