You may have heard me slurping up drool on my facebook page the past couple of months over picnic food. There are so many good ideas (that links to 101 20-minute picnic ideas by the New York Times, seriously, click all these links, it’s not like I’m getting paid to say this, I’m just feeling very enthusiastic! Seriously.) out there, and I had a really hard time focusing and picking just a couple for this amazing event that I brought cheese to last year. Cheese is good, but I didn’t make it myself (a-hem, Tammy Kimbler MADE CHEESE this year, and you should check it out on her amazing blog, One tomato, two tomato) and it was kind of a cop-out when I love to actually cook. So! I stumbled across 2 amazing ideas – Cold Chicken Drumsticks (which became Cold Maple Mustard Chicken Drumsticks Recipe, because I had to!) and then, the Habanero Pickled Peaches Recipe, which is just an Epicurious Recipe with a little variation, but I HAVE TO SHARE IT, even if it’s not all mine. It’s that good.
Last weekend was one of the most fabulous events of the summer, the Dinner in White, or Diner en Blanc as the original movement in France would say. It’s a simple premise – wear white, bring white linens and napkins, fancy plates and real silverware, a dish to share, a bottle of wine, show up to a last-minute secret *public* location with everything you need and don’t leave a trace after the party is over. And, it’s quite a party. People stroll up and down the rows of tables to see what’s being served and delight in the elaborate table settings. There were candelabras, large paper lanterns, gorgeous floral displays, and as the sun sets everyone lights sparklers – but the highlight is always the food.
Cold Maple Mustard Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
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12 Chicken Drumsticks (loosen skin to trim later)
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Marinade:
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1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
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2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
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1/4 Cup Stone Ground Horseradish Mustard
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1/2 Cup EVOO
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2 Cloves Minced Garlic
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Salt and Pepper to Taste
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Extra for Brushing:
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1/4 Cup Stone Ground Horseradish Mustard
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1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
1. Loosen chicken skin and pat drumsticks dry with paper towel, put in ziplock bag
2. In a medium metal mixing bowl, mix together ingredients
3. Pour marinade into ziplock bag, squeeze air out and refrigerate chicken and marinade for 2 hours or more (from my googling as long as it’s not too acidic, you’ll be fine overnight)
4. Preheat the grill and remove chicken skin completely with kitchen sheers
5. Grill on indirect heat for 35-45 minutes, until cooked through, brushing each side with extra mixture while grilling
6. Let cool to room temperature and keep in the fridge until picnic time!
3.1.07
Habanero Pickled Peaches Recipe
Adapted from Epicurious, Lisa Fain
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3 Pounds Fresh Peaches
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1 Cup Raspberry Cider Vinegar (you can make your own or just use all Apple Cider Vinegar)
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1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
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1 Cup White Sugar
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2 Habanero Chiles
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2 Cinnamon Sticks
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4 Whole Cloves
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Water to Fill
1. Sterilize 2 1-Quart Jars
2. Cut an “X” on the top and bottom of each peach, cutting through the skin only
3. Boil a large pot of water
4. Blanch peaches for 30-45 seconds
5. Rinse in cold water
6. Peel skin off peaches
7. Cut peaches into quarters and remove pits
8. Place peaches equally in 1-Quart Jars and let peaches cool to room temperature
9. In a stockpot heat sugar and cider on medium high heat, stirring until dissolved
10. With gloves, cut habanero into quarters, removing most (but not all) of the seeds
11. Add cinnamon sticks, cloves and habaneros
12. Let simmer on medium low heat for 10 minutes
13. Pour mixture into jars evenly, each jar should have 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and 1 cut habanero
14. Fill to the top of the jar (before the lid section) with water
15. Let cool to room temperature
16. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks
3.1.07
h2 Comments
Sandy said:
Glad you enjoyed the event. It’s become one of my favorite annual events!!! Sending you one of my favorite articles about the Paris event … after finishing reading it, I realized Danielle Steele wrote it – no wonder it’s done so nicely. She mentions how they get ready, set-up and enjoy the evening, some of the “rules” and how people abide by them – fun and respect are the two words she uses to describe the event. I couldn’t agree with her more. http://daniellesteel.net/blog/2011/06/paris-dinner-white-magic/ This year was my favorite, although the first two years were so incredible, the day after the event, we started talking about the next year! Cheers!
The Realistic Housewife said:
Thank you for that link! I was looking for a good write up on it. That’s perfect! And, of course Danielle Steele would be one to write about it. It’s such a magical, romantic night! I loved it this year at the Sculpture Garden, mostly because I got to bring my husband this year. But, last year was a great location, too. We had just gotten back from London and it had such a European feel in the middle of downtown St. Paul. It’s always most of dreaming of where it will be next time, and what to make, of course!