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@dashofginger Budget not crazy but not strictly limited. Thoughts on venue/caterer?

@MMinNYC thank you for the thoughts! will check out Bx Bot Gardens & Bubby's - hadn't been sure about either. And glad to hear you like the book!

@kristin yep, a restaurant would absolutely work.

thanks guys!

hmm. i never cook with non-alch wine. One option would be to use just a slash of white vinegar to deglaze the pan and omit the wine altogether. It's really for flavoring.

@kris10 Whole Foods. How much does coconut milk cost in your area?

@Gator Pam Never tried coconut milk from the carton! I'd compare fat content...if it's similar, I bet it'll work.

@ell.victor You're right--roasting a chicken can be economical. Those organic ones do get kind of pricey, and I can't always resist them.

@PoliSciGal You can use chicken breasts, you just have to be more careful about drying them out--I'd probably skip the browning, and start checking for doneness at about 15 minutes.

Roasting em takes tomatoes that kinda suck and make them suck a whole lot less.

Thank you for the suggestions--glad to know Brighton Beach will live up to my expectation.

However...take a look at Fresh Direct's site. I consider their meat reliable, and it costs $1.99/lb there.

I love the book--though I have to admit that it is sometimes more fun to read than to cook from. I love the Cambridge recipe, so it brings back memory. One dish that I can recommend heartily is the carrot dip (a version of this one, I think?)--I believe I've modified it, using simpler spices etc., and it's delicious every time.

Good luck!

@Ro B Glad you liked the risotto! Dutch ovens are nice for when you need to cover food, and I like my Le Creuset ones because they distribute heat so nice and evenly.

Mine would be about throwing dinner parties at which at least half the guests have some kind of dietary restriction--so what menu emerges when I account for non-dairy, kosher, kids, vegetarians, etc.

you should follow one of peter berley's recipes for arepas. he puts shredded cheese in the arepa dough and it melts as the arepas cook. just delicious.

I have to say, humble as these sound, they also sound quite delicious.

Matzoh Crunch Ice Cream! Or just Matzoh Crunch.