The World of George Zaharoff
My Dreams. My Passions. My Life. A Gentleman's Journey.
The World of George Zaharoff

Wine Selection



It is inevitable that more and more people are serving wine when they either entertain or have family meals. Tradition shows us that one particular wine goes with one particular food, but unless the meal is strictly formal, there is no reason that the host may not choose any wine he thinks his guests would prefer. In the present day, American vineyard have fine wines now and their low prices have made wine available to almost every family. Whether you prefer white, red, the dry or the sweet varieties is a matter of your own taste, and in many parts of the country, there are regional preferences as well. The most significant fact to remember is when choosing a wine make sure to compliment it with the food you are serving it with. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 30 March 2012, 7:54 AM

Utilizing the Buffet in the Dining Room


A charming way of serving a small group of friends or a family party is to arrange the food on the sideboard or a side table and set the dining room table as for a sit-down dinner. There are two alternatives that can be executed. First, after your guests are seated, the host serves each plate, asking the guests, "Do you like your meat rare, medium-well, or well done?" or "Do you take cranberry sauce and stuffing?" The hostess passes the plate, seating herself with her own plate next to last, and the host helping himself last. She may tell her guests as she passes the plates around, "Please start, so that your dinner won't get cold."

Secondly, the guests may serve themselves just like at a regular buffet and carry their plates to the table while the hostess watches to see if her guests miss any of the sauces or side dishes. Remember, the hostess serves herself after the guests, and the host is the last. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 28 March 2012, 9:41 AM

Buffet Dinner Seating Chart

There are two different types of seating arrangements at a buffet dinner. First, the guests may simply return to the living room where there should be enough chairs to accommodate the whole group, hold their plates on their laps, and set their glasses on the nearest table. The guests will be much more comfortable and there would be much less of a chance for an accident to occur, either to your rug or to your guests' clothes, if you set a small table by each chair, or at least by each chair not within easy reach of a coffee or side table. 


The second way of seating your guests is to set out small tables in your living room, dining room, or library. This arrangement would be dependent on having large enough rooms so that the tables will not be in the way before dinner or while the guests are serving themselves. If there is space then seat your guests accordingly because most men and women prefer to be seated in this way.

Tables are usually covered with cloths that can be purchased in all colors and styles, in bridge-table size. The places are set exactly as for an informal dinner so guests do not need to carry silverware with them and there is lots of space saved on the buffet table. If the living room is being used then the hostess must take the tables out after the meal to make room for conversational groups or whatever activity she may have planned. At a bridge party, of course, the hostess takes out whatever is left on the tables and removes the cloth, leaving the tables ready to be used. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 26 March 2012, 9:41 AM

Invaluable Hot Plate

No matter which type of buffet you are serving, the most valuable piece of equipment you could have to keep your dishes hot is an electric hot plate. It is a great convenience to have one and your plates can be heated and your meal kept warm for an almost indefinite period of time. As long as your finished dish is covered so that it will not dry out, it may be placed on a hot plate an hour or more before dinner and be as delectable when it is served as it was the moment it was taken from the stove. 

The only exception, of course, is a souffle, which must be served at once, and for this reason is not recommended for any large serve-yourself party. Furthermore, with an electric appliance on the buffet table, there's no need to take the dishes to the kitchen to be kept warm for second helpings. Finally, it's unnecessary to watch and replace fuel for flame-heated chafing dishes. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 20 March 2012, 9:38 AM

Buffet Invitations




If you get invited to a buffet dinner be courteous in either accepting or declining the invitation. Invitations are usually written on an informal note paper or across the top of the Face of your "Mr. and Mrs." visiting card. When you receive your invitation don't forget to answer promptly for otherwise the hostess will have no idea how many to provide for. The answer can be either telephoned or sent on a visiting card, saying "Sat. Jan. 20th with pleasure."

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 19 March 2012, 7:55 AM

Informal Luncheon Preparation

Just as the informal dinner is a less elaborate version of the formal dinner, so the informal luncheon resembles the informal dinner. The guests are usually all women, although on weekends or holidays it's not uncommon to have a mixed group. If men are invited then the meal is likely to have a stronger resemblance to the informal dinner, although the menu will be shorter than the dinner menu. 

The type of luncheon you give depends upon the resources you have at your dining room. The number that can be seated at your table, and the help that you will have with the serving. If you are one of those who have a very small dining room, or perhaps no dining room at all, but have a living room or patio large enough for two or three small tables to be set up, a luncheon of eight or twelve, is one of the nicest parties imaginable. 


Each card table should be set with a cloth, either white or colored, a yard and a half square, which is much the best covering for lunch as well as dinner on small tables. Any type of style of small tablecloth will do but should be exactly alike. It is better to have simple, matched ones than assorted, elaborate ones. A small flower arrangement makes a great centerpiece. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 15 March 2012, 9:37 AM

Proper Buffet Table Setting

The difference in principle between a buffet table and an ordinary table setting is that objects of utility are of first importance and unless there be ample space for both, objects that are used as ornaments must but omitted. The hostess must choose wisely for centerpieces. Flowers would be lovely for a centerpiece but if it's a question of choosing between decorative flowers and edible fruit, a centerpiece of dessert fruit is preferable. The same goes candles, if the table is crowded then candles are better left off. If they are needed then candelabra are better than candlesticks because, first, they give better light and, second, they are less likely to be knocked over by a guest reaching for food. 


If there is a big party then it is better to leave the table in the center of the room, so that two lines of guests may serve themselves at once. The most important dish is divided into two parts, and one plate or casserole placed at each end of the table. The plates are in two stacks beside them with silverware and napkins arranged next to the plates. Dishes of vegetables, salads, bread and butter, and sauces and condiments are on each side of the table so that guests need to pass down only one side creating convenience and from turning back and bumping into each other.


Your table may be set as formally or informally as you wish. Using a white damask cloth, silver candelabra, and an elaborate centerpiece, your buffet will appear quite formal. The elegance of the utensils and decorations won't be what attracts your table but the combination of dishes, linen and silver in the way they are arranged on the table will. Colors also play a significant role in the beauty of a buffet table. If you use copper bowls or a kettle, red-cheeked peaches, apples, even a few tomatoes to add to the copper red, are effective. Remember that if you use copper, keep all the autumn tints in mind. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 12 March 2012, 9:36 AM

Suggested Menu for a Luncheon

MENU

Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs or Lasagna
Mixed Green Salad
Choice of Roquefort, French, Italian Dressing
French or Italian Bread, Butter
Lemon Ice
Coffee

Beef & Pork Ragù Lasagne Recipe

For a summer evening:  Three of four varieties of cold sliced meats such as
Ham, Turkey, Roast Beef, Lamb, or Cold Cuts
Scalloped Potatoes
Vegetable Salad
Buttered Rolls
Vanilla Ice Cream with Green Mint Sauce
Cookies
Coffee


Friday evening suggestion for guests who may wish not to eat meat:

Lobster or Shrimp Newburg    Beef Stroganoff
Rice
Green Peas and Onions
Croissants
Caesar Salad
Cheese and Crackers
Fresh Fruit (apples, pears, seedless grapes) 
Coffee


There is really no rule for which types of dishes to serve at a buffet. No matter which dish you happen to choose so long as they are good of their kind and easy to eat. Otherwise, choose a reasonable amount of common sense in selecting dishes that will be satisfying to the people invited. It wouldn't be wise to feed hungry men dabs of hors d'oeuvre, samples of fruit salad, and meringues. For women alone, food might be trifling; but for normal men with good appetites, you should provide three or four dishes that are substantial, and at least one dish should be hot. If you have a large party then it would be wise to serve two main dishes. Be sure to compliment your main dishes by the same vegetables and condiments or you will have more preparation than you can handle and not enough space on your table for all dishes. There are countless delicious menus to be tried; the only limit is your imagination.


Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 8 March 2012, 9:33 AM

Informal Luncheon Food & Beverages

If you wish to serve cocktails before lunch, you may, but the time should be limited, especially if everyone is looking forward to playing cards. The drinks served should be of a milder type than those served before dinner such as Sherry, Dubonnet, and vermouth, either "on the rocks" or in a wine glass, are ideal luncheon cocktails, but you may, if you know your friends prefer them, serve martinis or daiquiris. Iced tea and iced coffee are delicious with luncheon, especially in the summer. It's nice to give your guests a choice by passing a tray with a pitcher of each or by having it available close to the buffet table. A pitcher of ice water should also served, which the guests may help themselves. One thing that hostesses tend to forget is that five people out of six long for a cold drink in the afternoon more than anything else. Occasionally sandwiches and cookies are brought in, as well as the iced tea, but these aren't necessary when bridge follows a luncheon. 

MENU

Clam or Oyster Chowder with Oyster Crackers
Fruit Salad and Cottage Cheese
Melba Toast
Chocolate Mousse 
Coffee


Two or three courses are sufficient at any informal luncheon. You can serve more than the average amount of courses and then move to the bridge table, but you will most likely find some of your players falling asleep over their hands. 



Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 5 March 2012, 9:31 AM

The Buffet Party

As the guests enter the party, the host and hostess greet them and perhaps introduce any who may for the moment find themselves alone. You must always be remember, of course, that at every small and particular party (as distinguished from a huge and general one) the roof of a friend's house serves as an introduction, and one talks with those whom one finds nearby, whether they know them or not. 

When the guests have arrived and the cocktails, if served, are finished, the door into the dining is opened and people in more or less of a queue file around the dining table. The woman as well as the men help themselves, because they like to see what there is to eat and to take what they prefer. Sometimes, a man may ask a woman what she would like, fill a plate, and take it to her.


A man seeing a woman sitting without a plate or with an empty one naturally asks her (whether he knows her or not), "Can't I get you something to eat?" If she says, "Yes, please," he brings her what she pleases. But most likely she says, "Thank you, but I'm going into the dining room in a moment." If your guests continue to sit and wait to be served, the hostess has to direct her guests but saying, "Please go into the dining room and help yourself to what you like." Directing  your guests back to the dining room would be convenient if they end up blockading the table with long conversation. 

The only serving detail of significance is the clearing  away of used dishes and unceasing emptying of ash trays. In a house with servants, every plate is removed as soon as it is put down and filled ash trays are constantly replaced. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 1 March 2012, 9:30 AM

Serving the Informal Luncheon

If your the hostess of a informal luncheon without the help of a maid, it would be wise to make your party a buffet luncheon. The food should be set out as for a buffet dinner, on the dining-room table or any table with sufficient space, but for a ladies' luncheon, the fare is much simpler than for a dinner. Among a group of eight or twelve women, there are almost always some woman watching their calories, so a delicious but light meal is far more appreciated than one dressed with rich sauces and ending with a lot of sweets. 

Luncheon of the Boating Party (1881) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir


As soon as you announce that the luncheon is served, your guests file past the table and serve themselves, taking their plates to the card tables and seat themselves with whomever they wish. If you have a course before the entree, it should be already be on the tables when the guests arrive, and they sit down and finish it before they move on to the main course. If there isn't a maid to help, then the guests should take their empty plates and leave them on a side table as they move on to their next course. While they are helping themselves, you may remove the soiled dishes to the kitchen.  

The same procedure is followed when the guests are ready for the salad or desert. You then ask your guests to go to another room, or least to leave the tables and sit on more comfortable chairs to have their coffee, giving yourself a chance to clear away glasses, silverware and cloths from the table and if bridge is to follow, set out the cards. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 29 February 2012, 10:58 PM

Informal Evening Dance

Dances that are less grand and formal than balls may be given for any number of reasons, from the very specific - introducing a new neighbor, perhaps - to the very general - your friends like to dance and no other excuse is necessary. Whatever the occasion and degree of informality, certain points should be kept in mind if your dance is to be a success. 

If your dance is for adults, the invitations are usually written on a visiting card or an informal. An invitation for young people can be written in the same way, but unless it is quite a formal affair, invitations are more often sent out on commercial "party" invitations, which have an attractive drawing on the outside and space for writing time, address, and type of party on the inside. Remember to include at the bottom a hint for the dress code. In our present day, young peoples' parties, even dances, are so informal that clothing may be anything from suits for the men and "party dresses for the ladies. An R.S.V.P with a telephone number beside it is the surest way of having some idea of how many will be at the party. An invitation may always be by telephone whether it is for a young person's party or for an adults. 


Decorations aren't too important. A few flowers may be placed where they are not in the way. If the party is held during a holiday season, appropriate decorations such as Christmas ornaments or Valentines on the walls add a festive note. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 28 February 2012, 9:30 AM

Outdoor Dances

If you are fortunate enough to have a smooth terrace, a stone patio, perhaps beside a swimming pool, or even a built-in dance floor in the lawn, an outdoor dance on a summer night is a great way to entertain your guests. To set up this venue small tables should be near the dance floor, which enough chairs for all who are not dancing. The bar, if you are serving liquor, and the table with refreshments should be nearby. 

Plenty of light is important. If music is provided by an orchestra, there must be plenty of light for them to see their music, and also for the bartender and waiters if you have them. The guests would be delighted to be able to dance on a moonlit floor, but when they are ready to sit down, uneven ground or steps may be a hazard if not well lighted. 

An All-Safe® Platform Pool Cover transforms your swimming pool into a dance floor

Before you plan an outdoor dance, arrangements should be made to insure the guests' comfort in case of rain. As the host or hostess you must be prepared to either have a large enough tent or marquee available to cover chairs, tables, and dance floor, or to be able to move the entire party into your house. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 27 February 2012, 10:57 PM

Manners and Music

The most important aspect in assuring the success of a dance is good music. Therefore, although you may save as much as you can on decorations and refreshments, spend as much as you possibly can on the music. If it is within your means, hire the best musicians you can. It is essential to know your guests music taste prior to the venue.The genre of the music will depending on the age of your guests. If the guests are in their fifties, they will probably not want to dance the latest of the teen-age set all night. If you can not hire musicians and will be using a mixer be sure to choose music that is specifically intended for your guests.  Be sure to choose popular songs that everyone knows. If songs have a great beat and rhythm to it then it could be danced to. 


Good manners at a dance are the same for young and old alike. Whatever the local customs about cutting in, double cutting ( that is when you switch partners on the dance floor), and so on, a man must dance with his hostess, and he must dance the first and last dance with the lady he brought to the party, be it friend or wife. At a dance where the guests are married couples, there may be few or no extra men, and the only time to change partners is during the intermission or when the music starts again. At this type of party, there are always tables to which the couples return between dances. The men must ask their wives, as well as the women next to them and their hostess, to dance. If the hostess is at another table, a man must make sure that all the women at his table have a partner to accompany them on the dance floor before asking the hostess to dance. Under no circumstances should the men hold a "stag party" in the bar, leaving the women at the table without partners. When the dance is over, every guest must, of course, find his host and hostess, and thank them for the evening. 


Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 24 February 2012, 10:56 PM

What Defines A Social Media Superstar?

By Guest Author, Maureen Jacobs 

There seems to be a lot of lists going around regarding top social media superstars.  There is a list for women, a list for men, a list for top fashionistas, a list for top Facebook Fan Pages, and I thought I saw a list of top social media lists worth reading.

So I ask myself, what makes a "social media superstar?" Does it go by followers, by following, by having a verified account, for having a high reputation score, or is it simply a popularity contest? Going through the lists, I noticed some of my faves absent.  In no particular order, where is @momsofamerica? how about @teeco71?  Why isn't @emtalkery there?  Did anyone see @anntran_?   Perhaps @thethread crossed your line of sight, well @jeffrago is there, he has to be! 



Don't get me wrong, many of those people on any given list, earned their spot on the list or lists. But what I don't understand is the process of it all.  How are these lists compiled?  Is there an equation such as followers squared divided by following cubed plus number of pets they have and throw some lists on top?  



In my world, it is difficult to define the line between promoting my cause or causes, and being real and engaging.  I try very hard to be personal without being nosy, chatty without being Cathy, and even maintain friendships with many of my 'twibe'.  On the other hand, social media is fundamental to marketing a brand, in this case yourself. 

Moving on to the next question, which social media outlet is the best?  Should you use one or twenty - one?  Is there one preferable over the other?  Which ones are the best for me, my business, my image, my brand?  



Recently, I spoke with an employee of a top Management Software company that is scrambling to create a department that strictly deals with social media.  Using Twitter, Facebook, and a plethora of other outlets to keep up with the ever changing world of consumerism.

Furthermore, social engagement increases brand recognition, grabs a wider audience, and by keeping the conversation going, it goes far beyond what a print ad can do.  With social media, you can feel closer to your brand, be in contact with the company, and believe it or not, you can get much better customer service.  

So what makes a social media superstar?  You tell me.


Posted by Maureen Jacobs at 23 February 2012, 6:35 AM

Picnics

From earliest spring until latest autumn the very proposal, "Let's give a party," almost certainly suggests a picnic to those who enjoy them. When going on a picnic you must bring the packing of a lunch basket, with things to eat and drink, and then either walking or sailing, bicycling or driving to some pleasant outdoor spot, and eating this lunch or supper. Even though picnics can be very delightful when well organized, they can be altogether awful when mismanaged. Therefore here are a few general directions for the benefit of those who want to have a successful picnic. 


There are several ways of organizing a picnic. The first way is to give the entire picnic yourself, inviting the guests by telephone. If your guests accept, tell them the hour and where the picnic will take place and possibly ask them to bring a blanket or back rest if the party is large and you don't have enough for everyone. Or you may call your guests and tell them that you are trying to get a group together for a picnic Saturday night. Telling your guests that you will be bringing the steaks, and asking each couple to contribute one dish. Lastly, a group of friends may simply arrange to picnic together, each family bringing their own food and cooking it over a community fire. It would be rather fun to see what others have prepared, and often there is considerable trading and sharing. This sort of picnic is especially good if children are included, as each mother knows best what her young ones will eat most happily. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 21 February 2012, 10:55 PM

The Future of Colour #trends #fashion

It's that time of year when all the trends come out - the most important one is the colour trend.  Colour plays a huge part in our lives, from what colour you will put on your walls to what you will be wearing next year.  The colours are decided years in advance and then the dyes are given to the mills, the mills dye the yarns and it makes it's way to the designers who then designs the clothing.  The clothing hits the runways, which are bought by the stores and ultimately make their way into your closet.  It's a huge global machine. 









As you can see, we are getting into cobalts (blues) and interesting shades of red (as in board four, first row, first colour, called Amaranth) - notice on the first board, top second row is another shade of red called "flame" -


Posted by George Zaharoff at 14 February 2012, 12:19 PM

The Decisions of Dance

The program or dance card has some undeniable advantages. A girl can give as many dances and dance with whomever she chooses; and a man can be sure of having not many but uninterrupted dances with the one he most wants to be with - if she is willing. But the dance card is unheard of at private balls, probably because the youth of today does not care to take his pleasure on schedule. He likes to dance when the impulse moves him and he likes to be able to stay or to leave when he pleases. In New York, for example, there are often two or three dances given on the same evening, and he likes to drift from one to the other just as he likes to drift from one partner to another - or to maybe not dance if he chooses not to. A man who accepts an invitation must be there on time. And if he does not engage his partners at the opening of the evening, he cannot dance at all - he may not want to, but he hates not being able to. 


So again we come back to the problem of the average young girl, whose right it is, because of her youth, to be light-heartedly happy, not terrified, wretched and neglected. The best solution seems to be for her to belong to a group whose members can rely on each other during the evening. Or the problem may be solved for her if her hostess has been thoughtful enough to have efficient ushers at her dance. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 23 January 2012, 5:01 PM

Teas and Receptions

Afternoon parties range from the very dignified reception to the more or less formal tea party to the quite casual cocktail party. The reception today has become primarily a state affair, a public gathering in honor of a prominent personage or an important event. Receptions most frequently take place on the diplomatic or civic levels and are handled, as in the case of official dinners, by a competent staff. 

The major difference between a reception and a tea is one of atmosphere, like the difference in furnishing twin houses. A reception takes itself seriously while a tea party, no matter how formal it may be, is friendly and inviting. We do not go to be impressed or instructed, but rather to enjoy seeing our friends and be seen by them. 

The Tea Party


Afternoon teas are given in honor of visiting celebrities, or a new daughter-in-law,  new neighbors, to "warm" a new house, or for a house guest from another city, or, as is most often  the case, for no reason other than that the hostess feels hospitably inclined. The invitation is a standard visiting card with "Julie. 10, Tea at 4 o'clock" in the lower corner, opposite the address, and, if appropriate, "To meet Mrs. Harvey Montgomery" across the top of it. Or it may be telephoned. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 20 January 2012, 4:59 PM

Luncheon Menu

The Menu
1) Fruit, or soup 
2) Eggs or shellfish
3) Fowl or meat (not a roast)
4) Salad
5) Dessert

At a luncheon there shouldn't be more than five courses. Usually, four is sufficient for the longest and is the most elaborate luncheon possible. Your first course consists of either fruit or soup. A popular course is melon, grapefruit, or any sort of fruit cut into very small pieces, with sugar and maraschino, rum or a liqueur. It can be served in a special bowl-shaped glasses that fit into long-stemmed and much larger ones, with a space for crushed ice between; or it can be put in champagne glasses, after being kept cold as long as possible in the refrigerator before being sent to the table. 

Soup at a luncheon is actually never served in soup plates. Instead, soup is served in two handle cups. It is eaten with a teaspoon or a bouillon spoon, or after it has cooled sufficiently it is drunk from the cup, which is lifted to the mouth with both hands. Lifting your pinkies while attempting to drink from the cup will either make you look silly, as it is only done while drinking teas. In the winter a bouillon, turtle soup, or consommé, and in the summer a chilled soup: jellied consommé, madrilene, or vichyssosie. 

Vichyssosie Soup

Lunch-party egg dishes must number hundreds of different varieties. Eggs that are substantial and rich like eggs Benedict or eggs stuffed with Pâté de foie gras and a mushroom sauce, should be balanced by a simple meat, such as broiled chicken served with a salad, combining meat and salad courses in one. 

Pâté de foie gras, French for "Fat liver", is considered the ultimate culinary delight.

The menu of an informal luncheon, if it does not leave out a course, at least chooses simpler dishes: a bouillon or broth, shirred eggs or an omelette, then chicken or a chop with vegetables, a salad of plain greens with crackers and cheese, and a pudding, ice cream, or mousse or any of the light desserts.

All of the menus suggested above are for lunch parties. If you invite women you know are trying to diet, the menu will obviously be shorter and simpler. In other words, when lunching with intimate friends, you have the kind of food they like. 

Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 18 January 2012, 4:58 PM
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