In an effort to keep things casual (and my desire not to spend the entire night in the kitchen), I am creating a menu that will facilitate our friends simply grazing throughout the evening. Starting with simple appetizers of radish halves smeared with Devonshire cream butter and sprinkled with grey salt; cured meats; and hard-boiled eggs topped with homemade aioli. Next will be a Romaine wedge salad with gorgonzola dressing; creamy potato salad; fried chicken and Andouille gumbo; and buttermilk biscuits. Lemon meringue pie will be served late night.

* The gumbo, potato salad and pie came directly from Donald Link’s Cookbook “Real Cajun: Rustic Home Cooking from Donald Link’s Louisiana” http://www.herbsaint.com/

Blood Orange Martini

Citrus in Santa Barbara is unbelievably delicious. I am crazy about, and covet blood oranges and anxiously await the winter months so I can devour them. Blood oranges are a cross between a navel orange and a tangerine with their distinctive feature being the dark color flesh. I picked these oranges up at Tri Country Produce today and since they are in season, they were reasonably priced.

We will be drinking plenty of champagne tomorrow,  so I thought it would be nice to start off the evening with Blood Orange Martinis.

Here is what you’ll need:

Juice of four blood oranges

Juice of two tangerines

1 tablespoon of Agave nectar

Grab your favorite vodka, fill a shaker with ice, add the juice and SHAKE !!

Garnish with candied blood orange peels.