By Evyn Block

I remember when Halloween used to be a kid’s holiday. And a very Lo-Fi one at that. All you needed was some tinfoil and a box, and you were a robot. Now things have gotten decidedly more involved, and adult. (Which is not entirely a bad thing.) It’s great seeing your friends dress up as Sonny and Cher, Mr. and Mrs. Elvis (a.k.a. Mr. and Mrs. Jennifer Baum) or… Paris and Britney (really scary). 

Eva Scrivo, of the eponymous West Village salon, says her well-heeled clientele get “very into it”, asking her to break out the hair extensions, fabulous makeup and false eyelashes to discover their inner Brigitte Bardot, Barbara Streisand or Pink. Apparently, some of Scrivo’s clients like certain elements of their new sexy persona so much they integrate some of it into their regular look.

As for me, I will be using the holiday as an excuse to have some friends over for some fun orange cocktails, and give the kids some treats. Note: Do not give neighborhood children “healthy” Halloween snacks like raisins or Kashi and dried cranberries; they don’t appreciate it. Instead, make your own candy corn with this recipe from Boule in LA:

 1 cup sugar 

 2/3 cup corn syrup

 1/3 cup butter 

 1 tsp vanilla extract

 2 1/3 cups confectioner’s sugar

 1/4 tsp sea salt

 1/3 cup non fat milk powder

 Yellow and orange food coloring

Combine the first four ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to boil for five minutes; remove from heat. Sift the confectioner’s sugar, salt and milk powder. Add to the pot and stir until it is combined. Once it cools, divide the dough into three pieces. Add food coloring to the dough, keeping one dough white. Once this is done, roll each piece out into a rope. When you have three ropes, push them together so it forms one wide rope. Cut into triangles.

For a fun orange cocktail, make this Pumpkin Gingerbread Martini from Bar Marche in New York City:

1 inch cube ginger

1 bar spoon of brown sugar in the raw

2 ounces maple syrup

2 bar spoons pumpkin puree

3/4 ounce lemon juice

2 ounces Agua Luca Brazilian Cane Rum

Muddle the ginger and brown sugar together in a Boston glass. Add rest of ingredients. Shake and strain into martini glass; garnish with fresh cranberries.

Don’t forget to accessorize the table with Broadway Panhandler’s eyeball placecard holder. That'll scare your guests into submission! 

What I'm:

Reading              Dancing After Hours by Andre Dubus

Watching            A Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake

Eating                Homemade Lamb Bolognese

Listening To:       Jens Lekman’s “Oh You’re So Silent, Jens”

Going To:           Storytelling nights, courtesy of The Moth

By Rachel Baumgartner

The holiday season is soon upon us again!  How did that happen?  Don’t wait a minute longer, book your party now.  As the Special Projects Coordinator here at Bullfrog & Baum, I have had the privilege of learning a few things about parties.  Here are my tips for planning your holiday event.   

Timing is everything.  December is the most popular and obvious month to host a holiday party; reconsider this busy time and opt for a January or February post-holiday bash.  By choosing a date when things have calmed down, not only do you have more freedom with days, but you have more flexibility with the event space and, you might even get more bang for your buck.  A party in the New Year is a great way to extend the holiday cheer. 

Think outside the box.  Cocktail parties are fine, but why not try something different?  Talk to the private dining coordinator of your chosen venue and come up with a special evening that makes your party stand out.  This could include having a scavenger hunt, a themed event with specialty cocktails or having interactive performances. 

Get people involved. The more people feel like they have contributed to the event, the more they will enjoy it.  Sit down and chat with your group; listen to their opinions and take their feedback.  Make this year’s event a truly fun experience for all and one they will be talking about for years to come.   

For more information about Bullfrog & Baum’s private event spaces contact Rachel at rachel@bullfrogandbaum.com.

What I’m:

Reading                   Eve Green by Susan Fletcher

Watching                Time fly by!

Listening to             Kayne West

Eating                     Healthy bowls of soup. 

Drinking                   Concord Sour cocktail at Bobo

by Helen Baldus

If forced to choose one animal to consume for the rest of my life, there is no conundrum whatsoever: the pig.  Bacon, pancetta, prosciutto, tenderloin, shoulder, ribs, sausage (sweet & hot), chops, country ham, rillettes…did I mention bacon? I am from Iowa, you know.

Sure, I’d miss skirt steak, cooked medium-rare with chimichurri, a perfectly roasted chicken and Moroccan lamb tagine [OK, I’d miss them a lot] but, in my opinion, nothing beats the gastronomic versatility of the pig.

Case in point: A few weeks ago, while dining at Blackbird in Chicago, I had my own personal appetizer-to-dessert pork-fest.  It started with the crispy confit of Swan Creek Farm suckling pig, served with concord grape, roasted chiogga beets, housemade prosciutto and local cress. Next came the braised organic pork belly with Chinese broccoli, scarlet turnips, local cherries and BBQ consommé. And when it was time to order dessert, I simply could not resist completing the triptych, I had to have the Mission fig beignet with black raspberries, butterscotch and bacon ice cream.  Nothing else would do.

Let me tell you, bacon ice cream is good. Not sure I’d order it on a sugar cone on a hot summer day, but coupled with fried dough stuffed with figs and the tangy-yet-sweet Michigan raspberries [hands-down the best I have ever tasted], it was the perfect smoky, creamy complement. I could practically hear Homer Simpson cooing in my ear, “Bacon is GOOD.”

What I’m:

Reading         The Pedant in the Kitchen by Julian Barnes

Watching       Sopranos, Season 4 [on DVD]

Eating           Roasted Center Pork Loin with Leeks and Apples [homemade]

Listening to    Damian “Junior Gong” Marley, Welcome to Jamrock