THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
or food for
 GO BUCS! AND OTHER IMPORTANT OCCASIONS
 

 

 

 

 

  

 

THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
 a cookbook compiled by:
The Junior League of Tampa
… a culinary collection

 

         “Food is at the core of what connects us,” states Tampa’s Junior League.  “No party is out of our reach,” with skillful planning, creative make-ahead recipes and fun menu selections. The basic object, they state, is to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your guests. They provide some creative twists on classic recipes. 

         This 127-page book is divided into: Parties, Preludes, Sideliners, Main Events and Grand Finales. Here and there are little Etiquette squibs, always helpful in changing times. Here are just a few: 

  • One Prelude is Grouper Cakes with Tartar Sauce – an delicious Florida take on Maryland Crab Cakes.
     

  • Smoked Salmon Brushetta with Fennel and Goat Cheese is a menu from Tampa’a Mise en Place Restaurant.
     

  • Sassy Salsa combines black beans, corn, cilantro cumin tomatoes avocados and chiles.
     

  • Delicate Gazpacho Blanco contains yogurt, sour cream, peppers, parsley and light spicing.
     

  • Bunco Jumble is a crazy candy or salty snacks of Ritz peanut butter sandwich crackers, peanuts pretzels and M & M’s.
     

  • Pirate’s Milk Punch is a concoction of sour mash bourbon, French brandy, vodka, vanilla, whole milk  and nutmeg.
     

  • Sideliners include Linguine Al Granchio con Salsa Rosa from Caffe Paradiso includes plum tomatoes, lump crab meat, clam juice and heavy cream.
     

  • Pesto Green Beans involves fresh basil, pecans and of course green beans.
     

  • Great for New Year’s brunch or a Bucs tailgate party is Jalapeno Cheese Grits with lots of butter, eggs and hot jalapenos. Pina Colada Muffins sideline well with these grits.
     

  • Main Event White Bean Chicken Chili is a hearty collection of the beans with green chiles, oregano and chicken beasts served with Cheddar cheese and sour cream.
     

  • Arroz con Pollo Salada with Tomato Garlic Mayonnaise is a memorable combination of long rich, ham, green beans and chicken.
     

  • A “to die for” could be the Pears in Mascarpone Custard. Simple to make and bakes for only 20 minutes.
     

  • Another Grand meal finisher is Calypso Pie made with coffee ice cream Kahlua, slivered almonds in a graham cracker crust topped with a rich chocolate sauce.
     

  • How about a Butterscotch Sundae Martini? It’s Godiva white chocolate liqueur, butterscotch schnapps, Frangelico amaretto, premium vodka in a chilled martini glass.

 

  • ©Marty Martindale, Largo FL, 2003
     

The Junior League of Tampa, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through effective action and leadership by trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Proceeds from the sale of this cookbook will be reinvested in the community through Junior League of Tampa projects. (Telephone: 813.254.1734).