MaryWynn's Profile

Basic knife skills FTW. I remember the first time a friend saw how I slice a pepper his mind was blown like woah. I'd love to see a list of simple how-to animated gifs for knife skills.

Also, I just want to thank the Kitchn for having the least annoying of slideshows on the internet. Quite a few other publications I read have deeply heinous ones that take forever to move between slides.

I wouldn't recommend using styrofoam for a massive range of reasons, starting with toxic leaching and a tendency to degrade and leave icky petrochemicals in the ecology. You should avoid styrofoam, especially around food.

Eww, oil? That just results in pain and sadness. I do this both ways (folded or with two whole ones), and I often flip these with my TEFLON MITTS OF DOOM er my hands.

Hands-down my favorite drunk food.

Anybody have a favorite brand of tortilla they'd like to share?

When something goes wrong in an event I plan, whether it's for two or 200, I always remind myself that only I (and in the case of work, my colleagues), know the full plan. Most of the time guests are blissfully unaware of the absent garnish or timing snafu.

Don't call their attention to it, just enjoy the company!

My personal bar gets stocked thusly:

1) Brokers gin
2) Early Times bourbon
3) Prairie Organic Vodka
4) Seasonal something:
Autumn: Applejack, Great Lakes Pumpkin Spirit
Winter: Peppermint Schnapps, Chestnut Liquor, Tuaca
Spring: varies - often meant to pair with fresh herbs, citrusy things
Summer: Silver rum to make my sangria
5) Something funky - most often Great Lakes Absinthe or a pastis/ arak of some type.
6) Everclear or other high proof knock-you-on-your-backside kind of thing.

These are all well priced and good quality. If my personal faves aren't available, I rely on Great Lakes Distillery for the basics too. They're local for me though, and I do love me some local booze.

I prefer a mild-flavored gin like Brokers as a mixer. Most of my vodka-based cocktail experiences have been overwhelmingly sweet. Many vodka brands cater to that with their insane range of flavors, so I associate it with hangovers and misery.

I hosted a bridal shower to which a guest brought both her daughters without informing me beforehand. They insisted on opening gifts, refused all foods offered, and had a shrieking-circle dance-party during the games. Mom ignored them.

While I hope this never happens again, I'd love some advice for how best to handle the situation. One of the other guests did corral them as best she could for short periods of time but I couldn't think how to politely approach the mother due to my level of annoyed-ness.

I had a crepe buffet for my birthday a few years ago and my friends went through three jars of homemade jams, a jar of nutella and one of PB, a bear of honey, multiple containers of berries, so much cheese like woah. It was complete and utter carnage. They still talk about it. Obviously I do too. It was awesome.

For our New Years Day Recovery Party, boyfriend and I did a DIY panini buffet using the Foreman Grill plus Bloody Marys.

Seriously, we are entertaining geniuses. You all want to hang out with us.

I don't care for the pattern selected, and I agree about not covering up a beautiful floor. But I think this is a great idea for hiding flaws in a less lovely or damaged floor.

I wonder that nobody's come up with floor decals like the vinyl wall decals that have been so popular the last few years.

I hate rosewater in sweets, but I love it in lemonade. Can it be Spring now please?