The Starving Musician Recipes
Easy Pool Party Menu
You don't need a Hollywood-size pool to have a great pool party: Throw
some kids' wading pools on the patio or on the lawn and do it Starving
Musician style. (Just watch out for the kids and pets, please.)
California London
Broil
Assorted Mixed Greens with
Rock
Star Dijon Vinaigrette
Grilled Corn
on the Cob with butter, sea salt, and freshly cracked ground pepper
Warm French bread (optional, but it stretches out the menu for a Starving
Musician's pool party)
Cherries and White Chocolate on Ice, or Cheesecake
from your favorite bakery (or both, if you're feeling flush or can con your
manager into bringing the cheesecake).
Cherries and White chocolate on Ice
This is fast, easy, refreshing, and casually
elegant...The crystal clear ice and dark cherries look beautiful together,
and if the sun's starting to set and the table is lit by unscented white
votive candles in clear glass holders, even better! Because of pits and
stems, this recipe is not recommended for small children.
Serves 6
1 bag crystal-clear cubed ice (crushed ice melts too fast for this recipe)
1 pound fresh Bing or other sweet dark cherries with stems, well-washed and
chilled (leave stems on)
2 3.5 oz (100g) bars Lindt Swiss White Chocolate (yellow wrapper)
1 large bowl (a slightly shallow bowl works best)
1 small to medium size bowl
1 plate or saucer that will fit atop the smaller bowl (right side up) like a
lid.
Large serving tray, optional, to carry it out to the party
Fill a large, shallow bowl a little more than halfway with ice cubes. Now
throw in a pound of well-washed and chilled Bing or other sweet, dark red
cherries, lightly arranging cherries and ice together just enough so some of
the ice peeks through. Set it on the large serving tray, if you're using
one.
Now take the smaller bowl and fill it to the top with ice; top with the
small plate or saucer that fits the bowl like a lid, removing a few ice
cubes as necessary for a good fit. You now have a chilled serving pedestal.
(White chocolate turns into goo at a pretty low temperature, so don't skip
this step!) Unwrap the white chocolate bars, break each one into 8 bite-size
squares, and throw 'em onto the chilled serving pedestal you made a second
ago. Set the whole thing on the serving tray alongside the bowl of cherries
and ice, and carry it out to your guests along with paper napkins and small
plates and/or disposable receptacles for the pits.
Tips and creative options: 1. Instead of white chocolate, try good
quality dark chocolate--Great with an aged steak and a really big red wine.
Valor dark chocolate from Spain, Lindt Excellence 70% cocoa (85% may be too
bitter for some guests), or Chocolate for Wine Lovers are all good. 2.Cherry
juice can stain. Quick action with cold water (ice!) and lots of blotting
usually does the trick. 3.What to do with the pits and stems: Depending on
what works with your party's decor, set out small plates, Chinese take-out
containers (available at party supply stores), small bowls, ashtrays, or
even Solo cups. 4. Instead of cherries, try well-washed and chilled red
seedless grapes, cut into small, 5 to 6-grape bunches, or well-washed and
chilled strawberries.
Lindt Swiss white chocolate, Lindt Excellence, and Valor dark chocolate are
available at Ralphs supermarkets in California. Chocolate for Wine Lovers is available at gourmet shops like
Wally's Wines in West Hollywood, CA.
Recipes ©2006 Randi Reed
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