Hosting 24 for lunch every year means collecting recipes all year long so I have lots to test and choose from. I’m getting more adventurous as I’ve have not received any complaints about ingredients or flavors. The crowd sailed through a few Ottelenghi menus with his excessive herbs and garnishes without a murmur. The guideline about not serving beef disappeared recently with a good Beef Bourgogne served in honor of a presentation that featured a French dinner for Ralph Lauren’s lifetime achievements. Scheduled for mid may I’d been working on Spring vegetable ideas when a frantic new home owner talked me into switching for her February date with little time to prepare. Switching gears for winter food led me to an ongoing list of recipes I’d like to try and to this Artichoke Torte recipe from the New York Times that was featured as a vegetarian Thanksgiving menu. It was dense and moist with chopped artichoke hearts and cheese and hearty with eggs. It’s not a tart because there is no crust.

I served the torte with an Aztec Blend of rice, grains and beans. I like the texture and colors compared to brown rice. (Although I have served Jasmine rice many times in the past, white rice is a no-no these days.) With a chopped cucumber, sweet pepper and tomato mix in vinaigrette on top of the rice blend, the plates looked lush.

Dessert idea # one for mango custard on graham cracker crust tartlets crumbled into a topping for mango cream. You’ve gotta be flexible.