Jessica's Dinner Party

by jessica yoon

dinner party

The Trader Joe’s Cheese Board I Serve at Dinner Parties

The Trader Joe's Cheese Board I Serve at Dinner Parties

It’s officially fall and for me that means it’s officially dinner party season. Aside from the upcoming holidays, I also have a lot of friends and family who have birthdays this time of year. My husband and I like to host celebrations whenever we can. It’s not always easy since we live in a one-bedroom apartment, but we’ve managed everything from pot-luck style gatherings to a sit-down dinner for 14 so…we make it work!

The dinner menu changes depending on the guest list and occasion, but there is one staple that makes it to ALL of our gatherings: a Trader Joe’s cheeseboard. (FYI this post is not sponsored, but if you’re reading this TJ’s, call me!)

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Chocolate Earl Grey Mascarpone Cake

Chocolate Earl Grey Mascarpone Cake | Jessica's Dinner Party

This post is part of a 30th birthday dinner party series. 

Before I left New York a year and a half ago, I stocked up on one of my favorite tea blends called the White Duke from Bellocq, a beautiful tea atelier in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The tea blend is similar to an Earl Grey, but is made with white tea leaves instead of black making it lighter on the palate. I used it to make a chocolate Earl Grey mascarpone cake to cap off the birthday celebrations of my dinner party. Despite the fancy ingredients, this is really a simple black and white cake that looks sophisticated, but is fairly easy to make.

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Roast Rack of Lamb with a Garlic Crust

Roast Rack of Lamb with a Garlic Crust | Jessica's Dinner Party

This post is part of a 30th birthday dinner party series. 

I hosted a 30th birthday dinner for a dear friend last week and served this juicy roast rack of lamb as the main dish. I wanted a strong centerpiece that would root the whole table together and this lamb fit the bill perfectly. Of everything I cooked that night, this recipe was hands down the easiest. With only 4 ingredients (or 6 if you include salt and pepper) it comes together quickly and makes for a great showstopper.

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Starting a Dinner Party Series

Starting A New Dinner Party Series | Jessica's Dinner Party

My site has served so many different purposes over the years. From practicing new cooking skills, reviewing restaurants, to writing about my food career. Many different chapters of my life have been documented right here and all of those elements will continue to be a part of this site, but I wanted to bring the focus back to what I love most by starting a new dinner party series.

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A Summer Soiree

a summer soiree | jessica's dinner party

Another summer season has kicked off with my mom’s annual backyard barbecue.  Every year the guest list seems to get a little bigger and along with that an even better menu.  My mom outdid herself again with plenty of classic as well as inventive appetizers: cocktail shrimp, perilla salad, fried chicken..my only regret is that I didn’t take enough pictures of all her beautiful dishes! Oh, and did I mention that there was 13+ kilos worth of T-bone steaks??!  Amahz!  To end, I put together a little ice cream bar with fruit and a few cakes to match!  It was such a lovely evening and because almost all my desserts could be made in advance I was able to enjoy the night without any fuss! I’ll share a few ice cream recipes in coming weeks, but for now here a few photos from the night!

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