Kelley Moore Puts the Spotlight On An Evening of Film and Food
| By Kelley Moore |
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Above: Creating the movie screen is as easy as placing two bamboo poles ($5.99 each at Half Price Pots) in the center of tall garden pots ($94.50 each at Half Price Pots). Hang a white sheet, tying off each end, to act as the screen. Orange votive holders ($40 each at Glassybaby) provide a warm glow in the base of each pot set among orange pansies. Adding two plywood side panels ($27.99 each at Home Depot) painted in chalkboard spray paint ($4.17 per can at Home Depot) provides a canvas to write information about the movie and cast members. If you don’t own one, rent a projector from Projector 123, which will ship a projector ($99) overnight, complete with instructions for setting up and using. (You will need to provide a laptop computer to connect to the projector and play the movie.) |
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Above:
I covered Eric’s table with an antique Bolivian blanket ($250 from
Bitters Co.) and added the cobalt and melon tumblers from Simplicity
Decor ($7.50 each), French Bull Tapestry salad and dinner plates from
Burnt Sugar ($10 each and $12, respectively) and Aqua margarita glasses
from Pier 1 ($7 each) to keep the design fun and vibrant. A large drink
dispenser from Liberty 123 ($254) holds sangria, and Robb Kirby’s
grilled prawns and pineapple tacos, topped with hand-picked cilantro
leaves and spiced sea salt, are mouthwatering and beautiful on this
oversized green melamine serving platter from Metropolitan Market
($29.95).
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Above:
Robb Kirby, executive chef of soon-to-be-opened Capitol Hill tapas
joint Barrio, and (not pictured) Barrio’s culinary director Harry Mills
and head chef Kristin Mills, prepared a menu of delicious Spanish
tapas, including tacos of flank steak “al Carbón.”
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Above:
Skewered bites of watermelon topped with Cotija cheese and pickled
jalapeño make a juicy, summery treat with a Spanish flair. Left:
Ceviche of halibut, teardrop tomatoes and roasted lime are served in
individual portions in these Picardie Bistro glasses from Cost Plus
World Market ($1.49 each).
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Above: I greeted my guests with Mexican shopping bags from Bitters Co. ($8) filled with various tasty treats for noshing during the flick, a hand-painted blue and white Mexican tile ($2 from Bitters Co.), a West Side Story soundtrack ($10.79 at Barnes & Noble) and a songbook, so they can sing along during the movie and at home. Right: A s’mores station where guests can craft their own dessert is a classic choice. The Amy Carson Designs reclaimed-wood end table from Bitters Co. ($400) and small pig terra grill from Cost Plus World Market ($19.99) keep the environment casual and fun. The small rectangle Quartet dishes from Crate & Barrel ($13.95 each) are just the right size for displaying all the yummy fixings, including a variety of Theo Chocolate bars to create exotic combinations. |
Courtesy Harry Mills, Barrio
(Makes 1 dozen tacos)
12 bamboo skewers
36 medium black tiger prawns (21–25s)
1 whole pineapple
2 tablespoons Achiote paste
1/2 pound butter
sea salt to taste
picked cilantro leaves
12 corn tortillas
Salsa
1 tablespoon canola or corn oil
1/2 white onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 habanero chile, halved (Do not handle the chile with your bare hands; use gloves)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 14-ounce can of fire-roasted tomatoes (Muir Glen)
juice of 1 lime
salt and sugar to taste
Salsa Procedure
Quickly sauté the onion, garlic and habanero chile in the oil for about 5 minutes. Do not let burn. Add the remaining spices and sauté for 1 additional minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10–15 minutes and remove the habanero. Puree the salsa with a blender or immersion blender and season with salt and lime juice. If the salsa is a bit too spicy, add a little bit of sugar to balance it.
Taco Procedure
Peel the pineapple and cut it into 1” by 1/2” by 1/2” wedges, each wedge should fit snugly into the curl of a shrimp. Peel, de-vein and remove the tails from the shrimp.
Skewer each piece with a pineapple wedge within each shrimp; there should be 3 shrimp and 3 pineapple wedges per skewer. Mix the butter and Achiote paste. Taste for salt and add some if necessary. Season the shrimp with salt and grill. Repeatedly brush with the Achiote butter while the shrimp is grilling. Pull the grilled shrimp and pineapple off the skewers and place in a corn tortilla. Garnish with salsa and picked cilantro leaves.
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Bring on the Bling
11/13/08 7:47 PMKelley Moore’s stylish ideas for exchanging gifts with your friends—a holiday jewelry swap
