THE LATEST FROM FRAN BERGER
Videos
In search of the perfect coffee mug | Fran Berger
Everyone has different tastes in coffee mugs. But when you’re entertaining guests, you want to think about form and function rather than the clever design or the artwork imprinted on them. It’s important to think of the guests you’ll be...
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Recipe: a fabulous home-made roasted onion dip | Fran Berger
I’ve always loved a simple onion dip but thought that to make one from scratch would be too difficult. But, the recipe I found from Bon Appétit is actually very easy and straightforward. It will have everyone begging you to...
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Elevate Your Dishes: How to Roast Garlic
A fabulous “quick” preparation for a favorite… wait a minute… what IS garlic anyhow? Here’s a fun fact about garlic. While it’s probably easy to call it a vegetable it’s actually an allium like onions, shallots and leeks and is...
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It's football season and time to make some really great memories. | Fran Berger
Football Sunday with friends and family is an instant hit for most people. I mean, I know friends who don’t watch football, but love to come to my gatherings just because it’s a great time to hang out and party...
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Home Entertaining Tip: Jazzing up the Cheese Board | Fran Berger
Cheese boards come in all sizes, shapes, and materials. I’ll bet that if you took a survey, most people don’t even bring out a cutting board because they slice the cheese before guests arrive. But let’s say you want to...
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Aperitivo: Savor Italy's Tradition of Leisurely Socializing
Enjoy the relaxed pace and informality of a timeless continental style. One of the reasons I became a restaurateur is that I love to entertain. And, one of my favorite ways to entertain guests follows the Italian Aperitivo style: informal and wholly...
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Cooking the Perfect Poached Egg | Fran Berger
I love poached eggs. My mom and dad used to have them with toast just about every Sunday morning. It’s a fond food memory for me. I think more people would eat them at home were it not for all...
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How to shop for fine silver and crystal at estate sales. | Fran Berger
The best way to build a collection of fine silver and crystal: estate sales, flea markets, thrift stores. And they’re fun!For some folks, having the perfect set of home entertaining “ware” is a matter of inheritance. If you are one...
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Summer Drink Recipe: Grapefruit Aperol Spritz
Brings you this fabulous spritz drink to help you keep cool during California’s dog days of summer-early fall. It’s not the end of summer in California until we endure those final “dog days” through early fall. It’ll be boiling here...
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Quick and Easy Dinner Recipe for Tomato Feta Galette | Fran Berger
The tomato is lovely to behold and sweet to eat. I love them on anything – pasta, salads, and savory dishes. No surprise, I will try just about any recipe where tomatoes are the main attraction in a dish. Like...
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How will you pick the perfect wine glasses for your home? | Fran Berger
You're moving into a new home, and you want everything fresh. So, you start with wine glasses. Seems simple enough, right? You go to a store where you know the selection will be excellent, and suddenly you realize – oh...
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Recipe for Tasty Parmesan Crisps, so easy to make | Fran Berger
A quick recipe for Parmesan Crisps that will also introduce you to the Silpat non-stick baking mat. You can literally use it for anything – add to a salad, as a topping for a dish, or just for snacking. One...
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Which bread plate is yours? Here's an easy trick to help you remember | Fran Berger
Table rules cover a myriad of things, right up to how and when one sits at a formal dinner table if royalty is present. But for your table, it’s the bread plate. And I want to share with you a...
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Elevate Your Mixology: 8 Essential Tools for Your Home Bar
Spare yourself the last-minute run-around – get these 8 handy home bar tools now. Next to food, drinks are a main hospitality ‘go-to’ especially if you plan to get serious with home entertaining. Of course, I’m talking specifically...
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How to deseed, chop and dice jalapeños | Fran Berger
Deseeding and chopping jalapeño peppers. Sounds simple enough, right? Maybe until now, you just washed them and cut them like anyone else. Perhaps that’s okay for a Superbowl dip, remember that when a recipe calls for jalapeño, the taste you...
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Pantry Power: 7 Items for Instant Meal Magic
You’ll be ready for just about anything if you keep these items in stock at home at all times. I keep my pantry well-stocked at all times. I owe that habit to years in the restaurant business. One of...
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4th of July recipe: marinated olives and feta | Fran Berger
A fabulous find from Bon Appétit Magazine - olives and feta, marinated in olive oil. It’s a perfect recipe for things like 4th of July parties where light, savory snacks with friends really hits the spot.DO’s and DON’Ts with this...
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Indulge in Frozen Wine-Marinated Grapes: The Ideal Adult Snack
If you love frozen grapes, you’re going to absolutely swoon when you try this idea. One of my favorite summer treats is frozen grapes. I love them, don’t you? They’re so easy to do – clean them, dry them,...
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My favorite summer cocktail - Negroni | Fran Berger
I love anything Italian and I’ve been very fortunate to travel to many different parts of that magical country. Maybe it should come as no surprise that I’ve also collected some great recipes and cooking ideas during my travels there....
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How to love your hydrangeas - and make them last for weeks! | Fran Berger
I’ve extended the life of my hydrangeas for weeks using this method. Just keep dunking them and bringing them back to life. After you restore hydrangea flowers, you can cut the stems again and arrange them in your vase as...
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