Q: I'm celebrating my birthday this year at Popup Dinner LA. I've invited about 10 people and we are responsible for bringing our own table settings, decorations, and meal. I'm really excited but I don't know what to make for the dinner. I want it to be a classy affair for my birthday. Ideas?
Sent by Rachael
Editor: What a fun idea for your birthday! Here's a little more info on the event from Rachael:
We won't find the location of the dinner until 3pm that day. We will show up and they will have tables and chairs set up for us, but we bring everything else. I believe they're selling 4000 tickets and everyone has to wear all white. I'd like to do all of the cooking but I'm not sure what to make or what to tell people to bring. I don't want to end up with a bunch of pasta salads or cheese plates so I'd like to be specific if people are going to be bringing something!
Here's the website for the event: PopUp Dinner LA
Readers, what ideas do you have?
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id imagine you would want to stick to things that are OK at room temp. Maybe 2 savory vegetable & cheese tarts, a salad with fairly hardy greens that wont get wilty fast, a summer soup that doesn't need to be served warm. maybe lemon bars or something for dessert.
I would stick with my go-to picnic recipes that I know travel well: a tomato/goat cheese tart, a caramelized onion/gruyere tart, roasted chicken (already carved). I'd take care of the main dish and dessert and assign side dishes and drinks. A nice vinaigrette-dressed potato salad or a chilled grain salad (I've been obsessed with Turkish kisir this summer) are great picnic dishes, too. If the idea of a main dish is too daunting for coordination/travel purposes maybe approach the dinner like a tapas or cocktail party and bring lots of filling apps/booze :)
A cold soup a very elegant soup and even a vegan or vegetarian dish that I found here:
http://www.deliciousdays.com/archives/2011/07/01/watermelon-strawberry-gazpacho-sweet-maldivian-memories/
It tastes wonderful, looks stunning and is very easy to prepare.
You might have to compromise on the grilled goat cheese...but otherwise. Just wonderful.
I've been thinking about this for LeDinner @ San Francisco in October. My idea so far for the main dish is Sous Vide Ossobucco, I would bring it in a hot bath "cooler", finish it with a torch at the table.
I only get a error message 404 when trying to get to the PopUp Dinner LA link
Thanks, Sherri. Should be fixed now!
I am intrigued by this...you pay $28 per person but bring essentially everything yourself, except table and chairs? How do people bring in all the lovely candlesticks, dishes, clothes. glasses, wine, and then all the food as well? With the numbers of people participating I imagine you can't be very close to your car...Wow...
Kelly in NYC (don't know how to tag!) do you have a good kisir recipe you could share? I've loved it in Turkish restaurants but never found a good recipe to make it at home. Thanks!
@CMMARIE. This is my standard base recipe, a lot times I subsitute whatever veg/herbs I have laying around...it's a pretty forgiving recipe.
2 C fine bulgur
1.5 C boiling water
3 T tomato paste
2 T Turkish red pepper paste
2 T pomegranate molasses
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 cucumber, peeled seeded and diced
1 long hot pepper, minced
1/2 bunch scallions, chopped
Bunch parsley, minced
Large handful mint, minced
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Rinse and drain bulgur with a fine mesh sieve. Stir together bulgur, 2 T tomato paste, and boiling water in a large bowl. Cover and let rest for 20 min.
After 20 min, fluff bulgur with a fork. Add remaining tomato paste, pepper paste, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste for seasonings, add more tomato paste if desired. Add all vegetables and herbs, stir in a drizzle of good olive oil.
Serve chilled. Delicious with dill yogurt sauce or good feta cheese!