Everyday Entertaining
A Taste of Mexico
The soirée takes place in an architectural masterpiece in Costa Caroyes, Mexico, built in the style of Luis Barragán. Called Sol del Orienta, this splendid home overlooks the Pacific, affording dramatic vistas in every direction; we staged the dinner in a magnificent pavilionlike structure with a thatched roof. I had been in the Guadalajara area to plan a wedding, then we took some time out on the coast. I’ve been to Mexico many times, and each time I go back there—or, for that matter, anywhere with such a depth and breadth of culture—I return with exciting impressions and stimulating new party ideas.
There are two kinds of Mexican food: the heavy standards of meat- and cheese-based tacos, enchiladas, and burritos, smothered in spicy tomato sauces with rice and beans on the side; and the lighter, more sophisticated “nouvelle” cuisine that has finally found its way north. This special occasion most definitely called for the latter. And to highlight the good food and fine company, I knew the aesthetic of the table ensemble had to be one of simplicity and clarity. I chose to leave the beautiful wooden table bare, avoiding placemats and instead using one lovely oval Italian-made serving platter per place setting. To complement these, I chose vintage-style oversized napkins and flatware along with handmade French glasses. In fact, all the crockery was handmade and craft-like, its charming irregularities ensuring that each piece was one of a kind.
Since the architecture was minimal and restrained and the table setting was simple, I wanted to balance all that coolness and clarity with plenty of bright festive colors—in the accoutrements as well as in the food. The centerpiece consisted of three stunning, sculptural protea blossoms placed in and around a big bunch of local plantains and studded with a couple of vibrant chartreuse cymbidium orchids. I added tropical leaves under the bowl and a handful of amber votive candles, and the table setting was complete. Then I realized I had forgotten the napkin rings. Necessity being the mother of invention, I used lavender blossoms, which are long and thin and flexible enough to be rolled up and tied around the napkins. In the end, I was glad I had forgotten those rings; the lavender turned out to be a lot more fun.
Timing
The soup can be made in advance and reheated. The fish sauce can be prepared in advance as well; the fillets themselves take about 5 minutes to cook. The flan for dessert requires about 30 minutes of prep time, followed by about 45 minutes of baking and 1 to 2 hours of refrigeration, so it’s best made the night before or the morning of.
Menu
Spice-Dusted Toasted Peanuts
Tortilla Soup
Red Snapper a La Veracruzana
Cilantro Rice
Ginger Flan
Mangorita
Sangrita
Tips
Choosing Mangoes
Cooking Rice
The Bain-Marie
The Magnificent Avocado
As always, there's more to come!
