Last,  September 11, I happily got to take part in the Kilmarnock-Irvington-Whitestone Rotary Bay Seafood Festival.  It happens yearly at Belle Isle State Park, a really lovely park near Lively, Virginia.

The sight for the festival is a nice peninsula that allows people to arrive by land or sea and have a nice view of the water.

They fill the area with tents serving a plethora of delicious goodies.

So here is the strategy:  There are very few picnic tables and they go fast, so you need to bring some outdoor folding chairs.  Some people even haul in their own tables, but that seems a little extreme.  They give you a small tray that is pretty sufficient, but requires multiple trips, which is the best way to eat your way around the items. What they don’t have readily available is eating utensils, there were spoons for soup and ice cream, but other than that you are on your own.  I would perhaps consider bringing a fork as some items served I would have preferred to eat with a fork. You will need to pace yourself as really you will want to try a bit of everything.

The Chow:

Clam Chowder, BBQ, Coleslaw, French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries with Cinnamon and Sugar, Corn on the Cobb, Hush Puppies, Crab Cakes, Soft-Shell Crabs, Scallops, Fried Fish, Salad,  Shrimp, Fried Oysters and Ice Cream.

For me the shrimp just cooked with Old Bay was a winner.  The shrimp were large and juicy, not over cooked or tough.  I also really enjoyed the Sweet Potato Fries, but would have preferred them more well done.  The fried oysters were delicious, hot and briney and very fresh.  Even the BBQ was quite tasty with a good smokey taste.

They had booths for wine, beer, mixed drinks and non-alcoholic drinks, and all the alcohol was included in the price of the admission ticket.

It wasn’t a gourmet extravaganza, but it was a beautiful Southern down home evening where friends and family gathered, ate good fresh seafood and listened to music while supporting the local Rotary Club.

I think Rotary is a really well run organization with excellent community involvement.  They support local, national and international causes such as eliminating polio.

Unfortunately and fortunately I didn’t win any of the raffle prizes- I was really looking forward to the crab lovers cruise for two with all you can eat crabs.  But I don’t know that I would have had a spot for the acryllic pelican painting.

Anyway this would be a good reason to make a trip to Northern Neck, you could stay at the beautiful Tides Inn or Hope and Glory Inn, enjoy some wine tastings at White Fences and check out some of the cute local shops in the area.

Tickets are 75% sold out, so act fast if you want to go!  I will have to miss it this year, due to my brother’s wedding… so the food at his wedding better be really good.

This hot weather has me wanting to wear nothing but silk and cotton, and makes me loathe the fact that attorneys are expected to wear suits.

But I was browsing through Lirola’s Casual Chic Women’s Wear and I instantly wanted a million things all of which could be work/weekend appropriate while being insanely comfortable.

This Soft Cowl Neck Dress could be worn to the office, and linen jacket could be thrown overtop for court appearances.  The plus this taupe is a year round color.

But I really drool over this Secret Garden dress which can be made with short or long sleeves. Can I just say how handy dresses and skirts with pockets are sometimes.

And this dress can be worn seven ways which is pretty cool.

But my real favorite is this ruffled pink top.

It would be so pretty with a skirt or under a suit.

All these pieces can be very work appropriate, but can also be weekend wear.  They just scream comfortable to me.  Plus they all look like they could handle the killer outside heat to brutal inside air conditioning factor that I have to plan for at my office.  You can choose from many different colors and fabrics for most all designs, and  most have sleeve length choices too.

Readers,

Here is my tip:

Top Gear- watch it.

Top Gear is a British TV show devoted to cars, yes, cars.  I know that sounds just positively boring, but it isn’t.  In fact it is a really witty, fun television show that will not only help you pick out your next car (or the fantasy super car of your dreams), but will give you conversation with men, or if you are a man it will give you and the girl of your dreams something to watch together.

Girls, any guy worth his weight in chocolate will know Top Gear and appreciate your enthusiasm.  And if a nice gentlemen you know doesn’t know Top Gear, but checks it out on your recommendation you will instantly become much cooler in his eyes.

But the thing is—- you will enjoy this show, REALLY.  And yes, there is going to be an American version, and it will of course, suck, so you have to watch the original.  Top Gear is a great conversation starter and I always think it is nice to have a topic that you can talk to most anyone about, Top Gear is that.

The genius of the show is that it is a car show with fun spiffs, like their journey across Africa in non-four wheel drive cars (not on roads of course).  They have a new star each show that drives their test track in a reasonably priced (read normal, rather cheap) car and competes for the best board times, Jay Kay was the current board leader last time I checked, but Simon Cowell and Gordon Ramsey did very well too.  They build cars that turn into boats with limited success, and all sorts of silliness. They don’t just sit around talking about cars and driving them, although they do test new cars, they have all sorts or outrageous challenges, and they have such good commentary, even watching them test new cars is a lot of fun, they can drive a $300,000 car and say it is crap.

And the hosts are fantastic.  Jeremy Clarkson is pompous in all the best ways, and believes a hammer is the only tool you ever need.  James May is cautious, nice and more soft spoken, and always gets lost.  Richard Hammond is energetic and enthusiastic, stubborn with a hint of short man complex.

I have to admit Jeremy is my favorite.  But the trio really make the show.  The good news is you can even find old seasons on Netflix instant-que!

More sites:

http://www.bbcamerica.com/shows/topgear/

Fan site that has some episodes:

http://www.finalgear.com/

So test it out watch some clips and enjoy.  And next time some guy makes a car comment you can really one up him with your knowledge.

Oh and Top Gear Australia is ok, but just ok.

Just some updates:

Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church-  just opened its doors, but already is showing an amazing amount of progress.  The crudo, giamette and filetto were my favorites.  The crust was nicely charred and chewy, but still slightly crisp.  But a must order are the clams, cooked in a fantastic white wine garlic sauce.  Nice concise wine and beer list.  And gelatto from Dolcezza, mmm.

One World Cafe in Baltimore-  this cafe specializes in vegetarian and vegan food, but does so in a really tasty way.  A friend of mine had her rehearsal dinner here and it left everyone satisfied and not missing any meat.  Especially with the fantastic vegetable lasagna that had really good roast carrots in it.

Punk’s Backyard Grill in Annapolis- if this place franchises my husband and I both agree we would invest in a location Arlington.  Punk’s has fantastic fresh and simple food.  Grilled right when you order with always fresh ingredients.  We both had the Skinny Chicken Sandwiches- nicely grilled and still juicy chicken with herb spread, a terriyaki glaze and really good fresh bun.  The drippings from the sandwich made the perfect dip for the accompanying arugula and cherry tomatoes.  We also had a small salad and their really good red skin potato salad.  It is mashed redskins with a fantastic dressing that ends up not being heavy at all and with lots of flavor.  The Boylan’s sodas are an added bonus.  So is the dog-friendly outdoor seating.  Max had a great time laying in the shade and licking my fingers.  They were just named as one of Washingtonian’s best Cheap Eats for 2010 for good reason too, our bill was very reasonable for all we got.

Matsutake in Ballston- has slid even further downward.  Cannot be trusted.  Avoid at all costs.

Liberty Tavern in Clarendon- needs to re-work a couple dishes on the current menu that just need tweeked a tiny bit, but continues to be very good.  You can’t go wrong with their mixed seafood pasta, Vermont Pizza or their Hanger Steak.  Meanwhile their sibling Lyon Hall is very quickly getting their feet under them and turning out some great food.

Lebanese Taverna in Arlington- I love the original location for the stellar service and charm.  Their hummus is my favorite in the area (you can buy it in large tubs at the Market down the street).  I had the Mouzat the other night and the lamb shank was fantastic with great flavor in the tomato sauce and meat falling off the bone, but maintaining that great pungent lamb flavor.  And if you don’t like their freshly baked pita… well that is a great shame.  They even gave me extra pita with my leftovers.  I have to say that of all the small chains in the area this one has done the best in maintaining great quality control and service.

M&S Grill in Baltimore- if you are at Harborplace and need an option that won’t have an hour long wait and will have decent food head to M&S Grill.  Their cod was fresh and well prepared, as was the salmon.  And the steak salad is very good too.

After being under the weather I hope to get out to more places soon.

Ballstonites- have you noticed that not only are we getting a Rustico, we are also getting a Buzz Bakery!  I am so excited as Buzz has great coffee and baked goods and a really nice vibe.  Max is excited for a Buzz dog treat too!

**More pictures coming soon**

I had a fantastic long weekend in Nashville, filled with good friends, good food and lots of good music.  Here is my report:

The Hutton Hotel- This is one of my all-time favorite hotels.  Many of the Leading Hotels of the World I have been to recently haven’t really met their or my exacting standards, but this one met and exceeded them.  It boasts free wifi, free wine between 5-6 pm, free car service within 3 miles, espresso machine on every floor to make you complimentary espresso, rain shower heads, nice cotton bedding, nice restaurant, nice bed, soothing atmosphere with really nice L’Occitaine toiletries.  Lots of free bottles of water and chocolate each night during turndown, multiple types of power jacks in your room, wonderful staff who were friendly and who would do anything asked.  To add to that they also have a great hotel bar and staff.  It is one of my favorite hotels.  And really what more than that could you ask for?  As a specific note Nashville is a place that you want to stay out late at night.  There is so much good music and in cases like that a relaxing, soothing respite is necessary.

As an aside while I was there they were having a Bobbi Brown Fall Color Convention (Employee Presentation).  I happen to adore Bobbi Brown products for their lack of harsh chemicals and their focus on the basics and neutrals with hints of color where appropriate.  I happened to run into one of the artists at the bar who hooked me up with some new products.  John- you are amazing.  It is people like you that make me adore Bobbi.

Entertainment:

It is worth checking out the Country Music Hall of Fame even if you don’t love Country Music.  The exhibits are really neat and even those of us not well versed in Country recognized so many of the songs.  While we were there they had a fantastic exhibit on the precious Brenda Lee.

I just missed an exhibit at the Frist Museum on Paris Fashion that looked wonderful.  As a note the Frist does not have a permanent collection so judge whether you want to go on how interesting the two exhibits showing will be to you.  While there they only had a Chihuly exhibit and it was rather small for the $10 admission.

Nearby check out the gallery at the Tennessee Art League.  While there they had a fantastic exhibits by both members and children with some neat things.

Cheekwood House and Gardens is a very neat house with pretty gardens.  They had the larger part of the Nashville Chihuly exhibit, but not as expansive as Phoenix one I visited before.  The house itself had impressionist art, primitive american sculpture by African American, and fabrege exhibit.  the bottom still housed many of the details from the family who built it, the Maxwell House family. The gardens were extensive and very pretty, but not as nice as the Huntington in L.A. or Vizcaya in Miami, but very cool and worth a visit.

So where to hang to get some of that good music?  Well if you want to go downtown then I suggest starting at Bang Bar where dueling pianos have a good fun with the audience and the people watching is top notch.  Then for some more serious music head over to the Stage or Second Fiddle.  On a whim you could also stop by Roberts or Wildhorse Saloon which just reopened from the flood.  Look for the crowds.

Away from downtown the Red Rooster and Tin Roof have live music, sometimes Country sometimes not and Dan McGuiness Irish Pub can turn somewhat into a college bar/club later in the evening.  More of a last stop kind of place.

To Eat:

Jack’s BBQ- The great thing about Jack’s is it isn’t one thing.  Nashville not being Memphis it can do whatever BBQ it wants without picking a style.  It does brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork and sausages.  The brisket and ribs were stand out, as well as, Carolina mustard sauce and their vinegar sauce.  I liked being able to mix the Carolina mustard sauce with the brisket without dirty looks.  They had good bready dense cornbread, slighly sweet, but very bread like.  Nice ambiance, with big tables, a patio and very casual ambiance.  It is right downtown among the honky tonks with long hours.

Pancake Pantry- this is a very down homey breakfast all day joint.  Nice staff, not overly chatty because they have work to do, but nice.  On my first visit I had cornmeal pancakes with bacon, cheese, green chiles served with salsa, maple syrup and sour cream.  Nice mix of savory and sweet flavor, a few bites with syrup was good, but I mainly ate it with salsa and sour cream.  Awesome lunchy, savory pancakes.  The cornmeal had a crisp outside but tender inside and wasn’t overly sweet like some cornbreads.

On my next visit I had the Chef’s Skillet with their fantastic crispy hashbrowns and sauteed peppers, onions and tomatoes and ham.  Topped with swiss cheese and fried eggs.  As I was sharing the dish we ordered it with two buttermilk pancakes.  It was crispy and very satisfying after a night out on the town the poached eggs soaked down through the mixture and perked you back up.  It was nice to be able to have this and one of their light fluffy buttermilk pancakes.  I don’t like a large amount of pancake, but one with their warm cinnamon syrup really hit the spot.  Their pancakes really are incredible.  They aren’t too thick or thin, they are a little crusty on the outside but fluffy all the way through.  The buttermilk for me have enough tang that they aren’t overly sweet with syrup.  I also like that they have buckwheat pancakes on the menu and real maple syrup.  I lucked out both times I waited less than 30 minutes to get a table, probably because we ate late.

City House- this restaurant is nicely composed.  A little hard to find, but well worth the attempt.  The design is modern and minimalist.  They had a short but diverse wine list, house salami with boutique wisconsin parmigana was excellent.  The salami was peppery and flavorful, but the texture was soft and tender similar to the texture of lox. The parmigana cheese was from a company turned co-op and rivaled some of the best I have had anywhere with its flavor and texture.  For an entree I had the margherita pizza with arugala, this was perfect neapolitan style pizza with excellent fresh taste, pillowy crust, and arugula gave nice crispness.  Bread gnocchi of my dining companion so-so.  I think if you had bread gnocchi before and knew what the texture and flavor was like then it would be ok, but on such a hot summer day it was a bit heavy.  But their dessert list is amazing.  I wish someone here in D.C. could come close to the wonderful creativity of the dessert list here.  We split the peanut butter panini with rhubarb preserves and buttermilk ice cream.  This dish made you want to give Elvis a hug.  The ice cream had awesome tang and the warm peanut butter on cornbread then grilled for a crisp outside had perfect sweetness and crunch, but was balanced by tart rhubarb and tangy ice cream so as not to be too rich.

Neely’s BBQ- Yes, yes the home of the famous Food Network Neely’s is Memphis, but they have an outpost in Nashville too.  Their BBQ, although not as smokey as Jack’s, was ok; their pulled pork was much better than Jack’s.  It was juicy tender, but they put the sauce on it for you, and a lot of it so you couldn’t judge just how good the pork would be on its own.  Good but standard mac and cheese and beans.  However, they gave you toast instead of cornbread… not cool.  I would go to Jack’s over this place if you want anything but pulled pork only.  The portions are huge though, if you dig that.

Taco Mamacita- this is a fun taco joint with not your normal tacos.  Instead be prepared for carnitas, jerk chicken or gyro tacos.  I had a gyro and a fish taco.  I did lament that you didn’t get a choice of hard or soft taco or a choice between flour and corn tortillas.  The fish taco was really nice with a lightly floured then fried fish that remained moist and interesting slaw.  The gyro was just a gyro in a tortilla, but it was good.  The black bean and corn slaw was refreshing, but had too much cilantro for me.

And below the Taco Royale which was a favorite among our group:

So thank you Nashville for providing a great place to catch up with my best friend, and a great place to party hard with dear friends.  I am so glad that it is recovering so well from such a devastating flood and keeping in such good spirit!

So if you don’t know by now I am a little obsessed with all things Penguin.  It started as my sorority mascot, but then as I watched the little guys on TV and in films I loved their quirky personalities.  Then I saw them in person in Australia and the love deepened all that much more, especially after I got to touch a poor little guy after being rescued on the beach, with wounds from an encounter with a shark (don’t worry he made it).

But this Penguin by Soda Stream USA is not being posted for my obsession, but for that of a friend.  My friend Warren loves sparkling water.  And this little guy turns regular water into sparkling water pronto!  He can also make sodas.

The great thing is he does all this without batteries or electricity.  So my friend Warren could even take it on his sailboat.  You can add flavors or juices and you can control the level of fizz.  So on a hot day you could add a twist of lemon or lime without any cutting.

And the reusable glass bottles save you from buying plastic bottle after plastic bottle.  I tend to drink more water if there is a splash of flavor or some fizz, don’t you?

Available at many places like William Sonoma, Amazon.com and etc.  And no, Warren, this isn’t your wedding gift from me, but you should register for it.

My just delightful Mother had her birthday this week, so Matt and I wanted to take her out somewhere she would really enjoy.  The one requirement was that it be accessible to the Orange line metro so that she could metro in.  My Mother went to Ireland this year, and her family being of Scottish-Irish descent I thought taking her to somewhere with modern British-Isles fare would be fun, so long as it wasn’t for a traditional English breakfast.  So off we headed to Againn.

The first thing to note is the lighting and ambiance.  I think the cleanliness of the style with multiple types of lighting, which wasn’t to dim or bright, just really made it feel fresh and almost romantic.  The wood booths, the natural light, the glass at the bar all just made you feel comfortable.  But just wait till you taste a cocktail crafted with what is inside those bottles.  I had the Haig & Peaches- haig pinch, peach lambic, aperol, benedictine, lemon, vanilla rooibos tincture, egg white.  Now while this sounds like a lot on paper the smooth, slightly sweet, slightly tart drink was very refreshing, without being too much of anything.

Then they brought out the bread, crusty sourdough that was tender and soft in the middle with perfectly room temperature butter.  The service was professional with the servers not being overzealous, but not leading you to want for anything.

I started with the Ale Battered Maryland Soft Shell Crab fried and on a bed of ratatouille.  The crab was crispy, juicy and sweet.  The ratatouille was a chunky version with good flavor.  They paired well together as a nice dish that wasn’t overseasoned in which you could taste the fresh vegetables and crab meat.

I then moved to the Ale Braised Rabbit with pickled ramps and grits.  And as a note although both dishes had ale elements it didn’t take over any part of the flavor.  This dish was so good I could have perhaps eaten seven of them if given the chance.  It is a mini dutch oven of perfectly tender and flavorful rabbit that just melts amongst the white grits.  The white grits have a nice texture and absorb all the flavors of the dish, while the pickled ramps give you a crisp and pungent hit of tang so that the rich flavor is balanced.  I scooped up every bit that my fork couldn’t reach with bread.  And while it wasn’t a huge portion, it was just right in this hot hot weather with my starter.

I also snagged a decent portion of Hubby’s shepherd’s pie.  Which came with a small salad (not noted on the menu but fyi in case you thought of getting a salad for a starter).  His pie was a generous portion of ground lamb and scallion mashed potatoes.  The lamb and its sauce was nicely spiced and not your typical bland filling.  Both the meat and the seasonings used to make the sauce had a lot of flavor.  The mashed potato topping had a nice dense texture and was crispy on top, but the scallions gave you a crunch and some added flavor so that the dish wasn’t boring at all.  The birthday girl had the Cod, with mussels, cockles, spinach and saffron broth.  She loved the crisp outside of the fish and that it was very firm while not being dry.  The accompaniments while rich added nice depth to the broth.

We ended the night with absinthe.  Although the dessert menu looked great the hot and sticky weather just didn’t bode well for dessert.

Againn might be one of my very favorite restaurants in the DC area.  The ambiance, service and food were all top notch without being stuffy or over the top.  I really enjoyed it.

Last weekend was the DonRockwell picnic, an annual homage to food.  For it I wanted to make something light,  but decadent.  I also wanted something that wouldn’t keep me in the kitchen all weekend because we had lots of errands to run and presents to buy for weddings this summer.  So Trifle it was.

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Salt (I used lavender salt because I am obsessive)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces
• 3 pounds strawberries cut into slices
• 1/2 pound pineapple cut into chunks
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 loaf homemade or store-bought pound or sponge cake, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• Garnish: lemon zest matchsticks

1. Whisk together 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, the yolks, wine, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in grated zest. Gradually whisk in butter until smooth. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour or up to 2 days.
3. Toss fruit with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
4. Whisk cream until soft peaks form. Whisk curd to loosen. Working in 3 additions, fold whipped cream into curd.
5. Layer a third of the cake in the bottom of a 12-cup bowl. Cover with a third of the lemon mousse. Spoon a third of the fruit over lemon mousse. Repeat twice with remaining cake, lemon mousse, and fruit. Refrigerate trifle at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. Garnish with lemon zest.

I adapted the recipe from this Martha Stewart recipe.  I also added some almond liquer to the pound cake for extra zip.  Don’t worry the picnic was afternoon.

Thank you to 1000yregg for the picture!

There is nothing quite like the bond of siblings, I should know I have nine!  Most recently, my sister Kelly got engaged.  She is getting married at the beautiful Christ Church in the Northern Neck of Virginia.

Last weekend I got the joy of helping her to find her perfect wedding dress at J. Crew.  It is a simple, but sleek gown that just mirrors her effortless beauty.  The Cecelia (as a note she looks much better in it than the model):

I told her I would send her the link to Lilac Bijoux as they have really neat jewelry, but their online selections were lacking in choices appropriate for a wedding dress.  Thank goodness for some of my favorite Etsy shops that I can give as a back-up!!!

So to follow are some inspirations I had- and as a note to Kelly who actually reads my blog, don’t feel like you need to like any of these, but check out the shops they have some really neat things.

Kelly has a beautiful tan complection and dark hair, and that made me think of one of three color combinations: 1) bright and fun accessories 2. golden hues to celebrate the Golden August of her wedding month or 3. aqua colors that she seemed to gravitate to when shopping.

On the colorful theme Whichgoose had this beautiful Artic Roses Teal clip set.  I adore all of Whichgooses sight and it helps that she is from Frederick, MD.  If you ever want neat floral or nature hairpieces, shoes or clips try her sight first.

Some fun earrings and a necklace from Joojooland.

And a bracelet from Jenny Trinh. (I would add one Peruvian turquoise bead right beside the pearl, and I am sure Jenny would add it for you too)

For the golden theme, this bridal hair comb caught my eye.

These golden earrings by Persimmon Tree, who has fantstic things in other colors, as well.

Or these golden earrings by Erica Leilani Designs.

And this simple, but elegant necklace from one of my very favorite Etsy jewelers, Made by Sam.

(Customizable… so is the item below.  You can change the stone color, metal color and initial) And matching bracelet.

Or go for a set and get the matching earrings too.

And lastly the aqua color.

These earrings from Erica Leilani Designs really caught my eye. And below are two bracelets that might pair well from the same designer.

This baby belle necklace from JooJooland.

And this hairclip to tie it all together by chicallure.

So even if you don’t love these combinations for your look definitely check out the above sites for nice jewelry and accessories.  I have found those stores to be reputable, with good quality jewelry and good customer service and ability to customize orders.

It is the abundance of small touches that we notice in any experience.  And really that is what good hostessing is all about.  Small touches that make someone’s experience just slightly better.  Many are really easy.  For example homemade salad dressing.  It tastes much better than what you can buy in the store and is extremely simple.

Here is the basic recipe for balsamic dressing:

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 cup olive oil

You mix the first four ingredients together then slowly wisk in the olive oil, taste and modify.  The great thing is that this is just the base.  You can add in orange zest, ginger, salt and pepper, basil, thyme, oregano, honey or whatever fits your fancy.  I normally mix the base recipe.  Taste, then season with salt and pepper as necessary then add 1/2 tsp. of any desired ingredient.  I really like adding in fresh herbs just to make it smell and taste extremely fresh.  Just be careful if you use honey to balance it out with a citrus acid component in the dressing or in the salad itself (like mandarin oranges).

I really love blue cheese and this dressing is my favorite because it uses yogurt in place of sour cream and has more tang:

1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Dash Worcestershire sauce (optional)

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt and mayonnaise until smooth. Mix in the vinegar, salt, and sugar, and season well with freshly ground black pepper.  Stir in the blue cheese and Worcestershire sauce (if using), and refrigerate until ready to serve.  I am kind of a Worcestershire sauce addict, so I always use it.

You can find all sorts of great recipes for salad dressings.  The best thing to mix them in a mason jar or something you can put a lid on for future use.  Guests are amazed at how good they taste and it really doesn’t take a lot of time or effort.  I recently had a dinner party with gourmet pizza from a place nearby and a spinach salad with homemade balsamic dressing and oranges and almonds, it was wonderful.  My friends were extremely happy, and it took me minutes to prepare.   And for me if a salad has good dressing and unique ingredients, I don’t find myself at all disappointed in eating “just a salad.”