VittlesVamp

For The Best Shrimp Ever...

I got a little nuts. Last week, I threw a Christmas Day dinner party for eight, Italian-style. Then on Wednesday, I threw yet another dinner party, this time for six and a Vietnamese fare-theme.

Both meals were delicious. The standout on Christmas was most definitely a Seafood Salad with Fennel and Celery.

At the Wednesday dinner, a deconstructed Summer Roll salad -- which, if I'm honest, was really a Bun -- was the dish everyone ooh-ed and aah-ed about. (Coconut Ice Cream with Mango Compote almost came in as a tie on that one, but the salad surprisingly edged it out.)

A special trick that connects the two wins?

Dry-brining the raw shrimp in a mix of a 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt per pound. Stir and let sit in the fridge for 15 - 30 minutes before cooking. It improves the texture of the shrimp tremendously. Have to tip my hat to Serious Eats for this intel.

So, go forth into 2024 and make delicious shrimp.

Southern Supper

I adore the magazine Garden & Gun. Sounds like a oddball subscription for a nice gal from Long Island, yes?

Well, yes.

Nonetheless, I love the way turning its pages makes me feel like I am taking a leisurely holiday in an idyllic dream of the modern South.

We all could use a dream right now, can't we?

I decided to take guests on a quick trip to my dream of below the Mason-Dixon with a Southern-themed dinner party that hit all the right notes -- starting with cocktail hour, of course. Sazeracs and French 75s were the go-to drinks. To make sure that no one was going to fade away before dinner, we had Deviled Eggs, Pimento Cheese, and paper-thin slices of Benton's Country Ham with Ritz Crackers.

Let me say that I had forgotten how good a Ritz Cracker can be. They are very good. Very, very good.

Then we sat down to a Bitter Lettuces Salad with Fried Pork Cracklings. The latter weren't exactly traditional Southern. Technically, they were Balkan since they came freshly fried from Muncan in Astoria. But were they good? They were very, very good.

The main dish was a winner too...

Chicken and Dumplings hot and bubbling out of the oven. Recipe by New Orleans Chef Donald Link. Not just good. Very, very good.

And them came dessert -- and it was a showstopper...

Banana Layer Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream inside, blanketed with Vanilla Buttercream and dotted with Candied Peanuts. Guests swooned. I love a good swoon. It was good. Very, very good.

Since the holidays are upon us, I am going to be very, very good to you -- and share the Peanut Butter Buttercream recipe. Enjoy it, y'all!

Peanut Butter Buttercream

1 lb. unsalted butter, softened
4 cups smooth peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cream the butter and peanut butter with an electronic mixer until completely smooth. Sift the powdered sugar and then add to the butters. Add vanilla. Beat in until fluffy.

Note: You only need to make half this much if you are just using for one internal frosting layer of a cake.