•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
THE VIRTUAL DINNER PARTY WORDS BY JEAN SCHINDLER & ALEX THOMPSON Cooking has always offered a sense of comfort. Fresh snickerdoodles and a patient ear for a struggling friend. Frustration after a hectic day being melted by the motion of chopping vegetables for a hearty stew. Reconnecting with old friends at backyard barbecues. So, with a lot more uncertainty in the world, it’s only natural the whole country has turned to the kitchen – from showcasing banana breads and viral whipped coffees, to introducing their sourdough starter house guests and even creating their own homemade Shake Shack burgers. And while we’ve been busy in the kitchen, we’ve also been busy on our phones and laptops, with video hangouts taking the communal place of kitchen tables and living rooms. So, at District Fray, we thought: Why not take your next House Party, Zoom, FaceTime, etc. up a notch? Flex those new culinary skills, tackle a fun and easy menu, and embrace the marvels of modern technology to create a virtual dinner party.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
The Menu Serves two, so multiply as many times as needed.
Cocktail “Everything’s Okay” sangria
Appetizer Bruschetta with balsamic tomatoes
Main Course Garlic- & herb-crusted shrimp lemon pasta
Dessert
How It Works This is supposed to be low stress; no one needs more of that right now. The entire meal takes 40 minutes (tops) to prepare – we have tried this out and also accounted for socializing. The menu involves very few ingredients – mostly pantry staples, or items that should easily be found on store shelves right now. And finally, this meal is social. Meaning, you should be able to chat while sipping cocktails and cooking together in your separate kitchens. Just as you would if friends were coming over IRL, set a start time for cocktails, appetizers and then dinner. With technology at play, allow time for any issues with connectivity folks may experience. I personally love a 6 p.m. cocktail start (my friends usually log on over the next 15 minutes). Around 6:45 p.m., start making dinner. Set up a solid spot to place your phone or computer so everyone can see you. In my kitchen, I plopped my laptop on a stack of books, facing the counter and stove. Encourage guests to get their cooking area clear and, as best they can, take care of any necessary prep before the call starts. For this menu, that might mean defrosting frozen shrimp, chopping tomatoes, slicing bread for the bruschetta, and zesting or juicing the lemon for the pasta. Once on the call, have everyone first get that cocktail and appetizer ready and enjoy cocktail hour as you chat away. When all are feeling ready, dig into the menu and keep the good times going. The hope is you get a unique evening with friends and family, sharing in the preparation of a meal (albeit a social distancing approved way) and all get to communally enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Pan-seared fruit with brown butter sauce 12 | MAY 2020
L to R. Sangria. Photo by Jean Schindler. Bruschetta. Photo by Alex Thompson.
