We Asked Deb Perelman to Plan Your Next Dinner Party, and It's Sick
The genius behind Smitten Kitchen shares her #1 Trader Joe's purchase, the shower product she swears by, and the career advice Ina Garten gave her.
Hi!! How’s your day going? What are your plans for the weekend? You guys, I’m picking up Anton from summer camp and it’s all I can think about!!! He’s mailed a few homesick letters, mixed with some fun reports (he’s loving all the fishing), so I cannot wait to see him and give him the biggest hug of all time.
Now, great news! This week, we’re thrilled to feature Deb Perelman, the brilliant cookbook writer and force behind the Smitten Kitchen website (and newsletter). “Every summer, I go into Italian mode,” she told me, when we chatted on the phone this week. “Everyone wants to be in Italy in August, right? Plus, Italian food is so good for seasonal vegetables.”
First up, we asked Deb to describe her dream dinner party…
Fantasy guest list: I’m utterly obsessed with Simone Biles and Suni Lee, after being glued to the Olympics. I admire how open they are about the pressure, while also killing it. I’d also invite the late Laurie Colwin because I loved her food writing for Gourmet — it was soothing and funny, with Nora Ephron energy — plus, she’d bring the perfect side dish. And David Sedaris and Dolly Parton because I like people who make you laugh.
Summer menu: In August, you have to do a tomato salad — just simple with olive oil, salt and pepper, since they’re good enough to star on their own. Green angel hair pasta looks so vibrant and pretty on the table — so much so that we put it on the cover of my last cookbook. Then you can do braised chickpeas with burrata, along with grilled bread. And for dessert, salted peach caramel crisp, which you can make in advance. Put ice cream on it, and everyone will be happy.
Deb’s three rules for welcoming guests:
Empty the entryway. Clear your coat rack and shoe area. That way, when you greet friends, you can say, ‘Here’s where you can hang your coat and kick off your shoes.” You want the night to immediately feel easy for guests. As the host, you’re like, ‘I’ve got this, you go sit down.’
Make a little drink station. I like to put a stack of glasses next to an open bottle of wine and non-alcoholic beverages, so people don’t have to go hunting. I also keep these carafes of water in the fridge, because when it’s hot out, no one wants to fill a warm glass from the tap.
Serve crunchy snacks. Put out potato chips, especially if dinner isn’t ready right away. You can also cut up any fruit or veg from your fridge — whatever you have — and you’ll be shocked by how quickly it disappears.
What would you add? What are your dinner party pro-tips?
Deb reveals 10 surprises and delights, including her most popular recipe, the table linens she’s used for a decade, and a dreamy place to vacation with kids. She also recommends NYC restaurants and shares the career advice Ina Garten told her…
Ballet: My mom got us tickets for the ballet Like Water for Chocolate. I thought the movie was corny, but I LOVED the ballet. They did such a gorgeous job — the costumes, the sets, the dancing. And they were all so sweaty by the end, which I appreciated. Thank you for the sweaty person representation!
Something that makes you laugh: Whenever I go to the movies, my kids ask me to bring back Reese’s Pieces. Only, I can’t say it. I say ‘Ree-sees Pee-sees and it drives my children crazy. Now I just lean into it to make them laugh.
Celebrity spotting: I was walking with a friend in the West Village and taking phone photos of the beautiful morning light, and she was like, ‘Stop taking pictures of Sofia Coppola!’ I hadn’t even seen her! So, then I had to take pictures of all these random buildings to prove I was taking regular photos.
Rewatchable movie: Dirty Dancing is the perfect summer movie. My love for it hasn’t changed since the ’80s. You can have a sexual re-awakening every year. My friend just bought me a Kellerman’s Resort notepad — that’s how much my friends know I adore this movie. It’s from 1987 but it’s as relevant as ever.
